When George Washington was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.

當喬治華盛頓大約六歲的時候，已經對斧頭的使用很精通，像大部份的小男孩一樣，他備受寵愛。他走過的地方總是被他劈得到處都是。

One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.

一天，他在花園裡閒逛，一邊劈著他母親的豌豆枝條玩的時候，發現一棵很漂亮的小櫻桃樹，這是他父親最引以為傲的一棵樹。他砍那棵樹的樹幹，而且把樹皮也剝了，因此那棵樹就死了。

Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it.

這之後的某天，他父親發現他最喜愛的樹所發生的事了。他很生氣地走進房子，問誰知道砍倒樹的人是誰。沒人能告訴他發生了什麼事。

Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

然後喬治，拿著他的小斧頭，走進房間。

"George,'' said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden?''

「喬治，」他父親說「你知道誰砍了花園裡那棵小櫻桃樹嗎？」

For a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:

有那麼一剎那喬治猶豫了，但是很快恢復了，他說：

"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.''

「父親，我不能對您說謊，您知道我不能說謊！把樹砍倒的是我！」

The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said:

憤怒的神色從父親的臉上隱去，他溫柔地將這個小男孩擁入懷中，說：

"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes - though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!''

「我的兒子啊！你不該懼怕告訴我真相，縱然這棵樹開了銀花，長出純金的葉子，對我來說，你的誠實，比一千棵樹更值錢！」