Follow your principles, but not over a cliff.

From Alfred’s journal

There is a crow on the Dunleavy's chimney who will not share a feeder with starlings. He has held this position since April, and in April it cost him nothing, since there was food on every lawn on the street. Today the ground froze and the starlings took the suet and he sat up there in the wind being correct. I used to think that was the whole of character, the not-bending, and I said so often enough that Switch can recite it back at me in my own voice. Follow your principles, but not over a cliff. I do not know where the edge of that is; the crow surely thought he was nowhere near it, and he may still be right, and I will look for him tomorrow.