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Aesop's fable about a contest between the Sun and the Wind is read by Lindsay Duncan in this adaptation combining text, audio and illustrations.

The video

The North Wind and the Sun

The Sun is looking down enjoying the sight of the snow-covered Earth and sailing ships at sea when it is disturbed by an icy blast from the Wind, which rips the sails of the sailing ships to tatters. The Wind boasts about its strength, so the Sun challenges it to a contest - to see which of them is strong enough to take the coat off a young man who is walking through the mountains.

The Wind thinks this will be easy, so blows with all its might, but this only manages to make the man pull his coat more tightly about himself.

When the Sun has its turn, it shines so warmly that the man takes off his coat, and lies down in the sunshine for a sleep.

Reader: Lindsay Duncan
Writer: Kate Stonham
Illustrations: Jessica Moorhouse

Video questions

  • Why does the Sun want to take its time travelling across the sky?
  • Why does the Wind want to blow the ships off course?
  • What challenge does the Sun put to the Wind?
  • How does the Wind try to get the coat off the young man? Why does it fail?
  • How does the Sun try to get the coat off the young man? Why does it succeed?

Resources

Download / print the story as a pdf

The North Wind and the Sun

Download / print the notes for this story as a pdf

Teacher Notes

See also...

The Fox and the Crow. video

Aesop's fable about a wily fox and a proud crow is read by Jonathan Pryce.

The Fox and the Crow

The Boy who cried Wolf. video

Aesop's famous fable about telling the truth is read by the late Richard Briers.

The Boy who cried Wolf

The Hare and the Tortoise. video

Aesop's famous fable about a race between a hare and a tortoise is read by the late Richard Briers.

The Hare and the Tortoise