THE WIND AND THE SUN
From Aesop -Greek
CHARACTERS
WIND
Jagged, trailing edges on a costume of greens, whites,
and grays. Veils, gloves, and make-up of the same.
SUN
A costume of golds, yellows, oranges, and reds. Head
possibly surrounded by a vertical halo with raying points. A
semi-circular cloak could also be attached under his arms and to his
back.
TRAVELLER
As wished (e.g. Old Greek, Medieval, swagman etc.); with
a long, tatty cloak.
NARRATOR
As wished.
Note- Narrator, Traveller, and even Wind can be of
either gender- simply change appropriate pronouns and in the case of
the Wind “brother” to “sister”
SCENE NOTES
A sky-blue background. Stairs and platform
at the back for the sun of the same colour.
Stage right (audience left) a tree stump or
rock.
The wind can be accompanied by a suitable
“windy” instrument eg panpipes, bamboo flute.
The sun can be accompanied by plucked strings
eg. lyre, nylon-stringed guitar, harp etc.
Note- This is the pipes of pan (Dionysus) and the
Lyre of Apollo.
SCENE
By a deserted roadside. A tree stump or rock stage
right.
(Narrator enters)
NARRATOR
Long, long ago, there lived an old,
Greek storyteller who wove a gold,
Bright-shining thread of wisdom through
The tapestry of tales he knew.
His name was Æsop and this name
Has lasted long in story’s fame.
The tale we play today is one-
The fable of the Wind and the Sun.
Now once it happened that the wind and the
sun
Resolved to hold a trial to see which one
Was stronger. Well, the wind used all his
force,
But brother sun pursued a different course.
(Narrator exits)
(Enter the wind. He whirls around the
stage.)
WIND
Now I am the wind with my body of air.
Now I am the wind and I rush everywhere.
Yes, I am the wind and I roll through the
sky.
All the leaves shake and tremble as I whirl
on by.
When I come from the ocean, I bring with me
rain;
Then I come from the desert with dryness
again.
And I drive the white clouds through the sky
as I fly,
And I flap the wet clothes that were hung out
to dry;
And I twirl all the fallen, dry leaves with
my swirling,
And I raise the dry dust with my hurrying
whirling.
And I ripple long grasses in waves as I pass,
And I bend all the trees with my furious
blast.
And when I am friendly the birds ride on me,
As they glide through the blue sky so light
and so free…
But when I am angry, I rage and I roar
And I break off the branches and rattle the
door.
Now I am the Wind and I blow and I blow
Wherever I go, oh, wherever I go.
(The wind rushes up to the front of the
stage and whirls
past the audience)
Whirr, whirr, whirrr, whirrrrrr !
(The wind goes back to whirling around the
stage)
Yes, I am the Wind and I blow and I blow
Wherever I go, oh, wherever I go!
And I pull people's coats and I ruffle their
hair,
For I am the Wind with my body of air,
For I am the Wind and I rush everywhere,
Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere,
everywhere....
(On the last ‘everywhere’ the wind
whirls off)
(Enter the Sun. He ascends to the platform
starts to make a radiating
gesture)
SUN
I am the Sun.
I fill the world with warmth and light.
I am the Sun.
I chase away the dark of night.
The golden flowers unfold
Proud petals towards my rays.
I bring the shining, bold,
Bright colours of the days.
The sleeping seeds I warm
Within the winter earth.
With day-arousing dawn
I bring first light to birth.
At dusk I sink down with a golden flame
That singes sunset clouds; and yet from night
I always rise again
To pour life-giving light
And heat on everything-
And wake bright butterflies and birds that
sing.
I shine and give my fire ever faithfully.
I glow upon the land, I sparkle on the sea.
Green grass and tall, tall trees
Grow upwards towards my light.
I give the feathered, scaled,
Or furry creatures sight.
I lift the water from the seas
That later falls as rain.
I build the solid wood
That later burns with flame.
I blaze from far on fading shower
Of fleeting, fleeing storm
And suddenly with shining power
A rainbow arch is born!
I am the Sun.
I gleam and glow and ray and shine
And flood the world with light
Whenever it is fine.
(The sun moves centre back and rays on the
audience)
I shine, I shine, I shine,
I shine, I shine, I shine, I shine!
I am the Sun.
My bright face makes the dark sky blue.
I am the Sun;
The shining radiance so true.
I am the Sun.
I shine on you and you and you!
(The Wind enters. He whirls up to the Sun)
WIND
Good day to you,
Good brother Sun.
So tell me how
Is everything with you,
My fair lord Shining-Power?
SUN
Now all is fine with me,
My little, brother Wind.
WIND (flustering)
Oooh, there you go again.
SUN
Now I can see
That you seem bothered and upset?
WIND
I am ruffled and restless and fitfully fret.
You're always answering
With little brother Wind.
But vast is my might and far I can fly.
Why do you call me little? Why?
Do you think that I'm weaker than you?
SUN (beaming
broadly)
Yes, brother Wind, I think that's true.
WIND
Who's really the stronger one,
My boastful, brother Sun?
(The wind whirls around)
I whirl around and rustle all the leaves,
I bend and sway the proud, strong trees;
So who's the stronger one, fair brother Sun?
No one but I, I am the mighty one.
I am the Wind, the breath of the heavens, and
I
Roam all the vast, blue reaches of the sky.
I am the breath that comes from high;
My influence is everywhere,
For I rush here, for I rush there;
My realm is all the restless air.
My influence is felt in every place:
From the gentle ripples on a lake's calm
face,
And the tremble of a dewy leaf at dawn,
To the lashing, wild rain of a howling, black
storm,
And the rage of a hurricane thrashing the
land. Yes, I,
The roving wind that roams the reaches of the
sky,
I am the strongest of us all.
SUN (beaming
)
Now, now my hasty friend are you
So certain that is really true?
For first you should think of my power.
I fire with life each gentle flower;
My dazzling radiance fills all the vastness;
My rising blaze defeats the cold night's
darkness.
I spin the seasons with their changeless
course:
I summon spring with fiery force,
I ripen crops with summer warmth.
Now, brother, surely it is I,
Far-shining from the blue and boundless sky,
Who shows the truest power of all?
WIND
Enough of all this idle chatter.
How shall we decide this matter?
SUN (gazing
out into the distance)
Now gazing from the heights of sky,
Far in the distance I can spy
A weary traveller trudging past.
His steps stir tiny clouds of dust,
Upon a dry and lonely road.
And, as my beams upon him glowed,
I noticed something else of note:
He wears an old and tattered cloak.
Here is our chance, dear brother! Now
We'll see who wields the greater power!
This is the test I have to trade:
Let us find out who can persuade,
Just as a small and harmless joke,
That traveller to take off his cloak.
As you think you’re the stronger power,
You, brother wind, may try first now.
Let's see your mighty power displayed!
I shall withdraw behind cloud shade.
WIND
All right, good brother Sun, we'll see
Who really works more mightily.
(The Sun moves to the side, possibly
covering his face
with his arms. The traveller enters)
TRAVELLER (with
a sigh of weariness)
Ah, I've walked and walked and walked
such a long, long way since the
dawn of this day! Well, I think
I'll just sit here for a while and rest my weary
legs and aching feet.
(The traveller sits down on the tree stump) It
has been
so dry and dusty on this long and
winding road. Phew!
There's not the
slightest breath of wind to offer
some relief.
(The wind starts to move gently)
WIND (with a
whisper)
Over lakes, over streams,
Through the sun's gentle beams,
Past the woods, past the trees,
Past the branches and leaves,
Come, oh come light and murmuring breeze.
Come softly, softly brushing by,
Caress the flitting butterfly,
And whisper to the forest trees,
And stir and sway their many leaves,
And shake the daisies as you pass,
And bow the stalks of spreading grass...
Come from the broad sky, blue and clear,
And cool the brow of this traveller here.
(The wind touches the traveller lightly)
(The traveller reacts slightly to the
touch- of
course, he doesn't see the wind)
TRAVELLER
Oh, now there's a bit of a breeze picking
up. H'mm- there’s just the
slightest touch of chilliness in it too.
Well, that’s no problem. Luckily, I'm
wearing my good, old cloak.
(The Wind starts to move more
energetically)
WIND (with
more intensity)
From the wide, spreading reaches of ocean and
sea,
Come and summon a salty, strong breeze here
for me:
Tipping waves as you pass with bright flecks
of white foam,
Rolling grasses in billows, unseen in your
flowing,
Beginning to make all the forest trees moan,
Shaking leaves, creaking branches with brisk,
gusty blowing.
And encircle this traveller, brush by his
face,
As he feels here the wind with its
fresh-rising race,
So he feels now a taste of my possible
course,
So he feels just a touch of the threat of my
force.
(The wind circles around the traveller,
brushing him
lightly with his hands as he passes by)
TRAVELLER (drawing
his cloak more closely about
him)
This breezes really is getting rather
chilly. I’m so glad that I've got my
trusty cloak to pull about me and protect
me.
WIND (moving
and speaking quite energetically)
From heights of mountains, breaking free,
Blow down a stronger wind to me,
And shake the forest as you go,
And push the drifting clouds along,
And dance the dead leaves to your song,
And stir up dry dust where you blow!
Come, irritate this traveller now,
And let him feel your windy power.
Now let the whirling dust arise,
And ruffle his hair and sting his eyes.
Come, tease his cloak now with your breath;
And tempt him now to take it off!
(The wind races around the traveller,
nipping at his
cloak)
TRAVELLER (Drawing
in the cloak even more closely)
Dear me, this wind is certainly picking
up! Brrr! Never
mind, this good, old cloak of mine will keep away the worst of it.
WIND (raging)
You stubborn fool! You stubborn fool!
Now I will make you really cool!
(The wind whirls out in a fury, to gather
his strength. As he speaks the
light grows dimmer and there are increasing
sounds of thunder and
howling wind from offstage)
Arise, you raging winds of storm,
From freezing quarters where you're born!
Howl down from the mountains high,
Tear across cloud-whirling sky.
Bring the whipping rain with you,
Bring the storming fury too!
Rattle the windows in the town;
Break the branches, tear them down!
From the fields of mountain snow,
Bring the icy blast and blow and blow!
(The wind tears around the traveller,
pulling out his
cloak behind him)
Buffet this traveller with your blast,
And tear this cloak here from his grasp!
(The traveller snatches back the cloak
from the Wind
and ties it up more firmly)
TRAVELLER
Heavens above! How suddenly the weather
is
changing today. It's completely crazy! One
minute
it's all calm and sunny and the very next
it's blowing
with such rage! I'd better tie up my cloak
really
tightly or it'll be blown right away.
WIND (In
an utter fury)
Blow, oh blow winds with a powerful fury!
Tell dull earth's hearing your mighty story!
Grow, oh grow storm to your strongest stage;
Rouse your greatest power; roar your rage!
(Sounds of storm and wind increase.
Occasional crashing sounds are
heard. Lights dim. Thunder booms;
lightning flashes. The Wind whirls
around the traveller in a fury, tearing
and ripping at his cloak)
WIND
Howl and rage around this place,
Blast this traveller in his face!
Hit him with great icy gusts and rip
His cloak right from his puny grip!
(The traveller wraps his cloak right
around himself,
and gripping it firmly, crouches down in a
bundle)
TRAVELLER
Heaven knows where all this wind's come
from!
It's an absolute hurricane! I'm so, so glad
that I brought
my good, old trusty cloak with me- otherwise
I'd be frozen
to the bone.
WIND (giving
up in disgust)
Phew, I'm completely out of breath,
And he's still got his cursed cloak left.
I'm defeated, I give up!
My brother Sun, come try your luck!
(The Sun appears)
WIND
Your turn to try it now;
It seems beyond my power!
(The Wind retreats to side back and stays
moving
gently)
(The light comes up a little more
brightly)
(The Sun, smiling, takes centre stage)
SUN
You've used your force in vain, I see.
So watch while I use harmony
And gentle, beneficial power
To solve this puzzling problem now.
(The traveller stands up)
TRAVELLER
Thank heavens, that terrible wind has gone
at last.
(The traveller starts dusting himself
down)
(The Sun starts to ray with arms
half-raised)
SUN (softly)
Now everything must change and turn: the
night
Gives way to day, the darkness to the light.
When dark storm clouds have watered all
around,
They start to part and light once more is
found.
A few, first sunbeams struggle through the
grays,
And touch the earth with gentle, calming
rays.
(With greater warmth)
Come, first sunbeams, touch the earth,
Bring the cheerful light to birth.
Touch the leaves and grass so lightly,
Make the raindrops sparkle brightly.
TRAVELLER (With
a sigh of relief)
Ah, that's better. How everything looks
brighter
now!
(The Sun starts to ray outward fully.
Lights increase)
SUN
Come beams of light from the heights of
space,
And shine and ray upon this place.
Come chase the coldness from the air,
Bring warmth and heat to everywhere!
With your wise and fiery blaze
Disperse the clouds on which you gaze.
Let the sky shine blue once more,
Vast and boundless as before.
Shine upon the storm-wet leaves,
Let the birds sing in the trees.
(Offstage a faint sound of bird song)
Shine upon this traveller here,
And dissolve his heart's cold fear;
Shine with friendly cheer on him,
And dry and warm his trembling limbs.
TRAVELLER
(Stretching his arms and legs)
Oh, that's good. Here comes the sun.
It's out and
the cloud's starting to go. Oh, I feel much
better
already. How fresh and beautiful everything
looks in the sunlight after a storm has
cleared.
Well, I think I'll just sit here for a while
to
get over that awful storm.
(The traveller sits again)
SUN (Raying
outwards. The Lights come up higher)
Come, oh power of gentle sunbeams, come.
Warm the wet earth where the tempest played;
Kiss the bright flowers with your soothing
rays,
Light the long grass by the wayside here.
Shine from the far sky, boundless, blue and
clear;
Summon small, gray lizards from beneath brown
leaves;
Let the many birds fly from the trees
Into the vastness of the air
To wing on warm and rising currents there.
Surround the world with cheerful lightness,
Awaken every colour's brightness.
Glow upon this traveller now,
Let him feel my warming power.
Glow upon his heavy clothes,
Let him feel the warmth of those.
(The traveller starts untying his cloak)
TRAVELLER
It's really getting quite hot here in the
sun. I
think I'd better just untie this old cloak a
bit. Phew,
that's better.
SUN (With
more energy)
Oh, shine and shine, my warming blaze,
And beam and beam your burning rays;
Change clear air to a shimmering haze,
And bring my fire to the old earth now.
Bright, flitting butterflies abound;
They dance from flower to glowing flower.
And busy bees buzz all around,
To seek the sweetest nectar there,
Through all the drowsy, heavy air.
Oh, shower of light's intensity,
Come, glow and glitter on the sea;
Come radiate upon the land,
And spread your healing heat on every hand.
Beam upon the traveller there,
Surround him with the sunny air;
Surround him with your shimmering haze,
Warm and warm him with your rays!
(The traveller slips his cloak behind his
shoulders)
TRAVELLER
Heavens above, it's getting so hot. I've
never
known such a day for changes of the weather.
First off it's cold and windy, then it
changes
to hot and sunny. At first the sky is gray
and
cloudy, now it is blue without a cloud in
sight. It
grew so dark and wet and stormy, then just as
suddenly it is replaced by sunshine, warmth
and shining colours. Oh well, I'd better slip
back this cloak a bit. I don't really need it
now.
SUN (Raying
outwards with all his power. Lights go up
to full)
Burn, oh burn, my brilliant beams,
Dry up the lakes and sparkling streams.
Ray, oh ray, fill all the day
With my fire's bright display.
Pass across the earth like flame,
Heat up the stones and ripen the grain.
Make the air feel like a furnace, heat
The very earth beneath men's feet.
Flood the world with dazzling colour, light
The sea and land with blazing might.
Blaze upon the traveller there,
Surround him with the fiery air,
Make little beads of salty sweat
Go trickling down his face and neck.
TRAVELLER
Heavens, it's so terribly hot. Suddenly
on this
crazy day it decides to have a heatwave!
Phew,
I'll have to seek some shade. Where's my
cloth?
I must mop my brow.
(The traveller mops his brow)
Well, well, it's unbelievable...all this
heat!
(The traveller stands up)
There's nothing else for it; I must take
off this
hot and heavy cloak. I certainly don't need
it in
all this heat !
(The traveller takes off his cloak and
drapes it over
his arm)
There, that's better! Now I'd better get
off and see if I can find some shade somewhere to rest for a while
out of the sun.
(The traveller exits, mopping his brow and
carrying
his cloak)
(The Sun calls across to the Wind, who has
been
watching, fluttering in the corner)
SUN
Come Wind, my friend, now come and see
How warmth and gentle harmony
And giving beneficial power
Have made him take his cloak off now.
(The Wind circles over to the Sun)
SUN
See, little brother Wind, you must agree-
This time, no doubt, the prize must go to me.
WIND
I must admit that it is true:
You are the more powerful of us two.
But I shall run off now and blow
Somewhere where you can never go;
For I can never rest, so now I'll race away
To lands where you are not, where sister
Night holds sway.
(The Wind whirls off)
SUN
But I shall shine on faithfully
And give my light for all to see-
A constant power I send my ray
To show my path throughout the day.
So farewell, Wind, and fare well on your way.
(The Sun remains, raying over the world)
(Enter Narrator)
NARRATOR
And so our little tale has ended.
No doubt you see the truth intended:
The coaxing Sun, with warmth and persuasion,
Succeeded well on this occasion;
While the Wind, with his raging and furious
course,
Completely failed by using anger's force.
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