THE STRONGEST HANDS
Pages 1–2
There once was a boy who wanted to be strong.
Very, very strong.
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Pages 3–4
So every day,
he lifted.
He climbed.
He pulled.
He pushed.
And he grew stronger.
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Pages 5–6
One morning,
the boy found the biggest rock he had ever seen.
He pushed.
He pulled.
He pushed again.
And—
THUMP!
He moved it.
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Pages 7–8
“I must be the strongest boy in the whole world!”
he shouted.
A little voice behind him said,
“Are you sure?”
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Pages 9–10
The rabbit’s home had been ruined by the rain.
“I don’t have anywhere to sleep.”
The boy looked at his strong hands.
Then he began to build.
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Pages 11–12
He carried branches.
He lifted stones.
He gathered leaves.
And before the sun went down,
the rabbit had a home again.
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Pages 13–14
The boy continued on.
Soon he found an old traveler carrying a heavy bundle.
“My back is tired,” said the traveler.
The boy looked at his strong hands.
“I can carry it.”
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Pages 15–16
Farther down the road,
he found a little child crying.
“I can’t find my family.”
The boy looked at his strong hands.
Then held out one.
“You can stay with me until we find them.”
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Pages 17–18
Then the wind began to blow.
WHOOOOOOO!
The sky grew dark.
BOOOOM!
A great storm was coming.
Everyone began to run.
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Pages 19–20
The boy could have run home.
Instead,
he looked around.
The rabbit was small.
The traveler was slow.
The little child was scared.
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Pages 21–22
So the boy carried what was heavy.
He sheltered what was small.
He guided those who were lost.
And he made sure no one was left behind.
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Pages 23–24
At last,
they reached the boy’s little house.
There wasn’t much inside.
But there was enough.
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Pages 25–26
He gave away his blanket.
He shared his bread.
He put another log on the fire.
And when everyone else was warm,
the boy sat beside the door.
Watching the storm.
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Pages 27–28
The old traveler sat beside him.
“You are very strong,” he said.
The boy smiled.
“I know. I moved a giant rock today.”
The traveler laughed.
“That’s not what I meant.”
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Pages 29–30
“Strong hands can lift a rock.
But the strongest hands…
build,
carry,
share,
comfort,
and protect.”
The boy looked down at his hands.
They didn’t seem quite so small anymore.
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Pages 31–32
Years passed.
And the boy became a man.
He grew bigger.
He grew stronger.
But he never forgot what strength was for.
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Final Spread
When someone was hungry,
he helped provide.
When someone was frightened,
he helped them feel safe.
When someone fell,
he reached down.
And when someone was alone,
he stood beside them.
Because he had learned something when he was very small:
A strong man does not ask, “How much can I carry?”
He asks, “Who can I help carry?”