"The area of Ching-shih in the state of Sung grows fine catalpas, cypresses and mulberries. But those of more than one or two spans in girth are cut down for monkey-perches; those of three or four for ridgepoles,
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and those of seven or eight for the solid sides of coffins for the wealthy. Thus they do not attain the normal term of their lives, and fall in mid-career to the axe. This is the danger of being useful."
— Chuang-tzu