On a rain evening, a farmer was carrying his load in a wagon. The country road was so muddy that the oxen were struggling to pull the wagon along. Finally, as the wagon crossed a muddy, sticky patch on the road, one of the wheels sank into the dirt, and no matter how hard the oxen pulled, it refused to move.
Instead of trying to solve the issue, the farmer got off the cart, and as the rain poured down on him, he threw up his arms and cursed his fate, calling Hercules to his aid.
Hercules did in fact appear. As he arrived, he saw that the farmer stood next to his cart with his hands on his waist and made no effort to lift his wheel out of the mud.
“You have called me for help, but I refuse to help you till you have tried to help yourself. Lift the wheel so that the oxen can pull” roared Hercules.
It was only on Hercule’s recommendation that the farmer bent down to push up the wheel. Then as his oxen pulled, the wagon easily glided out of the mud.
The farmer continued his journey and held onto the important lesson he had learned. Self help, is the best help.
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