Page:Jewish Fairy Book (Gerald Friedlander).djvu/182

158 "Why dost thou tell us about the iron metal! It is not in our way the least bit."

"No, it is not in your way now."

"Why then bother about it?"

"Listen, ye cedars and all ye trees! In days to come men will dig in the earth and find the iron ore. They will use it for very many purposes. They will make ax-heads and then you will remember my words."

"What will then happen to us?"

"If men get wood for the handle of the ax they will cut down your fine tall trees."

When the trees heard this they began to tremble and to weep.

The Spirit asked: "Why do ye weep?"

"We are afraid."

"Why are ye afraid?"

"Because now we see that thou art right. The iron at our roots will one day cut down our tall trunks which will then lie in shame on the earth. We shall never reach the sky and we shall never be kings at all. People will burn our wood in the fire once we are cut down."

"Have no fear, ye trees! All the trouble ye foresee need not arise if ye desire to prevent it."

"How so?"

"Let none of your wood be put into the iron to make the handle of the ax and then not one of you will be touched." Genesis Rabbah, v. 9.