The Trees and the Axe by Esopo
The Trees and the Axe, by Esopo: A man was chopping down trees with an axe when a group of trees asked him why he was harming them. The man replied, "I am not harming you, I am just cutting you down to use as firewood."
By Esopo · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Children's Literature · 130 words
First lines
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. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Trees and the Axe is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1668 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1668 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Children's Literature, Adventure, Fantasy
- Length: 130 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Trees and the Axe by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Trees and the Axe?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Travellers And The Plane Tree by Esopo
- The Walnut Tree by Esopo
- The Olive Tree And The Fig Tree by Esopo
- The Goods And The Ills by Esopo
- The Fir Tree And The Bramble by Esopo
- The Fisherman Piping by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is known as a famous fabulist or fable writer, and this book title suggests a story with animals and objects as characters, indicating it could be a fable.
- Fairy Tales & Folklore — Fables traditionally fall under the wider genre of Fairy Tales & Folklore, since they often feature moral lessons, allegorical elements, and sometimes magical realist elements.
- Children's Literature — The simplicity of fables and their oral tradition make them suitable for children, and they have traditionally been used to teach children moral lessons through allegorical stories.
- Adventure — Fables often contain adventurous elements or journeys, making it likely that this genre could be applied.
Tags
fable · morality · nature · trees · axe · consequences · wisdom · environment · human impact · allegory · life lessons · sacrifice