A man came into a forest and asked the trees to provide him a handle for his axe. The trees consented to his request and gave him a young ash-tree.
As soon as he fitted a new handle to his axe from the tree, the man began to use the axe to quickly fell the noblest giants of the forest.
An old oak nearby lamented to a neighbouring cedar, "The first generous step has spelt doom for us. If we had not given up the rights of the ash, we might have retained our privileges and continue standing for ages."
True men shall not harm those who benefit him
