Le Secret des Mots Oubliés

Synopsis

A story about two boys who can't read. The first boy, Amadu, doesn't want to read. Instead of going to school, he plays soccer, goes fishing, and goofs off with his friends. He refuses to help his father or mother with household chores like gathering wood for cooking fire and helping in the family's peanut field. In doing this, Amadu is disobeying and disrespecting his parents. They are sad, and their neighbors shake their heads at Amadu's bad behavior. The second boy, Dirisa, knows that there is great benefit in education, in being to read. He honors his parents wishes that he attend school and study hard. They are happy with him. He goes to school every day. He works hard at learning his lessons, always doing his homework, and reading at home even when he doesn't have to. He plays with his friends, but not as much as Amadu, because he spends a lot of time studying. When they grow up, Dirisa is able to get a job, because he has a diploma from school, is well educated, and has a reputation for being a serious person who wants to work hard. But Amadu can't find a job. No one wants to hire him because he has a bad reputation as a lazy person, and he is illiterate. Dirisa finds a woman he wants to marry, and his family helps him with the means to get married. At the end of the story, Dirisa has a wife and 3 children, but Amadu, at 30 years old, isn't even married. No one will help him with the means to get engaged and married, no one wants to give their daughter to him in marriage, because they don't think he will be able to support his family. Amadu finally starts an apprenticeship as a taxi driver, but is very poor. He is sad. But Dirisa is happy.