The following story appears in Building a Noble World, p. 119-120:

      The American President Abraham Lincoln was once going to the Senate House. On his way he saw a pig in the marshes. The more the pig tried to extricate himself, the deeper he went. The President immediately ran to save the pig. In his soiled clothes he, thereafter, went to the Senate house. The senators were taken aback. The President narrated the entire incident to set their doubts at rest. They started praising the President for his kindness. He told them not to do so, because he had not, in fact, shown any mercy on the pig. He was pained to see the pig thus suffering. By helping the pig out of the marsh, he had only relieved himself of his affliction. He said that he was helping himself and not the pig.

—Excerpt In Woods of God-Realization, Volume IV by Swami Rama Tirtha, p. 202

[Shiv R. Jhawar, the founder of Noble World Foundation, is the author of the book, Building a Noble World. By profession, he is an enrolled agent licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Want to participate in building a noble world? Visit www.nobleworld.org to receive FREE eNewsletter].