[from Gary Cziko 2007/09/19 10:18 CDT]
I recently ran into the appended text. It has been used by linguists, translated into many languages, to get samples of spoken speech of many languages and dialects. It is attributed to Aesop (a fable).
I am sure I have read this before, but perhaps it was before I knew about PCT. Reading it now it is clear that the sun won the contest not by being stronger, but by having PCT on its side.
–Gary
The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger, when a traveler came along wrapped in a warm cloak.
*They agreed that the one who first succeeded in making the
traveler take his cloak off should be considered stronger than the
other.*Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew the more closely did the traveler fold his cloak around him;
and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt. Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveler took off his cloak.
And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.