A fox fell into a deep well and could not escape. A thirsty goat came to the well and asked if the water was good. Concealing his plight, the fox lavishly praised the water and encouraged the goat to descend. Mindful only of his thirst, the goat jumped down.
Once the goat drank, the fox revealed their shared predicament and proposed an escape plan. "If you place your forefeet on the wall and bend your head," said the fox, "I will run up your back and escape, then help you out." The goat readily assented. The fox leaped onto the goat's back, steadied himself with its horns, reached the mouth of the well, and ran off.
When the goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, the fox turned and cried, "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains as hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before inspecting the way up, nor exposed yourself to inescapable danger."
Look before you leap.