The sequence, or order, of story events is very important to a story.  Read the four main story events of “The Wind and the Sun”.  What is wrong with the story as it appears below?

     The Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute.  Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger.  You begin." 

     Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.  You see gentleness often works better than harshness.

     The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger.  Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road.

     So the Sun retired behind a cloud. The Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler. But the harder he blew, the more closely the traveler wrapped his cloak around him.  At last the Wind had to give up in despair.

     Did the story make any sense?  What was wrong with it? 
     We can use the elements of fiction to help us locate the beginning, middle, and end of a story.  Look at the picture below to help you fit in the elements of fiction.

Read over the story one more time.  Which event do you think should come first? Remember you need to introduce the characters in the beginning of the story.  The Wind and Sun are the main characters.  Most of the actions of the story involve them.  So, the following event should be first.

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger.  Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road.

Now think which event should come second.  The second event should somehow connect to the first event.  It should also introduce the problem of the story.  Read the following event.

The Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger.  You begin." 

Does this event connect to the first event?  It does!  When the Sun tells the Wind that they can settle their dispute, it refers directly back to the first event.  It also introduces the problem and the action that is to come.

What comes next?  If you reread what the Sun told the Wind to do, it should help you decide what happens next.   Read the following.

So the Sun retired behind a cloud. The Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler. But the harder he blew, the more closely the traveler wrapped his cloak around him. At last the Wind had to give up in despair.

Do you see why this comes next?  The Sun told the Wind to start.  So the wind blew and blew while the sun went behind a cloud. 

We know that only one event is left but let’s look at why it fits.

Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on. You see gentleness often works better than harshness.

This makes sense because the only main character left to act is the Sun. It is also told the solution of the story.  The traveler took off his cloak and the Sun was proven to be the stronger.

     Now let’s read the story the way it really appears.

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road. The Sun said: "I see a way to decide our dispute.  Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger.  You begin." 

So the Sun retired behind a cloud. The Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler. But the harder he blew, the more closely the traveler wrapped his cloak around him. At last the Wind had to give up in despair.

Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on. You see gentleness often works better than harshness.