Many years ago, a wealthy man wanted to help his townspeople but first wished to see if they deserved it. He placed a large stone in the center of the main road and hid to observe.
Soon, an old man with a cow came along. "Who put this stone here?" he complained, but instead of removing it, he passed around it with difficulty and went on his way. Others followed—each complaining about the obstacle, yet none attempting to move it.
Late in the afternoon, a young man arrived. Seeing the stone, he thought, "The night will be dark. Someone might stumble and fall." He then began to push and pull with all his strength until he moved the stone aside.
To his surprise, underneath lay a bag of money and a note: "This money is for the thoughtful person who removes this stone from the road. That person deserves help."