Section 6
The North Wind and the Sun explained simply
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun, each claiming that he was stronger than the other. At last they agreed to try their powers upon a traveller, to see which could soonest strip him of his cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all his force for the attack, he came...
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Public-domain original
A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun, each claiming
that he was stronger than the other. At last they agreed to try their
powers upon a traveller, to see which could soonest strip him of his
cloak. The North Wind had the first try; and, gathering up all his
force for the attack, he came whirling furiously down upon the man,
and caught up his cloak as though he would wrest it from him by one
single effort: but the harder he blew, the more closely the man
wrapped it round himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first he
beamed gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and
walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders: then he shone
forth in his full strength, and the man, before he had gone many
steps, was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey
more lightly clad.
Persuasion is better than force
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
What happens here
The wind and sun compete to remove a traveler’s cloak, and warmth succeeds where force fails.
Why this scene matters
This fable matters because it shows that gentleness can work better than pressure or aggression.
Characters in this scene
- The North Wind: The forceful competitor who tries to blow the cloak away.
- The Sun: The gentle competitor who wins by warming the traveler.
- The traveler: The person whose cloak becomes the test.
Simple story version
The wind tries to force a traveler to remove his cloak, but he holds it tighter. The sun warms him, and he takes it off himself.