The Trees and the Axe
树木与斧头

A Woodman went into the forest and begged of the Trees the favour of a handle for his Axe. The principal Trees at once agreed to so modest a request, and unhesitatingly gave him a young ash sapling, out of which he fashioned the handle he desired. No sooner had he done so than he set to work to fell the noblest Trees in the wood. When they saw the use to which he was putting their gift, they cried, "Alas! alas! We are undone, but we are ourselves to blame. The little we gave has cost us all: had we not sacrificed the rights of the ash, we might ourselves have stood for ages."
有个樵夫走进森林，恳求树木赐予他一根斧柄。众树之首当即应允了这个微不足道的请求，毫不犹豫地将一株幼小的白蜡树苗交给他。樵夫用树苗制成了称心的斧柄，随即挥斧砍伐林中最雄伟的树木。当群树目睹馈赠竟被如此利用时，不禁哀叹："呜呼！吾辈皆休矣，然咎由自取。所施之微末，竟致满盘皆输。若非牺牲白蜡树之权益，吾辈本可屹立千秋。"