Yes, yes indeed. And he had solved it. Solved it by merely changing the course of a stream. Simple enough. Now where might he find a stream.
There was one, and at not too great a distance.
Well, it is only a creek. Nevertheless, it's all I have. So let's give it a try.
He worked diligently, opening a channel to the very door of the huge barn. As night drew near he began to dam the creek, forcing its waters to divert to his newly dug channel.
The youthful civil engineer smiled.
The water was beginning to flow. Quickly he hurried to the stable, dared the flies, and threw wide the doors at both ends of the edifice. Fortunately he wore the clothespin.
The water was moving ever closer. The chore was indeed a simple one.
He looked up, and frowned.
The sky had darkened, and even now huge raindrops began to fall. The mild creek was rising higher and higher. The dam, built to withstand that creek, was faced with an ever deepening, ever angrier river.
The water reached the top of the dam, flowed now heavily through the channel, washed at the very entrance to the stables.