Fortintude was known for his steadfastness, his patience, and his tenacity. He needed every bit of all three as he continued his slow ascent up the vertical incline.
The wind was picking up, but no matter. He felt that he was still securely attached. The growing difficulty was in the huge drops of rain falling around him. There was a ledge above, but only just enough of a ledge to shield him from a direct bombardment, and only as long as the wind didn’t change.
Fortintude considered his goal. His goal, after all, was to reach that ledge and maneuver his body over it. What then?
The wind grew wilder as he paused, and he soon found himself deluged with sheets of cold, stinging rain. He could not sense anymore exactly where he was. He could not see the goal.
So with the steadfastness, patience, and tenacity that he was known for, he slowly lowered himself, inch by inch, back down the incline. There, at the bottom, was an open space; enough to climb into, away from the storm.
Fortintude was tenacious, but he was not stupid.
The moral of the story is, “It is wise to know when to retreat” or “Snails wishing to climb porch steps should wait for a sunny day”