Parable.

Two monks, one old and wise, the other young and eager, are on a pilgrimage together. In the course of their journey, they happen on a young woman at the side of a stream that they have to cross on their way. The woman has fallen from her horse, and she has sprained her ankle and cannot get up. Her horse is on the other side of the stream, calming grazing.

The woman tells the two monks that if she can get back on her horse, she can continue her journey, and get help when she reaches her destination. Can they help her?

The young monk backs away. He tells her that they can't, because they have both take a vow never to touch a woman.

The old monk ignores him, picks the young woman up in his arms, wades across the stream, and sees her safely into the saddle. She thanks him profusely, then rides off to her destination.

The two monks continue their journey, and the young monk is very silent. In fact, he's fuming! After about ten miles, the old monk says, "All right. Spit it out! What's on your mind?"

"You broke your vow!" the young monk blurts out. "You are supposed to be wise! A paragon. And my spiritual teacher. And you broke your vow!"

"How little you understand," said the old monk. "So listen well! The young woman was in danger. Stranded and unable to rise. If no one helped her, if we had simply left her to her fate, she could have been killed by wild animals or fallen victim to evil men. So I picked her up, carried her across the stream, and lifted her onto her horse.

"I carried her about ten yards. You have been carrying her for the last ten miles!"

Don Firth