Once upon a time, there was a small village where all the bridges were made of gold. The villagers were very proud of their beautiful bridges, but they also knew that they needed to be kept in good condition. So, they created a special certificate to award the best bridge-keeper of the year.

One day, a young boy named Billy wanted to win the certificate more than anything. He lived near the biggest and most important bridge in the village and was determined to keep it in tip-top shape. Billy worked day and night, polishing and cleaning the bridge until it shone like the sun.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Billy was very nervous. The mayor of the village was about to announce the winner of the certificate. But just as the mayor was about to read out the name, there was a loud clanging noise. Everyone turned to see what was happening, and they saw that the centroid of the bridge was sinking into the water.

"Oh no!" cried Billy. "I have to do something!"

Without wasting a second, Billy grabbed a bucket and started to fill it with water. He ran back and forth, carrying the bucket to the sinking centroid and pouring the water out. Slowly but surely, the centroid began to rise back up to its original position.

The mayor was so impressed with Billy's quick thinking that he declared him the winner of the certificate right then and there. Billy was over the moon! He thanked the mayor and the villagers for their support and hung his certificate on the wall with pride.

But Billy's work wasn't done yet. He noticed that the chains holding up the bridge were starting to rust, so he got to work oiling them. He worked so hard that he forgot about the passage of time. When he finally looked up, the sun was setting and the villagers were starting to worry.

"Billy, where have you been?" they asked. "We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I was just making sure the bridge was safe," replied Billy with a smile. "I have to make sure it can hold the maximum capacity of villagers, animals and carts."

And from that day on, Billy became known as the greatest bridge-keeper in the village. Everyone respected and admired him for his hard work and dedication. He never forgot his bucket, and the villagers never forgot the lesson he taught them: that a little effort and determination can go a long way.

The end.

Reflections

1. What was Billy's goal in the story?
2. Why was the mayor impressed with Billy's actions?
3. Why was it important for Billy to make sure the bridge was safe?
4. How did the villagers react to Billy's hard work and dedication?
5. How did Billy's actions teach the villagers a lesson?
6. What did Billy never forget, and why was it important?