The brothers needed to cross the river to get home, but a recent storm had completely washed away the old wooden bridge.
Steve sat down on the muddy bank. He was older and taller, but his extreme caution made him doubt himself. Convinced he was too weak to swim the fast current, he immediately began complaining, wishing the bridge was still there.
Kynthos didn't complain. He was small, but he had absolute, fearless belief in himself.
Convinced he could conquer anything if he just tried hard enough, he dove straight into the rushing water. But because he didn't stop to think about the current, the fast water immediately swept him downstream.
Steve watched from the mud, refusing to even try.
"I can't do it, the water is too fast," Steve groaned, letting his fear paralyze him. "I just wish someone would come build a new bridge so we wouldn't have to swim."
Kynthos kicked furiously, but belief alone wasn't enough against the river.
The strong current pushed him all the way back to the bank he had started on. He collapsed in the mud, frustrated and shivering.
Grandfather emerged from the trees and assessed the situation.
"Steve, do not pray for an easy crossing, pray for the strength to try. You are stronger than your doubts,"
he explained.
"And Kynthos, belief without direction is swept away. Do not fight the river blindly, pray for the wisdom to cross it."
The brothers listened. Steve stopped wishing for a bridge. He used his logic to find a spot upstream and finally trusted his own strength to swim.
Kynthos followed his older brother's wiser angle, and by combining Steve's plan with Kynthos's fearless energy, they easily reached the other side.
