“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci (Adopted by Steve Jobs)
A Man came upon some Trees one day.
He begged them to give him just a small branch for his tools, and the Trees, feeling some pity for the Man, finally succumbed to his request.
Such as it was, the Man whittled a handle, which he fixed upon an axe head. He soon set to work by cutting down tree after tree.
The Trees saw how foolish they had been in giving their enemy the means of destroying themselves, but, alas, it was too late.
Moral of the Story: We must remain vigilant and wise to the purpose for which we supply our assistance to others. Pity is always noble, but only sometimes wise.
Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue
Why We Loved It: This fable is similar to the No. 57. The Swallow and Other Birds. The difference in this fable is the Trees are providing the means for their own destruction.
In No. 57. The Swallow and Other Birds, the birds failed to heed the warning and to do the work to protect themselves by eating up the hemp seeds; they were too consumed with the moment in eating tasty other seeds. In No. 101. The Porcupine and the Cave, the animals welcomed the Porcupine to move into the cave, again failing to heed the warning. In No. 60. The Woodsman and Serpent (“The Elizabeth Smart Prediction”) the charitable do-gooder was a fool for not seeing the risk presented.
Thusly, Aesop plays on the same theme, using different contexts: think ahead, with clarity of thought. Wisdom is nothing but thinking ahead.
And, for all the nobility that emotions may bring to the World—all the pity, empathy, mercy and other such noble things—like it or not, prefer it or not, they are only proper in the context as Ruler Wisdom determines. Such as it is, the captain Wisdom must rudder the vessel by using the Emotion wind, lest the vessel capsize by being overtaken.
As was said 2,000 years ago by Aesop’s later student, Socrates, by the hand of Plato in The Republic: the King rules, the Army implements, but, if the King (Wisdom) cannot make wise judgments, or if the Army (Emotion) refuses or usurps the King’s authority, then the state is in chaotic disharmony. Such as it is for states, such as it is for men. Such as it is for men, such as it is for states.
ChatGPT Review
Here’s a structured breakdown and analysis of Fable No. 63: The Man and the Wood by Gregg Zegarelli, along with the interpretive commentary from the Why We Loved It section:
🪓 Fable Summary
Title: The Man and the Wood
Series: The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series
Moral: “We must remain vigilant and wise to the purpose for which we supply our assistance to others. Pity is always noble, but only sometimes wise.”
🌲 Fable Plot:
- A Man encounters Trees and pleads for just a small branch to use for his tools.
- The Trees pity the Man and grant him the branch.
- The Man uses the branch to make a handle for an axe.
- With the completed axe, he begins to chop down the very Trees who gave him the branch.
- The Trees realize their error, but it’s too late—they’ve empowered their own destruction.
💡 Zegarelli’s Interpretation: “Why We Loved It”
Zegarelli praises this fable for its recurrent wisdom motif in Aesop: the need for foresight and discipline over impulsive emotion.
🔁 Thematic Continuity Across Fables:
Zegarelli draws connections to other similar fables:
| Fable | Summary | Shared Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| No. 57: The Swallow and Other Birds | Birds ignored the warning to eat the hemp seeds that would later become nets | Failure to act on foresight = eventual doom |
| No. 101: The Porcupine and the Cave | Animals welcome a porcupine who makes life unbearable | Hospitality without wisdom backfires |
| No. 60: The Woodsman and the Serpent (“The Elizabeth Smart Prediction”) | A man saves a serpent who bites him | Compassion to the unworthy endangers the self |
These parables all emphasize preventive wisdom, not just reactive emotion.
🧠 Conceptual Takeaways
🎯 1. Foresight is Wisdom
“Wisdom is nothing but thinking ahead.”
Zegarelli emphasizes that nobility in action (e.g., pity, empathy) must be governed by foresight, or they become dangerous liabilities.
The Trees acted from a good-hearted place, but without thought to consequence.
⚖️ 2. Emotion Must Be Subordinate to Wisdom
“The captain Wisdom must rudder the vessel by using the Emotion wind.”
He uses a nautical metaphor to illustrate that emotion is powerful (like wind) but must be steered by wisdom (the rudder), or else the ship capsizes.
👑 3. Socratic Philosophy Parallel
“The King (Wisdom) rules, the Army (Emotion) implements…”
Drawing from Plato’s Republic, Zegarelli echoes the tripartite soul/state model:
- Wisdom = leadership
- Emotion = energy/force
- Harmony = result of proper subordination
A wise society—or person—must be structured this way, or else chaos ensues.
🧾 Zegarelli’s Teaching Method
- Aesop as Philosophical Bedrock: Zegarelli uses Aesop not merely as stories for children, but as layered lessons for adults—particularly in self-governance and civilization.
- Simplicity as Sophistication: Echoing the da Vinci quote, he presents profound truths in stripped-down form.
- Cross-Fable Thematic Synthesis: He shows how the fables interlock, reinforcing a broader ethical, strategic, and even political worldview.
🧭 Final Assessment
Zegarelli frames this fable as a parable of unintended consequences and the failure of well-meaning action without strategic forethought. It is both a personal lesson (don’t be naive with pity) and a civilizational one (guard your resources and wisdom when forming alliances or extending charity).
He makes a compelling case that noble emotions must serve—not replace—prudence and foresight. Otherwise, nobility becomes a vehicle for self-destruction.
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© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq.
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pity-always-noble-only-sometimes-wise-63-man-wood-zegarelli-esq-/
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