The Carter and Hercules
A man whose cart is stuck in the mud prays; the god tells him, "Put your own shoulder to it first."
Tap a word to see it in Turkish · Long press to translate the whole sentence.
A carter was driving his loaded cart along a muddy road. The wheels sank into the mud, and however hard the horses pulled, the cart did not move.
The carter knelt on the ground and raised his hands to the sky: "O mighty Hercules, help me! Pull my cart out of the mud!" And he waited. Nothing happened. He pleaded again. He waited again.
Then a deep voice came from among the clouds: "Get up! Put your shoulder to the wheel, urge on your horses, push with all your strength. First work yourself; then I will help you too. There is no god who helps the idle."
The carter was ashamed. He got up, put his shoulder to the wheel, drove the horses and pushed with all his might. The wheel moved an inch, another inch... and the cart came free of the mud. The carter looked up at the clouds in surprise: "Did you help, or did I do it?"
The voice laughed: "Does it matter?"
Everyone has told this tale since Aesop: when you are going to ask for help, first put your shoulder to the wheel. The rest will follow.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Carter and Hercules is a children's tale from Aesop, suitable for ages 5-10 and about 1 minutes long. Read it free on Masal Merkezi, play a lullaby or nature sound in the background, tap any word to see its Turkish meaning and save it to your favorites. For similar tales browse the Aesop's Fables category.
Sign up and your favorites and reading list follow you on every device.
