Aesop
|
Greece

The North Wind and the Sun

The North Wind and the Sun compete to remove a traveler's cloak, but the Sun wins with warmth.
Kindness
Strength
Adaptability
The North Wind and the Sun
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, the North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger when they saw a traveler coming down the road. They agreed that the one who could first strip the traveler of his cloak would be considered the stronger of the two.

The North Wind began the contest, blowing with all his might upon the traveler, trying to wrench the cloak from his grasp. But the harder the North Wind blew, the tighter the traveler wrapped his cloak around himself, determined to keep it in place.

Frustrated, the North Wind eventually gave up and allowed the Sun to take his turn. The Sun shone warmly upon the traveler, gently warming him with his rays. As the traveler felt the pleasant warmth, he soon unwrapped his cloak, and finally, removed it altogether to enjoy the comforting heat.

The North Wind admitted defeat, and the Sun was declared the stronger of the two.

Once upon a time, the North Wind and the Sun had an argument. They wanted to see who was stronger. They saw a traveler walking on the road and decided to test their strength. They agreed that whoever could make the traveler take off his cloak first would be the stronger one.

The North Wind went first. He blew as hard as he could to pull the cloak away from the traveler. But the harder he blew, the tighter the traveler held onto his cloak, wrapping it around himself.

After trying very hard without success, the North Wind gave up. Then, it was the Sun’s turn. The Sun shone gently on the traveler, making him feel warm and comfortable. Enjoying the warm sunshine, the traveler took off his cloak.

Seeing this, the North Wind knew he had lost. The Sun was declared the stronger one for making the traveler take off his cloak without using force.

The North Wind and the Sun have a game. They see a man walking on the road. The man is wearing a coat. The North Wind says, "I am strong. I can make him take off his coat."

The North Wind blows hard. The wind is very cold. The man holds his coat tight. He does not take off his coat. The North Wind cannot win.

Then, the Sun says, "Now, it is my turn." The Sun shines bright. The Sun is warm. The man feels hot. He takes off his coat. The Sun wins.

Once upon a time, the North Wind and the Sun had an argument. They wanted to see who was stronger. They saw a traveler walking on the road and decided to test their strength. They agreed that whoever could make the traveler take off his cloak first would be the stronger one.

The North Wind went first. He blew as hard as he could to pull the cloak away from the traveler. But the harder he blew, the tighter the traveler held onto his cloak, wrapping it around himself.

After trying very hard without success, the North Wind gave up. Then, it was the Sun’s turn. The Sun shone gently on the traveler, making him feel warm and comfortable. Enjoying the warm sunshine, the traveler took off his cloak.

Seeing this, the North Wind knew he had lost. The Sun was declared the stronger one for making the traveler take off his cloak without using force.

Once upon a groovy time, in the vast blue sky, the North Wind, who fancied himself as the ultimate superhero of gustiness, and the Sun, known locally as the “Bright Dude,” were bickering over who rocked harder. Just then, they spotted a traveler strolling down the road, his cloak fluttering like the grandest cape in a superhero movie.

North Wind, flipping his invisible hair, said, “Hey Sun, let’s settle this once and for all! First one to get that dude's cloak off wins the title of 'The Ultimate Powerhouse'!”

Sun, ever the cool cat, just winked and said, “You're on, Windy-boy!”

So, the North Wind, with all the gusto of a toddler on a sugar high, blew with all his might upon the traveler, thinking he’d whip the cloak off in one epic gust. “C’mon! Off you go, cloak!” But alas, the more he blew, the more the traveler hugged his cloak, almost like he was hugging a gigantic teddy bear. "Oh, come on!" grumbled the North Wind. "Why's he hugging it like it's his favorite pudding?!"

Seeing North Wind all huffed out, the Sun smirked, “Step aside, Windy. Let the master show you how it’s done.” And with the gentle charm of a thousand kittens, he beamed down, warming the traveler bit by bit.

Feeling the comfy warmth, the traveler sighed, “Ah, that's the good stuff!” and gradually loosened his cloak. Eventually, he flung it over his arm, twirling around like he was on a summer vacation.

North Wind, pouting, said, “Alright, alright, you win! But let’s be honest, who can resist your warm cuddles?”

The Sun, with a cheeky grin, replied, “Precisely, my windy friend. Sometimes, a warm hug does more than a gusty push!”

And so, in the grand game of "Whose Power Rocks the Most?" the Bright Dude aka the Sun was the undisputed champ! Everyone danced, laughed, and played on under the ever-smiling sun.

North Wind and Sun, in skies so blue,
Argued who’s strong—each thought they knew.
A traveler walked, his cloak pulled tight,
They made a plan to prove who's right.

"Who takes his cloak with skill or might,"
They said, "will win this friendly fight."
North Wind puffed up, "I’ll make him freeze,"
He blew a gust through leafless trees.

Yet tighter still, the man did cling,
His cloak as if attached by string.
"I've tried my best," North Wind confessed,
"Sun, take your turn, put him to test."

Sun beamed a smile, warmed up the land,
The man felt heat, as if by hand.
He loosened up his cloak with glee,
To feel the sun, as one feels free.

"Sun, you are stronger," Wind decreed,
"With warmth, not force, you've done the deed."
Sun simply smiled, spoke words so true,
"It’s often love that sees us through."

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Word Finder

  1. Argument

    A disagreement between two or more people.

  2. Traveler

    A person who is going on a journey.

  3. Decided

    Chose after thinking about different options.

  4. Strength

    The quality of being physically strong.

  5. Tighter

    More firm or secure, not loose.

  6. Success

    The achievement of a goal or aim.

  7. Gently

    In a kind and soft way.

  8. Comfortable

    Providing physical ease and relaxation.

  9. Enjoying

    Taking pleasure in something.

  10. Declared

    Announced something clearly and officially.

Understanding Questions

  1. What did the North Wind and the Sun argue about?
  2. What was the challenge that the North Wind and the Sun decided to do?
  3. How did the North Wind try to make the traveler take off his cloak?
  4. What effect did the Sun's gentle shining have on the traveler?
  5. Why was the Sun declared the stronger one at the end of the story?

Word Finder

  1. Game

    Activity to see who wins.

  2. Road

    Place where cars and people go.

  3. Wearing

    Putting clothes on the body.

  4. Strong

    Having a lot of power.

  5. Blows

    Pushes air with force.

  6. Cold

    Low temperature, not warm.

  7. Holds

    Keeps something in hands.

  8. Tight

    Held very close together.

  9. Shines

    Gives off light and warmth.

  10. Warm

    A little hot, not cold.

  1. Argument

    A disagreement between two or more people.

  2. Traveler

    A person who is going on a journey.

  3. Decided

    Chose after thinking about different options.

  4. Strength

    The quality of being physically strong.

  5. Tighter

    More firm or secure, not loose.

  6. Success

    The achievement of a goal or aim.

  7. Gently

    In a kind and soft way.

  8. Comfortable

    Providing physical ease and relaxation.

  9. Enjoying

    Taking pleasure in something.

  10. Declared

    Announced something clearly and officially.

Understanding Questions

  1. Who has a game?

    1. The man and the coat
    2. The North Wind and the Sun
    3. The Sun and the coat
    4. The man and the North Wind
  2. What does the man wear?

    1. A hat
    2. A coat
    3. Shoes
    4. Gloves
  3. What does the North Wind say?

    1. "I am cold."
    2. "I am warm."
    3. "I am strong."
    4. "I am weak."
  4. What happens when the North Wind blows?

    1. The man takes off his coat.
    2. The man holds his coat tight.
    3. The man feels hot.
    4. The man runs away.
  5. Who wins the game?

    1. The North Wind
    2. The man
    3. The coat
    4. The Sun
  1. What did the North Wind and the Sun argue about?
  2. What was the challenge that the North Wind and the Sun decided to do?
  3. How did the North Wind try to make the traveler take off his cloak?
  4. What effect did the Sun's gentle shining have on the traveler?
  5. Why was the Sun declared the stronger one at the end of the story?
  1. What was the main reason the North Wind and the Sun decided to have a contest?
  2. How did the traveler react to the North Wind's efforts to make him take off his cloak?
  3. Describe the Sun's approach in making the traveler remove his cloak.
  4. What can be inferred about the North Wind's method compared to the Sun's method?
  5. How did the North Wind respond after realizing the Sun was more powerful?

Reflection Questions

  1. Which force— the Sun's warmth or the North Wind's chill— was more effective in getting the traveller to remove his cloak, and why?
  2. Can you think of a time when being gentle and warm worked better than being forceful and harsh?
  3. How do you think the traveller felt when the North Wind was blowing? How about when the Sun was shining?
  4. What lesson does this story teach us about persuasion and the way we treat others?
  5. How can we apply the moral of this story in our daily interactions with people around us?

Fable Quotes

A gentle touch has more power than a forceful push.
The mightiest power is not measured by force, but by the ability to influence.
Adaptability triumphs as gentle warmth persuades where forceful winds fail.
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