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Once upon a
time, there was
a boy called
Octavo who
enjoyed planting
flowers.
Whenever he was
not at school,
he would be seen
at his home
garden
cultivating
flowers.
His parents
decided to give
him some
gardening tools
for his
birthday: a
shoe, a
flax-comb, a
watering pot and
a shovel. These
tools were all
quite small in
comparison with
the average
size, since they
were
proportional to
his size as
Octavo was only
eight years old.
However, Octavo
was negligent
and would leave
his things
everywhere; out
of place. His
mother was a
very kind woman
and would store
his things away.
She always told
him he should be
more careful
with his
belongings, but
he never
listened.
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It was Octavo’s
birthday and he
got the present
from his
parents. He was
so excited with
it.
— Thank you,
dad. I will now
be able to work
in the garden
with devotion. I
was not able to
use your
gardening tools
since they are
not my size.
His dad then
said:
— You will have
these tools for
a long time, my
son. You will
need to look
after them,
though. Don’t
leave them
abandoned just
anywhere. Make
sure you store
them away, after
you use them.
The boy then
said:
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— Don’t worry
dad. I will look
after my
presents.
On the following
day, Octavo woke
up quite early
to go to the
garden. He
wanted to use
his brand new
tools.
Some days later,
Octavo seemed to
have forgotten
his dad’s
advice. He left
his shovel on
the floor. His
dad saw it, but
didn’t say
anything. He
wanted to see
what his son’s
behaviour would
be like.
Octavo then
spent a few days
inside the house
because he had
to study hard
for upcoming
school exams. It
then rained for
a week
continuously,
which didn’t
allow him to get
out of the house
to work in the
garden.
Fifteen days
later, the sun
came out. The
sky was clean
and clear. The
boy woke up and
ran straight
into the garden.
He couldn’t wait
to start working
on it. The
flowers grew a
lot because of
the rain and
were looking
quite beautiful.
Therefore, there
were woods which
had to be pulled
from the
flowers. Octavo
searched for his
hoe but couldn’t
find it. It was
not stored close
to his dad’s
gardening tools,
as it usually
is.
He then started
to search for
it. He searched
for a long
time....
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He then found
it. It was on
the ground; full
of mud. Octavo
was so happy to
find it, but he
felt
disappointed. He
realised it was
destroyed by the
rust. He then
cried a lot.
He was concerned
with his dad’s
reaction. He
would be
reprimanded for
leaving the hoe
outside in the
garden. His dad
walked by and
saw how sad the
boy was. He then
approached him,
with kindness,
and said:
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— My son,
everything in
life requires
precaution. You
received a
valuable lesson
today, my son.
You just lost a
small hoe.
Therefore, in
life we can
loose many
important things
if we are not
careful and pay
attention. Even
the talents that
God gave us… It
is not your
talent, which
matters; what
matters is how
you use it. God
never demands
from you
abilities which
you do not have;
but God does
demand that you
should use to
the full the
abilities which
you do possess.
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Octavo decided
to think for a
while and
meditate on what
his dad just
said to him. He
then became a
responsible and
careful boy who
would look after
his belongings
with proper
care. This was
an important
lesson for his
life.
Octavo grew up,
studied a lot
and went to
University. He
became an
agronomist, but
never forgot the
hoe’s lesson.
Aunt Celia
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