Smart Sindara had a science test coming up, and she was worried.
She sat on her bed with her science book open in front of her. The words seemed to dance around the page.
“I don’t understand this,” she sighed. “The test is too difficult. I don’t think I can do it.”
Mummy sat beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Sindara, have I ever told you the story of the strongest man in the village?”
Sindara shook her head.
“Was he born strong?” she asked.
Mummy smiled.
“No. In fact, when Adamu first started training, he could not lift a 15-kilogram weight.”
Sindara’s eyes widened.
“Fifteen kilograms? But he was the strongest man in the village!”
“He eventually became the strongest,” Mummy explained. “But first, he had to become stronger than his challenge.”
Many years ago, Adamu lived in a beautiful village surrounded by mango trees and colourful flowers.
He dreamed of entering the village strength championship. Every day, he trained beneath a large mango tree in his courtyard.
Adamu could lift a 10-kilogram weight easily.
Up it went!
Down it came!
Up and down, again and again.
“This is easy!” Adamu said proudly. “I am ready for the championship!”
Then he saw a 15-kilogram weight lying beside the tree.
Adamu rubbed his hands together and smiled.
“It is only five kilograms more. I will lift it immediately!”
He bent his knees, held the bar tightly and pulled.
“Urrrrgh!”
The weight did not move.
Adamu tried again.
He pulled with both hands until sweat rolled down his face.
But the weight remained on the ground.
“I cannot do it,” he groaned. “This weight is too heavy for me.”
Adamu sat beneath the mango tree with his head hanging low.
A little yellow bird perched on a branch above him.
“Why are you giving up?” the bird chirped.
Adamu looked up in surprise.
“Did you not see what happened? I tried three times, and I failed three times.”
The bird fluttered down to a lower branch.
“You lifted 10 kilograms because you practised lifting 10 kilograms,” it said. “If you want to lift 15 kilograms, you must train until you become stronger.”
The next morning, Adamu returned to the courtyard.
He exercised his arms and legs. He lifted the 10-kilogram weight several times. Then he tried the 15-kilogram weight.
It still did not move.
But this time, Adamu did not give up.
“I will try again tomorrow,” he said.
Every morning, Adamu trained beneath the mango tree.
Sometimes he became frustrated.
Whenever he wanted to stop, the little bird reminded him:
“Try again. Every attempt is making you stronger.”
Then, one bright morning, Adamu bent down, held the bar and pulled with all the strength he had developed.
Up came the weight!
Adamu stood tall, holding the entire 15 kilograms.
“I did it!” he cried.
The little bird flew around him, chirping happily.
“The weight did not become lighter,” the bird said. “You became stronger.”
Mummy closed Sindara’s science book gently.
“Do you understand?” she asked.
Sindara nodded slowly.
“My science test is like Adamu’s 15-kilogram weight. It feels too difficult because I am not strong enough in the subject yet.”
“That’s right,” Mummy said. “The test may not become easier, but you can become better prepared.”
Sindara sat up straight and reopened her book.
“I will study a little every day,” she said. “And whenever I don’t understand something, I will ask for help and try again.”
From that day, Sindara stopped saying, “I cannot do it.”
Instead, she said:
“I cannot do it yet—but I can learn, practise and become stronger than my challenge.”
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