The North Wind and the Sun were at odds with each other one day. The North Wind said he was the stronger of the two.
“No one can deny my strength,” he said. “Even the most resilient and stoutest trees are dislodge by my brute force. And you know how I whip up the waters of the seas into mountainous waves. Of course I am stronger than you.”
The Sun smiled. He said: “That’s all very well, and all very true. But just because I don’t bluster and blow doesn’t mean I’m weak. After all, I make the grain ripen and people are happy when I shine.”
They continued the argument for a long time and neither one would give in to the other. Then they saw a traveller going along the road and agreed that whoever could make him take off his cloak was surely the stronger.
The Wind tried first. He blew a strong cold blast, and added a sharp driving shower of rain. The traveller drew his cloak tightly around him. The Wind blew in more violent gusts. He blew and blew. It got colder and colder. The traveller put another wrap around himself. The Wind was quite disgusted but he tried once more. He blew as wildly as he could. The traveller looked around desperately for shelter. Then the Wind gave up trying.
Now it was the Sun’s turn. He shone mildly at first and the traveller gave a sigh of relief, and continued on his way. Then the Sun shone more and more fiercely. As it got hotter and hotter, the traveller first took off his outer wrap and then his scarf. He mopped his brow with his handkerchief and looked around for a shady tree. The Sun shone still more brilliantly, and the traveller took of his cloak and sat down to rest beside a hedge.
The Sun laughed aloud. The North Wind slunk away ashamedly.
Moral of the story :- Persuasion often succeeds where force fails.
