# The Trees and the Axe explained — Aesop's Fables

> Chapter companion for Aesop's Fables by Aesop.

## What happens

A Woodman asks the Trees for a small favor—a handle for his axe—which they grant. Once he has the handle, he uses the axe to cut down the noblest Trees, leading them to regret their misplaced generosity.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wisdom and Foolishness

The Trees foolishly grant a small request without foreseeing the disastrous consequences.

### Justice and Consequence

The Trees suffer the natural consequence of their own shortsighted generosity.

## Character check-ins

### The Woodman

Requests a handle from the Trees and then uses the axe to fell them.

## Key lines

> The little we gave has cost us all: had we not sacrificed the rights of the ash, we might ourselves have stood for ages.

Our small concession has led to our total ruin; if we had not given up the ash, we would have survived for many years.

_The Trees lament their misplaced generosity._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters/the-trees-and-the-axe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters