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The North Wind and the Sun: a book club kit
Where it comes from. Aesop, a storyteller in Greece, told this about 2,600 years ago.
In short (for the leader; it gives the ending away). The North Wind and the Sun argue about which of them is stronger, so they test it on a traveler in a heavy cloak: whoever makes him take it off wins. The North Wind blows harder and harder, and the traveler only holds his cloak tighter. The Sun shines warmly, the traveler takes the cloak off himself, and the Sun wins.
The lesson, in one line. Being gentle works better than being rough.
Reading plan. Read it together at the meeting: about 4 minutes aloud, or ahead of time at home.
Questions to talk about
- What is the moral of The North Wind and the Sun?
The story's answer: Victorian versions of the fable give the moral as “persuasion is better than force.” Other tellers put it in their own words: La Fontaine wrote that mildness achieves more than violence, and the Latin poet Avianus that those who start with threats cannot win. In this telling the Sun says it plainly: kindness can do what pushing cannot. - Who wrote The North Wind and the Sun?
The story's answer: It is one of Aesop's fables, and no one knows who first told it. The fable was well known in ancient Greece, and the Latin poet Avianus later put it into verse. This page is a retelling in Peabody's own words. - Is “The Wind and the Sun” the same fable?
The story's answer: Yes. Early English versions were called “The Wind and the Sun,” much like Avianus's Latin title, and the name “The North Wind and the Sun” only came into use in mid-Victorian times. It is the same fable, with the same contest over a traveler's cloak. - Do you agree with the lesson? Can you think of a time it would not be true?
Listen for: Any answer with a reason is a good one; listen for a real example from their own lives. - Which animal would you rather be in this story, and why?
Listen for: Children often pick the winner; ask what the other animal could have done differently. - If you told this fable with people instead of animals, who would they be?
Listen for: A way into why fables use animals: everyone can see themselves in them.
Did you know?
- One of Aesop's fables, and it was well known in ancient Greece.
- The Latin poet Avianus told it as De Vento et Sole, “Of the Wind and the Sun.”
- The French poet La Fontaine told it in his Fables as Phébus et Borée.
Activity: Act it out, then swap the ending
Two readers play the animals and the rest are the narrator. Then play it again where the other animal wins: what is the lesson now?
More to talk about
More facts for the leader
- Early English versions had titles like “The Wind and the Sun.” The title “The North Wind and the Sun” began to be used only in mid-Victorian times.
Words to teach before you start
- argument: angry talk
- contest: a match
- cloak: long cape coat
- gust: sudden wind
- loosened: made less tight
- force: make by pushing
Questions leaders ask
How long does a The North Wind and the Sun book club meeting take?
Reading it aloud takes about 4 minutes in all, so plan one meeting of 30 to 45 minutes, with time left for the questions. The reading plan on the sheet says where to stop.
What age is The North Wind and the Sun for?
It is written at Peabody level 8, a grade 3 reading level, so most children at that level can read it alone. Younger children can listen to it read aloud.
Do the children need to read it before the meeting?
No. Each child can read it free on Peabody, before the meeting or together at it, and the questions work either way. The sheet's short version gives the ending away, so keep it for the leader.
How do I use the questions?
Start with the story's own questions, which have answers in the leader's notes, then move to the open ones and listen for reasons. There is no wrong answer to an open question. Stop when the group runs out of things to say.
Club kits for stories like this
- The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs (level 8)
- The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (level 8)
- The Ant and the Grasshopper (level 7)
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf (level 7)
- The Dog in the Manger (level 7)
- The Fox and the Crow (level 7)
How this kit is made
The short version, the facts and the first questions with their answers are the story's own, written for its page in Peabody's library and checked against the sources named there. The open questions, the activity and the plan are Peabody's, written for this kind of story. No part of it is written by a computer model.
Running the meeting: the meeting plans (30, 45 and 60 minutes) and the sign-up sheet.