Phoebus and Boreas by Jean de La Fontaine — Read

Old Boreas and the sun, one day / Espied a traveller on his way, / Whose dress did happily provide / Against whatever might betide. / The time was autumn, when, indeed, / All prudent travellers take heed. / The rains that then the sunshine dash, / And Iris with her splendid sash, / Warn one who does not like to soak / To wear abroad a good thick cloak. / Our man was therefore well bedight / With double mantle, strong and tight. / 'This fellow,' said the wind, 'has meant / To guard from every ill event; / But little does he wot that I / Can blow him such a blast / That, not a button fast, / His cloak shall cleave the sky. / Come, here's a pleasant game, Sir Sun! / Wilt play? ' Said Phoebus, 'Done! / We'll bet between us here / Which first will take the gear / From off this cavalier. / Begin, and shut away. / The brightness of my ray. ' / 'Enough. ' Our blower, on the bet, / Swell'd out his pursy form / With all the stuff for storm -- / The thunder, hail, and drenching wet, / And all the fury he could muster; / Then, with a very demon's bluster, / He whistled, whirl'd, and splash'd, / And down the torrents dash'd, / Full many a roof uptearing / He never did before, / Full many a vessel bearing / To wreck upon the shore, -- / And all to doff a single cloak. / But vain the furious stroke; / The traveller was stout, / And kept the tempest out, / Defied the hurricane, / Defied the pelting rain; / And as the fiercer roar'd the blast, / His cloak the tighter held he fast. / The sun broke out, to win the bet; / He caused the clouds to disappear, / Refresh'd and warm'd the cavalier, / And through his mantle made him sweat, / Till off it came, of course, / In less than half an hour; / And yet the sun saved half his power. -- / So much doth mildness more than force.[1]

[1]: Aesop and Lokman; also P. Hegemon.