The Story: The Púkar’s Rematch
After their last defeat, the mischievous Púkar were determined to win back their pride. They returned to challenge the Icelandic national team—but this time, their tricks were harder and their counting challenges even tougher.
The team was practicing on a bright morning when the familiar swirl of red smoke appeared on the field. Out stepped the Púkar, grinning widely. “We’re back!” their leader sneered. “Last time, you beat us with your counting skills. But today, we’ve got new tricks up our sleeves. Let’s see if you can handle our rematch!”
The players looked at each other nervously, but then Jón the Football-Tetja, their 6-year-old math prodigy, stepped forward. “We’re ready for you!” Jón said confidently. “Bring on your challenges—we’ll count our way to victory again!”
Round 1: The Quick Kick Challenge
The Púkar scored the first goal, and the scoreboard lit up: 1-0.
The Púkar leader smirked. “To keep your next goal, you must count to 50 in intervals of 5. Let’s see if you’re fast enough!”
Jón turned to the team and raised his hands. “We can do this together! Count with me!”
The team and the crowd shouted:
“5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50!”
The scoreboard updated to 1-1, and the Púkar groaned.
Round 2: The Number Sprint
The Púkar scored again and pushed their tricks further.
“To block our point,” they said, “you must count to 100 in intervals of 10. Fail, and the score will stay in our favor!”
Jón grinned. “That’s easy for us!” He began the count, and the players joined in:
“10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100!”
The scoreboard returned to a tie, 2-2. The crowd cheered, and Jón raised his fist in victory.
Round 3: The Double Interval Test
The game was nearing its end when the Púkar tried one last trick.
“To win the game,” they announced, “you must count to 100 in intervals of 20. Both must be done before the final whistle blows!”
The players hesitated, but Jón clapped his hands. “Let’s break it into steps and do it together!”
They counted by 20s:
“20, 40, 60, 80, 100!”
The scoreboard lit up: 3-2. The whistle blew, and the Icelandic team won the rematch!
The Púkar Retreat
The Púkar vanished in a puff of red smoke, shouting, “We’ll be back with even harder challenges next time!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, and the players lifted Jón onto their shoulders. “Thank you, Jón!” they said. “We couldn’t have done it without your math skills and leadership!”
Jón smiled and waved to the crowd. “Counting isn’t just for math class—it’s for winning games and solving problems everywhere!”
The team chanted together:
“2, 4, 6, 8... Counting makes us great!”