The North Wind And The Sun

北風和太陽

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

The North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was the stronger. While they were disputing with much heat and bluster, a Traveler passed along the road wrapped in a cloak.

北風和太陽之間爭論著就它倆誰更強。當它們爭得個面紅耳赤的時候，一個裹著斗篷的行者沿著馬路走了過來。

"Let us agree," said the Sun, "that he is the stronger who can strip that Traveler of his cloak."

“這麼著吧，”太陽提議，“誰要能把行者的斗篷給脫下來，那麼它就是更強的。”

"Very well," growled the North Wind, and at once sent a cold, howling blast against the Traveler.

“好啊，一言為定，”北風咆哮著說道，立馬就向行者吹去一陣冷颼颼的寒風。

With the first gust of wind the ends of the cloak whipped about the Traveler's body. But he immediately wrapped it closely around him, and the harder the Wind blew, the tighter he held it to him. The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.

第一陣風吹過去的時候，行者斗篷的下襬在他身上甩來甩去。但是他立馬把斗篷裹得更緊了，只要風吹的越烈，他就裹得越緊。北風憤怒地撕扯著行者的斗篷，但它所有的努力全是白費功夫。

Then the Sun began to shine. At first his beams were gentle, and in the pleasant warmth after the bitter cold of the North Wind, the Traveler unfastened his cloak and let it hang loosely from his shoulders. The Sun's rays grew warmer and warmer. The man took off his cap and mopped his brow. At last he became so heated that he pulled off his cloak, and, to escape the blazing sunshine, threw himself down in the welcome shade of a tree by the roadside.

接著，太陽就開始投放光芒。起初的陽光是溫柔的，凜冽寒風后這令人愉悅的溫暖讓行者脫下了斗篷，並把斗篷掛在自己的肩上。陽光開始變得越來越熱了。行者脫下帽子，擦了擦額頭上的汗水。終於，實在是太炎熱了，為了避暑，他就脫下了斗篷跑到路邊一棵大樹下納涼去了。

Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.

寓意：輕言細語勝過蠻力威逼。