A waggoner was once driving a heavy load along a very muddyway. At last he came to a part of the road where the wheels sankhalf-way into the mire1, and the more the horses pulled, the deepersank the wheels. So the waggoner threw down his whip, and kneltdown and prayed to hercules the strong. "O hercules, help me inthis my hour of distress," Quoth he. But hercules appeared tohim, and said: "Tut, man, don't sprawl2 there. get up and put your shoulderto the wheel." 
The gods help them that help themselves. 