Column Chronicles: The great George Washington myth

The great George Washington myth

Frank Cotolo
January 7, 2016

So many things we learned about real people in history have not been recorded accurately.

Take George Washington, for instance. The first President of the United States of America is always portrayed as totally honest. There is a popular story about George as a child that attempts to prove George was always honest, even before he was old enough to shave a horse.

In the story, young George cuts down his father’s cherry tree. When his father saw the tree had fallen, he asked George who chopped it down. George is quoted as saying, "I cannot tell a lie, I did it."

The young George Washington told his father that he was responsible for the act but the truth is that George did not confess to his father that earlier that day the axe was used on the Washington's donkey in a mercy killing. The donkey, named Ulstice, was dying from a donkey fatal case of Strangles.

George, knowing Ulstice was in mortal pain, knew he should put the animal out of his misery but could not find a gun. Instead, he picked up an axe from his father's axe collection and chopped off the head of Ulstice. Then, he buried the head and tossed the carcass into the nearby river.

Later that day, George realized how well he had swung the axe. "My goodness," the young George said, "I beheaded Ulstice with one fell swoop." George then began to chop various objects around the Washington property. When his father came home he found his son at the chopped the cherry tree.

"Who chopped down my cherry tree?" said Mr. Washington.

"I did, father."

"Why?"

"Mom wanted to make a cherry pie so I thought it would be faster to bring her all of the branches with the cherries on them as opposed to picking each cherry. They are so small, you know?"

Mr. Washington praised his son for telling him the truth. He wasn't angry otherwise because he had many other cherry trees. George was not worried about his mother telling his father that she was not making a cherry pie because Mrs. Washington was mentally challenged and would probably believe George's story.

Oddly enough, later that week when Mr. Washington never asked George about Ulstice, George said, "Mom rode him to Maryland and said she would be back before winter."

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.