北风与太阳

《伊索寓言》北风与太阳。北风与太阳争论谁才是更强的一方。当它们争得面红耳赤、喧闹不已时，一位裹着斗篷的旅人正沿着道路走来。

The Æsop for Children The North Wind & the Sun 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.

“我们约定，”太阳说道，“谁能让那位旅人脱下斗篷，谁就是强者。”

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

“好吧，”北风咆哮着，随即向旅人吹出一阵寒冷而狂暴的劲风。

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

第一阵风吹过，斗篷的下摆在旅人的身上乱舞。但他立刻将斗篷紧紧裹在身上，北风吹得越猛，他抓得就越紧。

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.

北风愤怒地撕扯着斗篷，但所有的努力都徒劳无功。

The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.

接着，太阳开始散发光芒。起初它的光芒十分柔和，在经历了北风的严寒之后，这宜人的温暖让旅人解开了斗篷，任其松垮地挂在肩头。太阳的光线变得越来越暖和。

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.

那人摘下帽子，擦了擦额头。最后，他热得实在受不了，便脱下了斗篷。为了躲开火辣辣的阳光，他一头躺倒在路边一棵大树凉爽的树荫下。

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.

温柔与善意的劝说，往往比强迫与虚张声势更能奏效。

Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.