The Wind and the Sun

057. THE WIND AND THE SUN A dispute once arose between the Wind and the Sun which was the stronger of the two and they agreed to put the point upon this issue that whichever soonest made a traveller take off his cloak should be accounted the more powerful.
The Wind began and blew with all his might and main a blast cold and fierce as a Thracian storm; but the stronger he blew the closer the traveller wrapped his cloak around him, and the tighter he grasped it with his hands.
Then broke out the Sun: with his welcome beams he dispersed the vapour and the cold; the traveller felt the genial warmth, and as the Sun shone brighter and brighter, he sat down, overcome with the heat, and cast his cloak on the ground.
Thus the Sun was declared the conqueror; and it has ever been deemed that persuasion is better than force; and that the sunshine of a kind and gentle manner will sooner lay open a poor man's heart than all the threatenings and force of blustering authority. [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

041. THE WIND AND THE SUN. A dispute once arose between the north wind and sun about the superiority of their power, and they agreed to try their strength upon a traveller, which should be able to get his cloak off first. The north wind began, and blew a very cold blast, accompanied with a sharp driving shower; but this, and whatever else he could do, instead of making the man quit his cloak, obliged him to gird it about his body as close as possible.
Next came the sun, who breaking out from a thick watery cloud, drove away the cold vapours from the sky, and darted his warm sultry beams upon the head of the poor weatherbeaten traveller. The man growing faint with the heat, and unable to endure it any longer, first throws off his heavy cloak, and then flies for protection to the shade of a neighbouring grove. [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

32. THE WIND AND THE SUN. The wind and the sun once had a dispute as to which was the stronger. At last, as neither would give in, they agreed each to try his strength upon a traveller, and the one who managed to get off the man's cloak first was to be the winner.
The wind began. He blew cold blasts and hurricanes, poured down showers of rain and hail, stormed, and raged and howled, but with no success, for the stronger he blew, the closer the man drew his cloak about him.
Next came the sun, who, dispelling the cold clouds and mist from the sky, sent down his bright rays upon the poor weather-beaten traveller. No sooner did the man feel the comforting warmth than he threw off his heavy cloak, and went happily on his way. [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

034. THE WIND AND THE SUN. A dispute once arose between the north wind and sun about the superiority of their power, and they agreed to try their strength upon a traveller, which should be able to get his cloak off first. The north wind began, and blew a very cold blast, accompanied with a sharp driving shower; but this, and whatever else he could do, instead of making the man quit his cloak, obliged him to gird it about his body as close as possible.
Next came the sun, who breaking out from a thick watery cloud, drove away the cold vapours from the sky, and darted his warm sultry beams upon the head of the poor weatherbeaten traveller. The man growing faint with the heat, and unable to endure it any longer, first throws off his heavy cloak, and then flies for protection to the shade of a neighbouring grove. [more info]

Phoebus and Boreas

06.03: PHOEBUS AND BOREAS.
Old Boreas and the sun, one day
Espied a traveller on his way,
Whose dress did happily provide
Against whatever might betide.
The time was autumn, when, indeed,
All prudent travellers take heed.
The rains that then the sunshine dash,
And Iris with her splendid sash,
Warn one who does not like to soak
To wear abroad a good thick cloak.
Our man was therefore well bedight
With double mantle, strong and tight.
'This fellow,' said the wind, 'has meant
To guard from every ill event;
But little does he wot that I
Can blow him such a blast
That, not a button fast,
His cloak shall cleave the sky.
Come, here's a pleasant game, Sir Sun!
Wilt play?' Said Phoebus, 'Done!
We'll bet between us here
Which first will take the gear
From off this cavalier.
Begin, and shut away.
The brightness of my ray.'
'Enough.' Our blower, on the bet,
Swell'd out his pursy form
With all the stuff for storm—
The thunder, hail, and drenching wet,
And all the fury he could muster;
Then, with a very demon's bluster,
He whistled, whirl'd, and splash'd,
And down the torrents dash'd,
Full many a roof uptearing
He never did before,
Full many a vessel bearing
To wreck upon the shore,—
And all to doff a single cloak.
But vain the furious stroke;
The traveller was stout,
And kept the tempest out,
Defied the hurricane,
Defied the pelting rain;
And as the fiercer roar'd the blast,
His cloak the tighter held he fast.
The sun broke out, to win the bet;
He caused the clouds to disappear,
Refresh'd and warm'd the cavalier,
And through his mantle made him sweat,
Till off it came, of course,
In less than half an hour;
And yet the sun saved half his power.—
So much doth mildness more than force.
[more info]

The North Wind and the Sun

243. THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN. THE NORTH WIND and the Sun disputed as to which was the most powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the victor who could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. The North Wind first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener his blasts, the closer the Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, until at last, resigning all hope of victory, the Wind called upon the Sun to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth. The Traveler no sooner felt his genial rays than he took off one garment after another, and at last, fairly overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in his path.
Persuasion is better than Force. [more info]

The Sun and the Wind

02. THE SUN AND THE WIND. A dispute once arose between the Sun and the Wind, which was the stronger of the two, and they agreed to count this as proof, that whichever soonest made a traveller take off his cloak, should be held the most powerful.
The wind began, and blew with all his might and main a blast, cold and fierce as a winter storm; but the stronger he blew, the closer the traveller wrapped his cloak about him, and the tighter he grasped it with his hands.
Then broke out the sun: with his welcome beams he chased away the vapour and the cold; the traveller felt the pleasant warmth, and as the sun shone brighter and brighter, he sat down, overcome by the heat, and cast aside the cloak that all the blustering rage of the wind could not compel him to lay down.
"Learn from this," said the sun to the wind, "that soft and gentle means will often bring about, what force and fury never can. [more info]

The Sun and the Wind

1.44. THE SUN AND THE WIND. Gentle means, on many occasions, are more effectual than violent ones.
Phoebus and Aeolus had once a dispute which of them could soonest prevail with a certain traveller to part with his cloak. Aeolus began the attack, and assaulted him with great violence. But the man, wrapping his cloak still closer about him, doubled his efforts to keep it, and went on his way. And now, Phoebus darted his warm insinuating rays, which melting the traveller by degrees, at length obliged him to throw aside that cloak which all the rage of Aeolus could not compel him to resign. Learn hence, said Phoebus to the blustering god, that soft and gentle means will often accomplish what force and fury can never effect. [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

16. THE WIND AND THE SUN.
The Wind and Sun once fell into
A heated argument, which grew
Each day more bitter. Wind and Sun
Each claimed to be the stronger one.
Finding that neither one would make
The least concession, for the sake
Of peace the two agreed at length
Upon a trial of their strength.
"You see that Traveler," said the Sun,
"On yonder road; whichever one
The sooner forces him to strip
His cloak off, wins the Championship!"
The Wind, rejoicing in a fight,
Sprang up and blew with all his might;
Quite confident that he would win,
But very soon, to his chagrin,
He found the harder that he blew,
The Traveler more tightly drew
His cloak about him. One last puff
He gave, then shouted in a huff,
"I give it up, it can't be done!"
Then, with a smile, arose the Sun
And beamed his brightest on the Man,
So that he presently began
To feel his cloak. Then bit by bit,
As he grew warmer, loosened it.
At last he threw it off. "You win!"
Exclaimed the Wind. "I now begin
To see the Light! I thought till now
That everything to FORCE must bow;
But you compel me to admit
PERSUASION has the best of it!" [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

60. THE WIND AND THE SUN. The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin."
So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair.
Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.
Kindness effects more than severity. [more info]

The North Wind and the Sun

022. THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN. 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. [more info]

The Wind and Sun

034. THE WIND AND SUN. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll down to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Wind and the Sun

04. THE WIND AND THE SUN.
The Wind and the Sun had a bet,
The wayfarer's cloak which should get:
Blew the Wind, the cloak clung;
Shone the Sun, the cloak flung
Showed the Sun had the best of it yet.
TRUE STRENGTH IS NOT BLUSTER
[more info]

The North Wind and the Sun

140. THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN. The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveler passed along the road wrapped in a cloak.
"Let us agree," said the Sun, "that he is the stronger who can strip that Traveler of his cloak."
"Very well," growled the North Wind, and at once sent a cold, howling blast against the Traveler.
With the first gust of wind the ends of the cloak whipped about the Traveler's body. But he immediately wrapped it closely around him, and the harder the Wind blew, the tighter he held it to him. The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.
Then the Sun began to shine. At first his beams were gentle, and in the pleasant warmth after the bitter cold of the North Wind, the Traveler unfastened his cloak and let it hang loosely from his shoulders. The Sun's rays grew warmer and warmer. The man took off his cap and mopped his brow. At last he became so heated that he pulled off his cloak, and, to escape the blazing sunshine, threw himself down in the welcome shade of a tree by the roadside.
Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail. [more info]