A Tale of Two Georges

When I was in grammar school (shortly after the dinosaurs disappeared from the earth), I regularly heard the story of George Washington and the Cherry Tree.   As the story goes, when George was 6 years old, he received a hatchet for his birthday.  Apparently, there was no Consumer Product Safety Commission back then to advise what gifts were safe for kids.   George took his new toy out and chopped down a cherry tree which happened to be his father’s favorite.  Furious, George’s father, Augustine, confronted the boy, demanding to know who had cut it down.   George, already showing the integrity that would be a hallmark of his life, responded, Father, I cannot tell a lie.  It was I.  Legend has it that Augustine was so pleased with his son’s truthful response that he praised the boy and forgave his mistake.   There is no real evidence that this story in in fact true. but it was very popular with teachers and parents to teach children the importance of telling the truth.