The North Wind and the Sun
The North Wind and the Sun argue about which of them is stronger, and agree that whoever can get a Traveler's cloak off wins. The Wind blows and blows, but the Traveler only wraps his cloak tighter; then the Sun shines warmly, and soon the Traveler takes the cloak off himself.
Scene 1: A Quarrel in the Sky
The North Wind and the Sun. Once, the North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they argued with much heat and bluster, a Traveler came along the road, wrapped in a cloak.
Scene 2: A Contest
The Sun said: “Let us agree that he is the stronger who can strip that Traveler of his cloak.” The North Wind growled: “Very well!”
Scene 3: The Howling Blast
At once, the North Wind sent a cold, howling blast against the Traveler. With the first gust, the ends of the cloak whipped about the Traveler’s body. But he wrapped it closely around him. The harder the Wind blew, the tighter he held it. The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.
Scene 4: Gentle Sunshine
Then the Sun began to shine. At first, his beams were gentle. In the pleasant warmth after the bitter cold, the Traveler unfastened his cloak. He let it hang loosely from his shoulders. The Sun’s rays grew warmer and warmer. The man took off his cap and wiped his brow.
Scene 5: The Sun Wins
At last, he became so hot that he pulled off his cloak! Then he lay down in the cool shade of a tree by the roadside. The Sun had won. Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.
Moral: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.
Questions about The North Wind and the Sun
What did the North Wind and the Sun quarrel about?
Which of them was the stronger.
Who came along the road wrapped in a cloak?
A Traveler.
What did the Traveler do when the North Wind blew hard?
He wrapped his cloak tightly around him.
What did the man take off and wipe his brow with when the Sun grew warmer?
His cap.
Where did the Traveler lie down at the end?
In the cool shade of a tree.
More stories to read aloud
- The Lion and the Mouse — A Lion catches a little Mouse but laughs and lets her go when she promises to repay him.
- The Hare and the Tortoise — A boastful Hare laughs at the slow Tortoise, so the Tortoise challenges him to a race.
- Belling the Cat — The Mice hold a council and a young Mouse has a clever plan: hang a bell about the Cat’s neck.