The following is written in pencil on an odd scrap of paper and has no date:-- "When my brother and I were children my father one day took us each on his knee and said: 'Now I am going to tell you the character of each of you.' He then told us the fable of the Hare and the Tortoise.

'Now,' said he, 'Finley' (that is me), 'you are the Hare and Sidney, your brother, is the Tortoise.

See if I am not correct in prophesying your future careers.' So ever since it has been a topic of banter between Sidney and me.

Sometimes Sidney seemed to be more prosperous than I; then he would say, 'The old tortoise is ahead.' Then I would take a vigorous run and cry out to him,' The hare is ahead.' For I am naturally quick and impulsive, and he sluggish and phlegmatic.

So I am now going to give him the Hare riding the Tortoise as a piece of fun.