This is one of the oldest stories in the world, and one of the shortest. Our north wind and the sun story is a gentle retelling for bedtime, with a quiet lesson about kindness.
The North Wind and the Sun
High above the hills, the North Wind and the Sun were having an argument.
“I am the strongest,” puffed the North Wind. “I can bend trees. I can push clouds. I can make the whole sea wobble!”
The Sun just smiled. “Maybe,” she said. “Shall we find out?”
Down below, a traveler was walking along the road. He wore a big brown coat, buttoned all the way up.
“Here’s a test,” said the Sun. “Whoever can get that coat off him is the strongest.”
“Easy!” said the North Wind. “Watch this.”
He took a deep breath and blew. Whoooosh!
The traveler’s hat flew off. But he held his coat tighter.
The North Wind blew harder. WHOOOOSH!
Leaves spun. Branches shook. The traveler pulled his coat even tighter and wrapped his scarf around his nose.
The North Wind blew as hard as he possibly could. WHOOOOOOOOSH!
But the harder he blew, the tighter the traveler held on. At last, the North Wind ran out of breath and flopped onto a cloud.
“Your turn,” he wheezed.
The Sun did not puff. She did not push. She simply came out from behind the clouds and began to shine, soft and warm.
The traveler loosened his scarf.
The Sun shone a little warmer.
The traveler unbuttoned one button. Then two. Then three.
The Sun shone warmer still, like a big golden hug.
“Phew,” said the traveler, wiping his forehead. “What a lovely day.” And he took off his coat, folded it over his arm, and sat down under a tree to rest.
The North Wind blinked. “How did you do that? I used all my strength!”
The Sun smiled her warm smile. “You tried to make him. I tried to help him. That makes all the difference.”
That evening, the North Wind did something new. He didn’t roar. He didn’t push.
He just blew a soft, cool breeze through the traveler’s open window, to help him fall asleep.
The end. Being gentle can be the strongest thing of all.
Retold by the TalesKids team · Ages 4-7 · About 3 minutes to read aloud
Where This Fable Comes From
The North Wind and the Sun is one of Aesop’s fables. Aesop is said to have been a storyteller in ancient Greece, more than 2,500 years ago. His short animal and nature stories have been told to children all over the world ever since.
Our version keeps the classic contest and adds a small, sleepy ending where the North Wind learns to be gentle too. You can explore an illustrated classic edition at the Library of Congress Aesop for Children collection.
Three things to wonder about
- Why did the traveler hold his coat tighter when the wind blew?
- When someone is kind to you, how does it make you want to act?
- Can you think of a time when being gentle worked better than being bossy?
Love classic tales? Read Tilly the Tortoise and the Sunflower Race, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf Who Loved Stories, or The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
