Summary
Highlights
The Wind and the Sun debate who is more powerful, with each boasting about their destructive capabilities. The Wind claims to blow down trees, push ships, and create hurricanes, while the Sun counters by mentioning melting snow, drying lakes, and making sidewalks hot enough to cook an egg.
They spot a man walking in a winter jacket and decide to have a contest: whoever can make the man remove his jacket first wins. The Sun agrees to the challenge.
The Wind goes first, blowing cold gusts, causing the man to shiver and zip up his jacket. Even when the Wind blows harder, turning rain into snow, the man only pulls his hood over his head and zips his jacket higher, commenting on the 'fresh' weather and a coming storm. The Wind, frustrated, gives up.
The Sun takes its turn. It stops the snow, causing the man to unzip his hood. Then, the Sun gently shines, making it a beautiful spring day, leading the man to unzip his jacket. As the Sun increases the temperature, the man begins to sweat, eventually removing his winter jacket and lying down for a nap. The Sun declares victory.
The fable concludes with the moral: sometimes warmth and gentleness can achieve more than strength and force.