The Lad Who Went to the North Wind
The Lad Who Went to the North Wind — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In the neon-drenched city of Atheria, where nature clawed back at chrome towers, lived a lad named Elara, the last of the Trueseed farmers, and Boreas, the capricious North Wind. King Midas, driven by endless hunger, held the city in his gilded grip. Elara's family, blessed with the gift of growing sustenance from barren soil, had fallen under Midas's cruel demand, their harvest feeding the king's insatiable greed. The story says Elara would face Boreas, a trial that would either bloom into a new dawn or wither into eternal winter.
Page 2
Elara, kneeling in his withered field, clutched a handful of dust. "How can I feed my family, let alone the king?" he muttered. A shimmering bird landed beside him, its feathers like spun moonlight. "The North Wind holds the answer," it chirped, "but his gifts come at a price." Elara looked up, his eyes wide. "A price I am willing to pay," he declared, a spark of resolve igniting within him.
Page 3
"The journey is perilous," warned the bird. "The path to Boreas winds through the Whispering Woods, where illusions dance and shadows speak." Elara, undeterred, stood tall. "I will not falter," he vowed, adjusting the worn leather satchel slung across his shoulder. "My family's survival depends on it." He started towards the dark, overgrown forest in the distance. The moonlight bird watched from its perch.
Page 4
The forest welcomed him with a symphony of whispers. "Gold, young farmer?" crooned a voice from the shadows. A shimmering pile of coins materialized before him. Elara hesitated, his fingers twitching. "'The love of money is the root of all evil,'" Elara recalled the words of Saint Paul. "I seek sustenance, not temptation," Elara said.
Page 5
Deeper in the woods, a spectral figure emerged, its face hidden behind a mask of jade. "Power, young farmer? Rule this land, and never want again." Elara stared at the scepter offered to him, its gemstone pulsating with dark energy. "'Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power,'" he thought, echoing Abraham Lincoln. "My people hunger. I will not become a tyrant," Elara said with a firm voice.
Page 6
Finally, Elara reached a chasm swirling with icy winds. A voice boomed, "Turn back, mortal! This is the domain of Boreas!" Elara, bracing himself against the gale, shouted, "I seek only what is owed to my people!" The wind howled, growing stronger. 'Doubt is a killer,' Elara heard voices whisper, repeating words he knew from Richard Branson. He pushed on.
Page 7
Before him stood Boreas, not a monstrous storm, but a weary man with eyes like frozen lakes. "You seek recompense?" Boreas asked, his voice a chilling whisper. "Your king hoards the wind's bounty, leaving nothing for your fields. But understand, the wind's power is finite."
Page 8
Boreas presented him with a choice: a single seed, imbued with the wind's essence, or a chest of gold. "Choose wisely, for this decision will shape Atheria's fate." Elara remembered the bird, and the whispers of greed. 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' Helen Keller's words echoed in Elara's memory. He knew he needed the seed.
Page 9
Elara reached for the seed. Boreas smiled, a rare and gentle expression. "You have chosen well." He breathed upon the seed, imbuing it with the full force of the North Wind. "Return to Atheria, and plant this seed. But know, it will only flourish with gratitude." Elara held the seed tight in his hand.
Page 10
Elara returned to Atheria and planted the seed in the heart of his withered field. The city watched. With patience and thankfulness, Elara grew the seed. Soon, the first crops sprang. Atheria was free again, and Midas's greed became a hollow echo. 'The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,' Mahatma Gandhi's words came alive.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
Questions and answers about The Lad Who Went to the North Wind
Read Wonder Tales on your phone
Wonder Tales is available on Android. Get Wonder Tales on Google Play.