Cows and the Wind (D. Bisset)

Once upon a time there were cows lying under a shady tree in a meadow. They were munching grass and clover, and the gentle South Wind was blowing around, and the cows were so warm, so pleasant.

- What a nice wind it is! - they said among themselves, chewing the green grass. - We should give him something. But what?

- I know! - said the red cow. - Let's buy him a warm fur coat to shelter him from the evil, cold North Wind.

- No, no, that won't do any good,' said the other cows.

- We'd better do this," said the white cow with black spots. - We will ask the Cockerel, who stands on the roof of our church and shows where the wind blows, to turn back as soon as the North Wind blows. Then the North Wind will turn the other way and fly back to the North Pole. And our favourite South Wind will stay with us forever.

- That's a great idea! - all the cows agreed. And they said to the Cockerel on the Roof, which is scientifically called a weather vane:

- Dear Cockerel, we ask you very much, when you hear that the North Wind is coming, please turn not to the north, but to the south, so that this evil man will fly back.

- 'All right, I will try,' answered the Cockerel on the Roof. That evening, when the cows were walking in the meadow, the South Wind suddenly died down and a cold wind came from the north across the fields.

It was the North Wind, which was coming and decided to freeze everyone. It flew through icebergs, through icy seas from the distant North Pole and it was really very cold.

- Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh! - roared the North Wind. - I'll freeze you all to death!

But Rooster on the Roof was not slumbering. He took a moment, while the wind was fluttering and swaying the trees, and began to turn round slowly.

It was not easy to do so, for the North Wind was blowing very hard.

Finally Rooster-on-the-Roof managed to turn his back to the north.

As soon as the North Wind noticed that the weather vane was pointing south, he exclaimed:

- Damn it! I'm not the South Wind, I'm the North Wind! I must have lost my way.

He blew backwards and found himself at the North Pole.

- Wonderful! - he said. - What am I going to do now, blow backwards or forwards? Or maybe I'd better sleep. - And the North Wind went to sleep.

Meanwhile the cows came home and got more clover and grass.

And in the fields and meadows the gentle South Wind blew again.