A man had a withered plane tree.
“It’s unlucky to keep a withered tree,” said his neighbour, an old man.
When the owner had felled the tree, his neighbour, the old man, asked him for some of the wood as fuel.
”The old man simply wanted some fuel,” thought the owner of the tree indignantly. “That’s why he told me to fell my tree. We are neighbours, and yet he tricks me in this way – this is really going too far!”
Allegorical Meaning
This concise parable delivers a sharp critique with several intertwined lessons, primarily focusing on deception, self-interest disguised as concern, the dangers of superstition, and the folly of acting on unverified advice.
Deception and Hidden Agendas
The core message exposes how people may cloak self-serving motives under the guise of helpfulness, wisdom, or even concern for others’ well-being. The neighbor doesn’t genuinely care about the family’s fortune; he wants the firewood. He uses the culturally potent fear of bad omens as a tool to manipulate them into giving him what he wants. The story warns to be wary of advice that benefits the advisor, especially when wrapped in altruistic or authoritative language.
Exploiting Superstition
The neighbor deliberately leverages a common superstitious belief (a withered tree brings misfortune) to achieve his goal. The story highlights how superstitions can be weaponized by the cunning to manipulate the credulous. It serves as a caution against blindly accepting superstitious claims, especially when they provoke fear and immediate action.
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