Hercules and the lazy man

Hercules and the lazy man

A man was once driving a heavy load along a very muddy way in a cart. Finally, he came to a part of the road where the wheels sank half-way into the mud, the more the horses pulled, the deeper the wheels sank. So, the man threw down his whip, knelt down, and prayed to Hercules the Strong. "Oh Hercules, help me out of this mess." He said. But Hercules appeared to him, and said:

"Tut, tut, man, don't lie there grovelling and begging for help. Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel! Help those horses with your own effort!"

And, the moral is.

The gods help those that help themselves.