One warm summer day, Igor decided that he wanted to build his first sandcastle. He had long dreamed of creating a beautiful structure with towers and gates, like in real fairy tales. So, without wasting any time, he headed to the park, where there was a large sandbox filled with soft, golden sand.

With a bucket, a shovel, and a small mold, Igor immediately got to work. He filled the bucket with sand and turned it over, hoping it would create a sturdy wall for his castle. But as soon as he lifted the bucket, the sand crumbled, and his creation fell apart.

Igor didn’t give up and tried again. This time, he decided to make the walls thinner, but they still didn’t hold and collapsed as soon as he removed the mold. “Why is this so hard?” he sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. But instead of giving up, Igor decided to approach the project with a new plan.

He remembered seeing other kids add water to the sand to make it stronger. So Igor went to a small fountain in the park, filled his bucket with water, and poured a bit of it onto the sand. Now that the sand was damp, he began building again.

First, Igor built low, solid walls to test if the sand would hold. This time, his structure was much sturdier! Excited, he continued, adding towers at the corners and creating small arches for gates. Slowly, the castle began to take shape.

Just then, his little brother Misha came over. When he saw what Igor was building, he wanted to join in. He stepped into the sandbox and, without noticing, accidentally knocked down part of the castle with his foot. One of the towers collapsed, and Igor was disappointed once again.

— Misha! You broke my castle! — exclaimed Igor, feeling upset at seeing his hard work fall apart.

Misha looked at him apologetically, unsure of what to say. But then Igor realized it was an accident. With a sigh, he suggested:

— Let’s build it together, Misha. This way, our castle will be even bigger and stronger!

Now the brothers worked together to build a new castle. Misha carefully added sand to the walls, while Igor showed him how to make the towers stronger. Together, they built sturdy walls, added four towers, and even made room for a little flag that Igor crafted from a leaf and a stick.

Other kids came over to admire their castle, and someone even suggested building another castle nearby to create an entire sand city. Igor was glad he hadn’t given up, as his efforts had not only brought him a beautiful castle but also many new friends.

As the day ended, Igor went home and told his parents about his experience. They praised him for his patience and persistence, qualities that had helped him overcome challenges and build a strong castle.

From that day on, Igor understood that it’s important not to give up, even if things don’t work out the first time. The castle in the sandbox became a symbol for him that patience and perseverance always lead to success.