Take advantage of the smallest flaw; seize the smallest profit. Make use of a minor mistake of the enemy to gain a minor victory.

To lead away a goat one should choose an opportune time, a point at which there is the least chance of any intervention from a third party. If, for example, one has just got hold of the goat when a wolf appears, the result would be unpredictable. The wolf might eat both the goat and the man, or there might be a bitter struggle between the man and the wolf, while the goat gets away. In any event it is unlikely that the man will be able to lead away the goat without being hurt himself.

On the other hand, one must make certain that the goat is really a goat before he tries to lead it away. He must not take a wolf for a goat. Furthermore, the wolf and the goat are interconvertible. A goat, if not led away in time, might turn into a wolf eager to try the strength of its teeth and claws. A wolf might also turn into a helpless goat when it has outlived its strength.