The wind and the sun.

Evening strumpets,

Today would have been Me Mothers 76th Birthday, so it`s been a mix of sad and happy. This is a story she used to tell me when i was a kid, and one which i tell my children now. For some bizarre reason when I tell this story to my kids, the Wind is Captain Mainwaring, and The Sun is Sergeant Wilson.

The Wind and the Sun were having a chat. The Wind was telling the Sun all about how strong he was. "The other day I blew a roof right off a house, It was brilliant." The Sun looked on smiling and said "Do you really think that that is a true test of strength?" "Of course it is" replied the Wind. "Those humans are terrified of me, and my temper." "Again", smiled the Sun "People being afraid of you make`s you strong does it?" The Wind frowned. "Sometimes Sun, you are such a bloody Hippy." he said, rather unkindly. "Let`s have a bet. I will prove to you how strong i am. See that man down there, on that path?" The Sun nodded. "I bet I can get his coat off his back! I bet you Fifty pence!" The Wind, for all his bluster was very mean with his money. "You`re on." said the Sun.

The Wind took a deep breath, and began to blow. The man walking along the path felt the wind, and fastened the zip on his coat. The wind took another deep breath and blew again, this time harder. This made the man fasten the buttons on his coat. the Wind, who up to this point was beginning to feel rather foolish, took the deepest breath of all, and blew as hard as he could, but this resulted in the man only pulling his coat tighter into his body. Exhausted, the Wind fell, puffing and blowing in a heap. At this point, the Sun Looked at the Wind and said "You big daft bugger. Can you not see that the harder you went in without thinking, the more the man fought. That wasn`t true strength. This is true Strength!" and with that the Sun smiled to herself And SHONE!!!

The man feeling warmer let go of his coat. The Sun continued to be herself and just shone, the man unfastened his buttons, and unzipped his coat. The Sun let out one last beam, and the man, sweating like a bothered pig by this point, removed his Coat. The Sun looked over to the Wind and said "There`s no need to go in shouting and blustering, and hoping to get things done. Just be yourself and shine." the wind sneered threw fifty pence at the Sun and said "Go and buy some Lentils, Hippy. I`m off to blow the roof of some buildings!" The Sun looked after him and smiled. That Fifty pence would buy some pretty sweet Tea Tree incense sticks.

Apologies to my Mother for the changes added by myself when telling the story to my kids.

Miss you Mam,

Mark.