THE WAGONER
by Lida B. McMurry
The Wagoner and the Mud
Once there was a wagoner. His name was Will. He had a big wagon and strong horses. But Wagoner Will did not like hard work.
Farmers needed coal. Winter was coming. They asked Wagoner Will. "The roads are very bad," Will said. "We need coal now," farmers said. "We will be cold."
Wagoner Will did not want to go. He grumbled loudly. He took the coal. He drove his big wagon. The horses pulled. He went to the country.
The road was very wet. Rain fell all day. The mud was very deep. The big wagon went into the mud. It stuck fast. The wheels sank down. The wagon could not move. The horses could not move it.
Wagoner Will was very angry. He stomped his foot. "Pull!" he shouted at his horses. "Pull hard! Move now!" The Horses pulled and pulled. They tried their best. They breathed hard. But the big wagon did not move. It stayed in the deep mud.
Wagoner Will saw a man. The man worked in a field. He was strong. "Hey!" Will called to him. "Help me! Help my wagon!"
The man was Farmer Fred. He saw the horses pull. They were tired. He saw Wagoner Will. Will did not help. Farmer Fred spoke to Will. "You must help yourself first," he said. "Push the wagon wheel. Try hard yourself. Then I will help you."
Wagoner Will did not like this. He grumbled again. He got down from his seat. He went to the big wheel. He put his shoulder to it. He pushed the wheel. The Horses pulled. He pushed hard. He used all his strength.
The wagon moved a little. It moved slowly. Will pushed. The Horses pulled. They strained hard. The wagon came out of the mud. It was on dry ground. It was free.
Wagoner Will got on his seat. He felt happy. He called to Farmer Fred. "My wagon is out!" he said. "You did not help me!" Farmer Fred smiled. He said, "You helped yourself. You pushed the wheel. You tried hard. That made the wagon move. Always try your best first. This is a good lesson."
Original Story
THE WAGONER
"We must have coal," said the farmers to the wagoner.
"But the roads are very bad," replied the wagoner. "I never saw them worse."
"We can not wait for the roads to dry," said the farmers, "for without a fire we should take cold. Besides, we should have to eat uncooked food."
So the wagoner went into the country with a load of coal. He had not gone far when his wagon stuck fast in the mud.
"What am I to do now?" he asked himself. "I ought to have known better than to start out."
"Get up!" he cried to his horses. "Get up there, you lazy brutes! Pull out of here!"
The horses struggled hard, but they could not start the load.
"Hey there!" he called to a man who was working in a field near by. "Come and help us out of this mud-hole."
The man in the field had been watching the poor horses as they pulled with all their strength. He was angry at the wagoner for beating them so cruelly.
"Put your shoulder to the wheel," he called back. "When you have done all you can to help yourself, I shall be willing to help you."
The wagoner climbed down, muttering to himself, "I don't want to get down into this mud."
He put his shoulder to the wheel, pushed long and steadily while the horses pulled. Slowly the load began to move. Before long it was on firm ground.
The wagoner climbed up to his seat and called back to the man who was working in the field, "My load is out, but no thanks to you."
The man replied, "You took my advice and put your shoulder to the wheel; that is what brought you out."
Moral of the Story
Help yourself first, and then others will be more willing to help you.
Characters
The Wagoner ★ protagonist
A man of average height and sturdy build, accustomed to physical labor but perhaps a bit soft from relying on his horses. His hands are likely calloused, and his face weathered from exposure to the elements.
Attire: Practical, heavy-duty working clothes suitable for a rural setting in a temperate climate. He wears a thick, dark wool or canvas coat, sturdy brown trousers, and heavy leather boots caked with mud. A simple, dark cap covers his head.
Wants: To deliver his load of coal and earn his pay with the least amount of personal effort possible.
Flaw: His greatest weakness is his laziness and his tendency to blame external circumstances or others for his problems, rather than taking personal responsibility.
He initially resists putting in personal effort but is forced to by the Man in the Field's refusal to help. He learns that self-reliance is necessary to overcome obstacles, though he remains ungrateful for the lesson.
Lazy, complaining, quick to blame others (including his horses), proud, and initially unwilling to help himself. He is stubborn and ungrateful, even after receiving good advice.
The Man in the Field ◆ supporting
A man of robust build, clearly accustomed to hard manual labor in the fields. His physique suggests strength and endurance.
Attire: Simple, practical peasant or farmer's attire suitable for working in a field. He wears a light-colored linen shirt, sturdy earth-toned trousers, and perhaps a straw hat to shield him from the sun. His clothes are clean but worn.
Wants: To encourage self-reliance and responsibility in others, and to prevent cruelty to animals.
Flaw: Not explicitly shown, but perhaps a tendency to be too hands-off, waiting for others to learn their lesson rather than offering immediate physical help.
He acts as a catalyst for the Wagoner's change, remaining consistent in his principles throughout the interaction.
Observant, wise, firm, principled, and empathetic towards animals. He believes in self-reliance and teaches by example rather than direct intervention.
His Horses ○ minor
Two large, powerful draft horses, likely of a sturdy breed like a Clydesdale or Shire, built for pulling heavy loads. Their coats are probably a dark color like bay or black, and their muscles are well-defined from constant work.
Attire: Heavy leather harnesses and bridles, designed for pulling a wagon, possibly with some brass fittings. The harnesses are likely worn and scuffed from use.
Wants: To obey their master and pull the wagon, driven by instinct and training.
Flaw: Their physical limitations and their dependence on their master's guidance.
They remain consistent in their role as working animals, their struggle highlighting the Wagoner's initial laziness.
Diligent, strong, and enduring. They are willing to work hard but have limits to their strength, especially when stuck in deep mud.
Locations
Muddy Country Road
A deeply rutted, extremely muddy country road, likely unpaved, with thick, clinging mud that traps wagon wheels. The road is surrounded by open fields.
Mood: Frustrating, difficult, desolate, with a sense of struggle.
The wagon gets stuck in the mud, leading to the wagoner's struggle and his interaction with the man in the field.
Farmer's Field
An open agricultural field adjacent to the muddy country road, where a man is working. The field appears to be cultivated, possibly recently tilled or planted.
Mood: Observant, calm, industrious, contrasting with the wagoner's frustration.
The man in the field observes the wagoner's struggle and offers advice, leading to the wagoner's eventual success.
Story DNA
Moral
Help yourself first, and then others will be more willing to help you.
Plot Summary
A wagoner reluctantly agrees to deliver coal on bad roads. His wagon gets stuck in the mud, and he cruelly beats his horses, then calls for help from a man in a nearby field. The man refuses to help until the wagoner puts in his own effort. Grudgingly, the wagoner pushes the wheel while the horses pull, freeing the wagon. The man then points out that the wagoner's own actions led to his success.
Themes
Emotional Arc
frustration to self-reliance
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This fable is a variation of Aesop's 'Hercules and the Wagoner' (or 'The Wagoner and Hercules'), adapted for a more modern, secular context, removing the divine intervention.
Plot Beats (9)
- Farmers request coal from a wagoner despite bad roads.
- The wagoner reluctantly agrees to transport the coal.
- His wagon gets stuck in deep mud.
- The wagoner blames himself and then cruelly urges his horses to pull.
- He calls for help from a man working in a nearby field.
- The man, angered by the wagoner's cruelty, tells him to help himself first.
- The wagoner, muttering, gets down and pushes the wheel while the horses pull.
- The wagon slowly moves and eventually gets onto firm ground.
- The wagoner thanks no one, but the man reminds him that his own effort was the solution.
