The Oak Tree and the Reeds
Standing upright by a riverbank, a huge oak tree looked down on the thin flexible reeds on the shore. The oak tree said to the reeds "You bend down to the ground in the slightest wind, while I defy even the harshest storm." The reeds humbly replied "We save ourselves from breaking by bending with the wind, whereas you are in danger with your rigidity." Then a violent storm broke out in the forest and began to rage.
Bending and flexing with the direction of the wind, the reeds safely weathered the power of the storm. However, the giant oak tree, proudly resisting the storm and never bending, was snapped from its roots and fell. While rigidity and pride bring disaster, humility and flexibility protect a person from great dangers. Those who know how to be flexible against hardships succeed in staying upright without breaking.
Flexibility prevents breaking. The rigid breaks easily. Pride and arrogance bring downfall. The one who bends suffers no damage from the wind.
The soft conquers the hard. The flexible survives the storm. Rigidity ends in destruction.