The North Wind and the Sun

ABOUT THE BOOK
FAMILY ACTIVITIES

The North Wind and the Sun

Text and illustrations by: Brian Wildsmith

Distribution: June, 2019

The ancient fable of the north wind and the sun, who bet which one of them can cause a man to take off his coat, has been attributed to both Aesop and La Fontaine. The fable in which the powerful wind fails but the warm sun succeeds, teaches us about the limitations of power, highlighting the advantages of kindness, gentleness and warmth. Much like any fable, it discusses issues that are relevant to all of us at every age.

Family Activities

“What we achieve with good deeds cannot be achieved with violence” is what this ancient story, that reached us through the parables of Aesop the Greek, the fables of La Fontaine and the stories of Ibn al-Muqaffa in his book “Kalila wa Dimna,” tells us.

Video

Dear Parents,

Unfortunately, these days, our children are surrounded by violence; They see it on the street, in the media, and in commercially popular electronic games, and they may experience it in everyday life and in their close environment. The fight against the rampant violence in our society does not happen only by denouncing it verbally, but rather through a long path of raising a generation who appreciates basic human values, such as: respecting others, seeing the richness in diversity and pluralism, listening to the other and talking with them, and being kind towards man and nature.

Family Activities

Together, we can look at the drawing of the sun and the drawing of the wind in the beginning of the book. We can talk about the colors of each drawing. How do the colors of each drawing make us feel?
Together, we can look at the drawings of the wind, and search for signs which characterize its movement. We can look together through the window: Is the wind blowing at this moment? What is it doing?
Some people like hot weather and others prefer cold weather. What do we like to do on hot days? And what do we enjoy on cold days?
We can dramatize the story by turning it into a play and acting it out to family and friends. What would the sun’s mask and the wind’s mask look like?
with our child, we may wish to explore the effects of the wind on different objects. We can blow on a stone, a paper, a feather, and a spoon. Which objects fly easily? Which ones do not move, or move with difficulty? Why?
Together, we can recall situations in our day in which we behave like the wind, and others like the sun. What was the result of each action?
Which features in the story suggest that it’s an old tale? Do we know any cities like the ones in the book?
Enjoy your reading!