The Story of Hard Work: Sandow And The Gourd

Once upon a time, in the northern part of Ghana, there lived a young man named Sundow. He didn’t like to work on the farm like the other people in his village. Instead, he enjoyed the comfort of his parents’ hard work. Sundow’s father tilled the land and harvested crops, and his mother kept the family happy and fed. Sundow had nothing to worry about and lived an easy life.

As Sundow grew older, his father became worried. He thought, "What will happen to Sundow if I’m no longer here? No one will marry a lazy man." But Sundow didn’t care; he was happy living off his parents' efforts.

One day, Sundow’s father decided to travel to a faraway place called Tiwêga in what is now Burkina Faso. To get there, he had to cross a big river. Sadly, the canoe he was traveling in capsized, and everyone on board disappeared. They were never seen again. Sundow’s family was heartbroken.

With his hardworking father gone, Sundow didn’t know what to do. He went to see Timanab, the village’s spiritual leader and priest, for help. Sundow asked, “Can you help me find my father?”

Timanab closed his eyes and spoke to the spirits. Then he said, “Your father has gone to a land so far away that he cannot return. But his spirit will always guide you.”

Sad and desperate, Sundow asked, “If I cannot bring my father back, can you help me become rich so I won’t have to work?”

Timanab thought for a while and then handed Sundow a small gourd. “Take this gourd,” he said. “To become rich, you must fill it with your sweat. The spirits say that when the gourd is full, you will have all the wealth you need.”

Sundow took the gourd home and locked himself in his room. He tried to make himself sweat, but every drop he put in the gourd disappeared. Frustrated, he returned to Timanab.

“The sweat keeps vanishing!” Sundow said.

Timanab smiled. “You cannot fill the gourd by sitting in your room. The spirits want the sweat from honest work. Take it to your father’s farm, and work hard in the fields.”

Reluctantly, Sundow went to the farm. He tilled the soil, planted seeds, and worked under the hot sun. Day after day, he worked harder than he ever had before. Slowly, drops of sweat began to fill the gourd.

Seasons passed. Sundow expanded his father’s farm and planted even more crops. He harvested millet, yams, and groundnuts. The farm was so successful that Sundow had more food than he could store. People in the village noticed his hard work, and soon he became rich.

Even though the gourd was never completely full, Sundow realized something important: the harder he worked, the more he gained.

Over time, Sundow became one of the wealthiest men in the village. People admired him, and many wanted to marry their daughters to him. He married and raised a family. When Sundow grew old and was about to die, he called his eldest son to his bedside.

He gave the gourd to his son and said, “This gourd taught me an important lesson. It’s not magic that makes us rich—it’s hard work. If you work hard, you will always have enough.”

Sundow’s son followed his father’s advice, and he too became wealthy. The gourd was passed down through the family, and every generation remembered Sundow’s story.

And so, in the Upper East region of Ghana and southern Burkina Faso, people still tell the tale of Sundow, the man who learned the value of hard work and became a legend.