humorous
reference to a
statement attributed to
George Washington (1732–1799), US
general and first
president of the United
States (1789–1797). According to a biographer, the young
George Washington received a new hatchet and used it to
chop down his father's prized cherry tree. His father demanded to know how the tree had fallen.
George was tempted to deny his misdeed, but then, "looking at his father with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering
truth, he bravely cried out, ‘I can’t tell a
lie. I did
cut it with my hatchet.’ "
—3rd South African unpublished Appr GLS (19.3.92), —3rd South African published appr gls (14.4.92)