The Boy Bathing in the River

A boy, swimming in a river on a hot afternoon, ventured out too far and was suddenly caught in a current far stronger than he had expected, struggling desperately to keep his head above water. Spotting a traveler walking along the bank, he called out urgently for help before he went under again.

The traveler stopped, but instead of moving to help immediately, began lecturing the boy sternly on the spot about the recklessness of swimming so far from shore without checking the current first, questioning how he could have been so careless, and warning at length about all the dangers he should have considered before ever entering the water.

The boy, still struggling and swallowing water as the traveler talked, finally gasped out, "Please, scold me all you like once I'm safely out — but for now, would you kindly help me first, and lecture me after?" The traveler, startled into realizing his priorities were badly out of order, finally reached out a branch and pulled the boy to safety before saying another word. The lesson landed on both of them equally: the moment of crisis calls for action first and judgment later, never the reverse, however deserved the criticism might eventually be.