Grandpa Song tied up the boat. Ahe stepped ashore, and the three walked left along the broad bank. Tao stayed on the inner, grassy side. They were going back to look near the willow and stone. Nobody entered the water.
Ahe's hands were empty. Understanding his mistake had not magically brought the sword back. This time, though, he knew to look at the landmarks on shore rather than the mark moving with the boat.
The saying about marking a boat to find a sword warns against keeping an unsuitable method when circumstances have changed. A lasting mark is not always a useful one. First ask what has moved and what has stayed; then decide how to adjust.
Adapted from the saying in Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, Examining the Present. The recurring cast, stage prop and return along the bank follow episode four of this original children's series. The river is drawn in cutaway so readers can see the resting place; the characters cannot see through the water.