6. Aesop's Fables - Hercules and the Waggoner

Once there lived a poor man in a village. He earned his living by pulling waggon.

One winter night it rained heavily. The village headman who collected the harvest from farmers was worried that the grain might get spoiled by the rain water and breeding insects. So he called the waggoner and asked him to take the grain  stacks to the village granary. The granary was located at the far end of the village. 

So the waggoner loaded his waggon with stacks of grain. He started pulling the waggon. It was a difficult journey as the way was wet and muddy due to last night's rain. The ditches were filled with water and at times the wagon wheels were through deep ditches.  

When the waggoner was midway, it started raining. He immediately covered the stacks with sheets to protect the grain and waited under a tree for the rain to stop.

When the rain stopped, the waggoner resumed his journey. But the way was all the more muddy and risky. He had not gone far, when the cart wheels started sinking into the wet mud. The more his oxen tired to pull forward, the more the wheels sunk into the mud. 

The waggoner was pitiably tired, wet and hungry. He looked around helplessly and began crying over his hard luck. He saw the clouds hovering up in the sky. It could rain again anytime. So the waggoner cried and called Hercules for help. 

'Pity! Pity! Have mercy on me Hercules! Help me out of this difficult situation. I need you !'

Hearing the waggoner's plea, Hercules appeared. He said, 'O mortal! I see that you are in distress. You asked for my help, but tell me if you helped yourself?'

The waggoner asked hercules, 'O merciful God, how can I help myself?'

Hercules smiled and replied, 'Certainly you can help yourself. Do not lament or sprawl there. Get on your feet. Put the wheel on your shoulder and try to pull it out. I bless you!'.

Saying this, Hercules disappeared. 

The waggoner pulled the wheel out and called his oxen to pull forward. Soon the waggon was out of mud. The waggoner reached the village granary with the grain safely. He was rewarded well by the village head for his hard work and honesty. 

Moral: The gods help them that help themselves.