Fill in the correct word

Once upon a time, there ... a very fast hare and a very slow tortoise. The hare always ... at the tortoise because he ... so slow. One day the tortoise ...
all the animals. "Let's have a race tomorrow!" - he saidThe next day they ...
the race. The hare ... forward and soon he was far ahead of the tortoise. It ...
a very sunny day and the hare ...
very hot. "There's a tree. I can rest under it!" A few hours later, the tortoise ...
the sleeping hare. Suddenly the hare ...
his eyes and ...
around. He saw the tortoise at the finish line! The tortoise ...
the winner! The hare ...
the lesson well that day: "Keep on going and don't stop until you cross the finish line!"