• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Suddenly Luke appeared on the other side of the pond, coming toward the water at a run. As he approached the shore, he made a running leap toward Yoda, rising high above the water as he hurtled himself through the air. But he fell short of the other side and landed in the water with a loud splash, completely soaking Yoda.

Yoda's blue lips turned down in disappointment.

But Luke was not about to give up. He was determined to become a Jedi and, no matter how foolish he might feel in the attempt, would pass every test Yoda set for him. So he didn't complain when Yoda told him to stand on his head. A bit awkwardly at first, Luke inverted his body and, after a few wobbly moments, was standing firmly on his hands. It seemed he had been in this position for hours, but it was less difficult than it would have been before his training. His concentration had improved so much that he was able to maintain a perfect balance - even with Yoda perched on the soles of his feet.

But that was only part of the test. Yoda signaled Luke by tapping on his leg with his Gimer Stick. Slowly, carefully, and with full concentration, Luke raised one hand off the ground. His body wavered slightly with the weight shift - but Luke kept his balance, and, concentrating, started to lift a small rock in front of him. But suddenly a whistling and beeping R2 unit came rushing up to his youthful master.

Luke collapsed, and Yoda jumped clear of his falling body. Annoyed, the young Jedi student asked, 'Oh, Artoo, what is it?'

Artoo Detoo rolled about in frantic circles as he tried to communicate his message through a series of electronic chirps. Luke watched as the droid scooted to the edge of the swamp. He hurried to follow and then saw what it was the little robot was trying to tell him.

Standing at the water's edge, Luke saw that all but the tip of the X-wing's nose had disappeared beneath the water's surface.

'Oh, no,' moaned Luke. 'We'll never get it out now.'

Yoda had joined them, and stamped his foot in irritation at Luke's remark. 'So sure are you?' Yoda scolded. 'Tried have you? Always with you it can't be done. Hear you nothing that I say?' His little wrinkled face puckered with a furious scowl.

Luke glanced at his master, then looked doubtfully toward the sunken ship.

'Master,' he said skeptically, 'lifting rocks is one thing, but this is a little different.' Yoda was really angry now. 'No! No different!' he shouted. 'The differences are in your mind. Throw them out! No longer of use are they to you.'

Luke trusted his master. If Yoda said this could be done, then maybe he should try. He looked at the downed X-wing and readied himself for maximum concentration. 'Okay,' he said at last, 'I'll give it a try.'

Again he had spoken the wrong words. 'No,' Yoda said impatiently. 'Try not. Do, do. Or do not. There is no try.'

Luke closed his eyes. He tried to envision the contours, the shape, to feel the weight of his X-wing fighter. And he concentrated on the movement it would make as it rose from the murky waters.

As he concentrated, he began to hear the waters churn and gurgle, and then begin to bubble with the emerging nose of the X- wing. The tip of the fighter was slowly lifting from the water, and it hovered there for a moment, then sank back beneath the surface with a loud splash.

Luke was drained and had to gasp for breath. 'I can't,' he said dejectedly. 'It's too big.'

'Size has no meaning,' Yoda insisted. 'It matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?'

Luke, chastened, just shook his head.

'And well you shouldn't,' the Jedi Master advised. 'For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it and makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings we are, not this crude matter,' he said as he pinched Luke's skin.

Yoda made a grand sweeping gesture to indicate the vastness of the universe about him. 'Feel it you must. Feel the flow. Feel the Force around you. Here,' he said, as he pointed,