北风和太阳

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.

北风和太阳之间争论着就它俩谁更强。当它们争得个面红耳赤的时候，一个裹着斗篷的行者沿着马路走了过来。

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

“这么着吧，”太阳提议，“谁要能把行者的斗篷给脱下来，那么它就是更强的。”

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

“好啊，一言为定，”北风咆哮着说道，立马就向行者吹去一阵冷飕飕的寒风。

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.

第一阵风吹过去的时候，行者斗篷的下摆在他身上甩来甩去。但是他立马把斗篷裹得更紧了，只要风吹的越烈，他就裹得越紧。北风愤怒地撕扯着行者的斗篷，但它所有的努力全是白费功夫。

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.

接着，太阳就开始投放光芒。起初的阳光是温柔的，凛冽寒风后这令人愉悦的温暖让行者脱下了斗篷，并把斗篷挂在自己的肩上。阳光开始变得越来越热了。行者脱下帽子，擦了擦额头上的汗水。终于，实在是太炎热了，为了避暑，他就脱下了斗篷跑到路边一棵大树下纳凉去了。

Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.

寓意：轻言细语胜过蛮力威逼。