Bill has inadvertantly pointed out another solid benefit, if you follow that same path to the water each day the roller tank will keep the weeds off the path! Over time the earth of the path would become ncely compacted, making it more resistant to becoming muddy and a better-smoother surface to walk on.

The poor boy does need a stick of some kind, to make the pulling easier, a broom handle would probably do the trick, threaded through the centre of the drum, with the rope tied on.