Àṣàkẹ́ is nine years old. Girls rarely go to school in her village.

Àṣàkẹ́ stayed at home while her brothers went to school. She stays home to do household chores.

One day Àṣàkẹ́'s aunt, Dr. Laraba, came visiting with Audu and Binta, her children. She is a doctor in the city.

Shouts of "Welcome, welcome, welcome!" filled the air.

"What class are you, Àṣàkẹ́?" asked Audu.
"There is no money to send Àṣàkẹ́ to school," her father said.

"But you have money to marry a new wife," said Aunty Laraba.

In the morning, Aunty Laraba took Àṣàkẹ́ to the village headmaster to register.

Àṣàkẹ́ looked at him with a bright face and said, "I want to be a doctor."

In the night, Àṣàkẹ́ could not sleep. School was the next day. She turned from side to side, she gazed at the ceiling.

She wondered what school would be like.

Àṣàkẹ́ remembered the stories her brothers told her about school.

Teachers went about with a long, fat cane! "Will the teachers cane me? Will I have friends?" wondered Àṣàkẹ́.

The cock had just crowed. Àṣàkẹ́ got up at once. She had her bath. She put on her uniform, socks and shoes. She had a big bag to carry.

When it was time to go, Àṣàkẹ́'s mother held her hand tightly and off they went.

When they arrived at the school, Àṣàkẹ́ wondered why some children were so small. She was afraid to ask her mother why.

As they got to the school gate, Àṣàkẹ́ heard a strange sound, "Brim, brim, brim brim!"

It was the sound of the school bell.

She saw other children running through the school gate.

Àṣàkẹ́ ran after them, leaving mother behind.

In the classroom, Àṣàkẹ́ sat in the front row.

She saw that she was the biggest, the tallest and the oldest child in her class.

Àṣàkẹ́'s teacher liked her because she was smart and worked hard.

Other children teased her because she was the biggest, the tallest and the oldest.

But she did not mind them because all she wanted was to become a doctor.