One day, making tracks

In the prairie of Prax,

Came a North-Going Zax

And a South-Going Zax.

And it happend that both of them came to a place

Where they bumped. There they stood.

Foot to foot. Face to face.

"Look here, now!" the North-Going Zax said. "I say!

You are blocking my path. You are right in my way.

I'm a North-Going Zax and I always go north.

Get out of my way, now, and let me go forth!"

"Who's in whose way?" snapped the South-Going Zax.

"I always go south, making south-going tracks.

So you are in MY way! and I ask you to move

And let me go south in my south-going groove!"

Then the North-Going Zax puffed his chest up with pride.

"I never," he said, "take a step to one side.

And I'll prove to you that I won't change my ways

If I have to keep standing here fifty-nine days!"

"And I'll prove to YOU," yelled the South-Going Zax,

"That I can stand here in the prairie of Prax

For fifty-nine years! For I live by a rule

That I learned as a boy back in South-Going School.

Never budge! That's my rule. Never budge in the least!

Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!

I'll stay here, not budging! I can and I will

If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!"

Well...

Of course the world didn't stand still. The world grew.

In a couple of years, the new highway came through

And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax

And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.