The Two Goats

by Aesop

　　Two Goats, frisking gayly on the rocky steeps of a mountainvalley, chanced to meet, one on each side of a deep chasm throughwhich poured a mighty mountain torrent. The trunk of a fallentree formed the only means of crossing the chasm, and on this noteven two squirrels could have passed each other in safety. Thenarrow path would have made the bravest tremble. Not so ourGoats. Their pride would not permit either to stand aside for theother.

　　One set her foot on the log. The other did likewise. In themiddle they met horn to horn. Neither would give way, and so theyboth fell, to be swept away by the roaring torrent below.

　　It is better to yield than to come to misfortune throughstubbornness.