Question

Why does George tell Lennie not to drink the water? Why might this seem like an unusual instruction to give a man who has spent part of his adult life traveling the country?

Answer 1

George tells Lennie that unless the water is moving, it probably is not healthy water to drink. We can assume that if the two men are traveling across part of the United States, they have spent much of their time living off the land. A more aware person would know not to drink from certain bodies of water.