The North Wind & the Sun (Aesop’s Fables)

The North Wind & the Sun is one of Aesop’s fables, originally written nearly 3,000 years ago, and likely passed by word of mouth before then. This version is by Juan Artola Miranda.

The North Wind and the Sun were disputing who was stronger when they saw a traveller walking down the road, wrapped in a warm cloak. They decided to settle their argument by seeing which one of them could make the traveller remove that cloak.

The North Wind went first, blowing fiercely against the traveller. The wind’s cold reaching fingers tore at the cloak, but the traveller only clutched it more tightly around himself, trying to keep warm against the chilling blasts.

Seeing that the North Wind had failed, the Sun took its turn. It shone gently upon the traveller, casting a warm and pleasant glow. As the Sun’s rays grew warmer, the traveller began to feel the heat. He loosened the grip on his cloak, and as the Sun continued to shine, the traveller grew more and more comfortable. Eventually, he removed the cloak entirely, as he no longer needed it to shield him from the cold.

The North Wind had to admit defeat, realizing the Sun’s gentle warmth had succeeded where its fierce gusts had failed.

The moral of the story is that gentle kindness is often more effective than aggressive force. On the other hand, had the sun cast his full fury upon the poor man, he would have removed his cloak all the quicker.

This reminds me of another fable. There is one about a clever fox who fell into a well.

Juan Artola Miranda

I am Juan Artola Miranda, a fabulist living in the Mexican Caribbean. My friends know me by the name of my father's father, but that name grew into something bigger, my writing reaching tens of millions of readers. It was too strong for me to control. Artola Miranda is the name of my mother's mother. It's a better name for a fabulist.