When she attained adulthood her parents decided it was time for her to get married.

 Many suitors came to seek her hand in marriage, but she refused them all.

 Princes, hunters, and warriors all hoped to win her heart with gifts but she never seemed to be satisfied with any of them.

  She always feared, which is a genuine worry about whether the suitors actually loved her for who she is and not what she is.

The king devised a plan. 

He sent his messenger to all who wished to marry his princess should assemble on a given day to take a test.

On that day, there was a mob of men, rich, poor, tall, short, fat, thin, wise, foolish, brave cowardly and strong. All sorts.

 He led them to a river. On the other side of the river was the breath-taking princess who snatched the glory from the stars and the breath from every man.

 The king then announced that any man who wanted her would have to swim over to her, but that in the river were fierce crocodiles, hungry sharks and vicious piranhas. The stage was set.

Some complained. Some wailed. Some cursed. Some wept. Some gnashed their teeth. Others begged the king to change the test. Some murmured that the king should die with his daughter. Many turned back.

 None wanted to venture into the river except one man who stood by as others start taking their leave.

All of a sudden, there was a loud splash and everyone gasped in shock. 

This poor man in shabby clothes that has been standing is seen furiously swimming frantically heading for the other bank. 

People were wide-eyed in shock at such bravery.

 Who would dare such a feat?

Still, the man swam and made it to the other side, scrambling out as fast as he could. Everyone stared at the short, stocky man with his bulging stomach and his shabby thorn cloth, trying to wipe water out his eyes.

Everyone broke into frenzied applause, including the king applauding his bravery.

"Who push Me?? ????????

He asked almost immediately, looking at no one in particular, still breathing heavily.

It was then everyone found out that the poor man had been pushed into the river and had swam for safety.

There was an outburst of laughter. ????????????

 It was then the King made it known to everyone that his claim about crocodile, sharks and other wild animals in the river is untrue. That he really wanted to test if the suitors can sacrifice for what they really want, and that if you want something, you must really be ready to sacrifice to get it

Amidst all confusion, to what verdict the king will take.

Drop your views in the comment box, as the king what will you do?

  

                 ANDY✍????

               ©️2022

I think my exam was on a Thursday. I travelled on Monday. Prepared. 

A little past eight, Thursday morning, I was in the faculty with like a thousand others. 

After hours of disorganization, KSU (Kogi State University) threw a handful of us into one classroom and gave us sheets. 

The questions were cheap.

 I was swift.

 Was done in no time.

 They wouldn’t allow me submit so I took it upon myself to calculate the kind of score I was expecting. 80.

 Bad as e bad, 75. Not a mark less, abeg.

 

In a fortnight’s, Mom called to tell me results were out. I rushed over to a cafe, told the operator to check my result and faced the other way.

Click. Click. Click.

“Na 15 you get.”

 

“Eh?”????

He pointed to the screen. I looked. 15. With my mouth agape.

I shook my head. “I no understand.”

 

“Na 15 you get na bros”

 

Now I was confused. I asked, “Wait, na 15 be d final score of d exam?”  

“Okay, you wan add your own? Guy, na 15 you get.”

 

“See,” I said, “check am again, abeg.”

 

“Guy, you no dey hear exam result for morning? Na 15 you get.” He was trying hard not to laugh. I swear down I could see it.

 

"Print am come au-side," I told him. He did. Where I come from, you don’t pay any computer operator idiot when you fail an exam (yes, it’s their fault you failed), so I told him I had to make a quick call outside before I came back to give him money. That was the last he saw of me.

 

I called my guy. “Onojaaa, you don check?”

“Post UME stuff?”

“Yes. Wetin you get?”

He paused. “You wey dey ask me wetin I get, you, wetin you yourself get?” ???????? 

After arguing who should say it first, I told him I got 15.

“Over 100?”

I said yes.

 

He laughed out loud so I concluded he had passed and said in my heart, “So, this buffalo go first me enter school!” But no, I hadn’t heard his own yet. 

“Your own good nah,” he said. “You pass me with 3.”

Oh, what joy in my heart! It feels good when your friends pass with you- or fail with you. ????????????????

 

Dad came home that evening and asked about my result. 

A missing script was more honourable than that cursed score, 15, so I told him I had missing script, that in fact the five of us who came to check all had missing scripts, that “the site” gave us N/As (not available) for results.

 

“Not available? 

Not available?” 

 

He kept repeating “Not available” like he just learnt the words.

 

“Not available?”

I kept saying, gravely, “As in eh!”

Something told me he didn’t believe me but I ignored it.

 

“Bring your reg number.”

 

I stood, unmoving, sullen, suddenly mad.

I gave it to him and walked away. 

I knew he had sent it over to be checked and had gotten to know my score, for when he stormed into my room, his glare told me I wouldhave no peace in that house till the day I left it. ????????????????.

 

So, I was at my uncle's place some weeks back while he was scolding his last born for scoring a measly 182 in JAMB, brandishing him a disgrace to the family. Haq haq haq????

 

And here is me recalling how I failed woofly in my first attempt at Post UTME. ????????

 

"Yeah, once upon a Dullard!

Well, am now a graduate from one of the best schools, with a second class upper (BSC).