High in the sky, at the four corners of the world, live the four winds; North, South, East and West. The South Wind loves to blow gently across meadows of flowers, wafting the beautiful scents to the people of the villages. The East Wind loves to whip up white horses of foam on the waves of the sea. The West Wind likes nothing more than to blow through the leaves of the trees, making them rustle and whisper as if they were telling secrets.

   But the North Wind is a blustery fellow, and puffed up with his own importance. For the North Wind is the Wind of Winter. He brings with him the cold air and the rains that drench the earth while the flowers sleep through the cold months.

   One year, just before winter began, North Wind had a friend over for tea. He was bragging about how fast and strong he would blow once winter began. ‘Cloud,’ he said, ‘this year I shall blow so hard that the mountains themselves will tremble! And I shall blow so fast that not even a speeding train will be able to keep up with me!’

   ‘I don’t believe that you can blow that hard, or that fast,’ said Cloud, who was heartily sick of North Wind’s constant boasting.

   ‘What?’ boomed the North Wind. ‘How can you say such a thing, when everybody knows that I blow the fastest and hardest of all the winds?’

   ‘Well,’ said Cloud, ‘Perhaps you can blow so fast that not even a speeding train could keep up with you.’

   ‘Ha!’ said North Wind, ‘I knew you would see reason. I’m so fast that-’

   ‘You may blow faster than a speeding train,’ interrupted Cloud, ‘but I don’t think you could win in a race between you and I. I am known as a very speedy cloud, you know.’

   ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha!’ North Wind laughed so hard at this that Cloud had to hold onto his chair to prevent himself being blown clear out of the house. ‘We will put this to the test,’ said North Wind when he had finished laughing. ‘When winter is at its fullest, we shall have a Great Race with all the Winds and all the clouds to watch me outrun you!’ This was just what Cloud wanted, so he solemnly agreed, and went home to tell his wife and children to prepare for a great victory feast at Midwinter.