In its travels, the jay came across a bear, also dining on a bull buffalo calf. “And I suppose you are another one of these who dislike buffalo for some reason,” the jay observed.

“A little,” the bear said. “They are harder to hunt. Their flesh is less sweet.”

“And have you adopted a strategy of whittling down their numbers?”

“I will kill one if I find one alone and weak,” said the bear.

“Or is yours the higher path of inducing fear until they flee wildly to their own destruction?”

“When the opportunity arises,” the bear said, “that’s good, clean fun.” The bear’s smile as he said it was fierce.

“Well, which is it?” the jay inquired.

“Neither,” the bear said. “I have no strategy. I am strong, I take what chances come up and make chances when there are none to be taken. I fish, I eat berries, I sire strong children, I hunt my prey.”

“But what if just taking opportunities doesn’t drive the buffalo off, what then?” the jay asked.

The bear dismissed the question. “Then I and my seed will eat buffalo.”

Moral: Flexible capability can be better than a plan.
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