The Fox and the Goat by Jean de La Fontaine

A fox once journey'd, and for company / A certain bearded, horned goat had he; / Which goat no further than his nose could see. / The fox was deeply versed in trickery. / These travellers did thirst compel / To seek the bottom of a well. / There, having drunk enough for two, / Says fox, 'My friend, what shall we do? / 'Tis time that we were thinking / Of something else than drinking. / Raise you your feet upon the wall, / And stick your horns up straight and tall; / Then up your back I'll climb with ease, / And draw you after, if you please. ' / 'Yes, by my beard,' the other said, / ''Tis just the thing. I like a head / Well stock'd with sense, like thine. / Had it been left to mine, / I do confess, / I never should have thought of this. ' / So Renard clamber'd out, / And, leaving there the goat, / Discharged his obligations / By preaching thus on patience: -- / 'Had Heaven put sense thy head within, / To match the beard upon thy chin, / Thou wouldst have thought a bit, / Before descending such a pit. / I'm out of it; good bye: / With prudent effort try / Yourself to extricate. / For me, affairs of state / Permit me not to wait.'

Whatever way you wend, / Consider well the end.[1]