A boy at a village fair saw two huge elephants tied to a small wooden peg with thin ropes. He turned to the elephant keeper, puzzled. "Those ropes are so weak. Why don't the elephants pull free and walk away?" The keeper smiled. "When they were babies, that thin rope was strong enough to hold them. They tried and tried, and could not break it. So they stopped trying. Now they are grown, and could snap that rope with one step — but in their minds, they are still little babies who can't break free." The boy thought about this for a long time. "I have ropes too," he said quietly. "Things I think I cannot do because I tried once when I was small." "Yes," said the keeper. "Try again now. You will be surprised."