The Wind and the Sun: NCERT Class 2 English Story (Marigold Unit 3)

etmantra18 Jun 20207 min read

The Wind and the Sun is written like a small play, with parts for the Wind, the Sun and a man. It is perfect for acting out, and it shows that gentle ways can work better than force.

Open now: the CALP Class 2 English course (Mridang)
Every lesson of Mridang, NCERT’s new book, with read-along videos, new words with Hindi meanings, and listen-and-say practice with a score, made for young children with a parent nearby. ₹999 for the whole year, and “Start here” and the first lesson’s notes are free to try.
See the free lessons and enrol →

From the NCERT English book Marigold for Class 2, unit 3. NCERT’s newer Class 2 book is Mridang, but many schools still teach Marigold.

Watch: The Wind and the Sun

Play the video three or four times. The first time, just listen. Then point at the pictures, and from the third time, say the lines along with the video. Short, repeated listening is how CALP builds a child’s English.

What your child learns

Comparing words: strong, stronger; hot, hotter
Weather words: wind, cold, hot, shine
Reading a play with different voices
Talking about gentle ways versus force

What the story is about

The Wind and the Sun see a man walking down the road. The Wind says he can get the man's coat off more quickly than the Sun. The Sun smiles and lets the Wind try first. The Wind puffs his cheeks and blows hard, but the man only pulls his coat more tightly around himself because it is so cold. The Wind gives up.

Now it is the Sun's turn. He shines hard, and the man finds it a funny day: first it was cold, and now it is hot. The Sun shines more and more, until the man wipes his face and takes off his coat. The Sun tells the Wind that he has won.

New words, with Hindi meanings

stronger: having more power (हिंदी: ज़्यादा ताक़तवर)
puffing: filling the cheeks with air (हिंदी: गाल फुलाना)
tightly: held firmly so it does not move (हिंदी: कसकर)
give up: to stop trying (हिंदी: हार मान लेना)
shines: gives out bright light (हिंदी: चमकता है)
wiping: cleaning by rubbing with a cloth or hand (हिंदी: पोंछना)
quickly: fast, in a short time (हिंदी: जल्दी)

Talk about it

Ask these aloud after reading or watching. Let your child answer in English if they can, or mix in their home language. Both help.

What did the Wind and the Sun want the man to do?
What did the man do when the Wind blew hard?
How did the Sun make the man take off his coat?
What do you wear when it is cold? What do you do when it is very hot?

Answers for parents

They wanted the man to take off his coat.
He held his coat more tightly around himself, because he felt cold.
The Sun shone harder and harder, until the man felt so hot that he took off his coat.
For example: When it is cold, I wear a sweater and a cap. When it is very hot, I drink water and sit under the fan.

Grammar corner: Comparing with -er

When we compare two things, we often add -er to a describing word. Strong becomes stronger, and hard becomes harder. For some short words we double the last letter, so hot becomes hotter.

The Sun was stronger than the Wind.
Today is colder than yesterday.
The man walked faster when he felt hot.

Practice at home

Fill in the blank: The Wind blew hard, then even ___.
Choose the right word: The day became (hot / hotter) and the man took off his coat.
Make a sentence comparing two people in your family with ‘taller’.

Answers: 1. harder · 2. hotter · 3. For example: My father is taller than my brother.

Try this

Act out the play with three people. One is the Wind and blows with puffed cheeks. One is the Sun and spreads their arms wide to shine. The third is the man, wearing a shawl or dupatta as a coat. Swap roles so everyone gets a turn.

Tip for parents

Tell the story in Hindi first: “हवा ने ज़ोर से फूँका, पर आदमी ने कोट और कसकर पकड़ लिया।” Then act it out and say the English lines like “I give up” and “I have won” together. Let your child mix Hindi and English while acting, and praise the brave tries.

Questions parents ask

What is the moral of The Wind and the Sun?

The Wind used force and failed, while the Sun's warm, gentle way made the man take off his coat. So a gentle way can work better than force.

Who are the characters in The Wind and the Sun?

The play has three characters: the Wind, the Sun and a man walking down the road.

Which NCERT book has The Wind and the Sun?

It is Unit 3 of NCERT's older Marigold book for Class 2. The newer NCERT English books are Mridang for Class 1–2 and Santoor for Class 3–5.

Learn every Class 2 lesson with CALP

Every lesson of Mridang, NCERT’s new book, with read-along videos, new words with Hindi meanings, and listen-and-say practice with a score, made for young children with a parent nearby. ₹999 for the whole year.

See the free lessons and enrol →