The Wind and the Sun

When you have finished, try The Wind and the Sun Quiz.

Vocabulary:

• cloak - an loose outer covering or coat used for warmth.

• despair - without hope

• dispute, disputing - disagreeing

• effects - makes something happen

• severity - harshness

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road, and the Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveler 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 traveler. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveler 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 traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.

"Kindness effects more than severity."

Questions to discuss:

• Do more people tend to use kindness or severity more to get what they want?

• What do you think get people to do something - kindness or severity?