Two tall trees were growing in the woods near the edge of a meadow. One was a spectacular birch, and the other was a spectacular beech. As time passed, they noticed a small sapling break through the soil and begin to grow at some distance from them across the meadow.
The beech tree proudly boasted, "I'll bet you that is a son of a beech!"
The birch tree took up the challenge and just as proudly retorted, "I'll wager you that it is a son of a birch!"
Neither tree could actually get close enough to investigate, so they waited for a couple of years until they finally struck upon a solution by which they could settle their little wager. Eventually their opportunity arrived when they spied a woodpecker nearby.
The tall, beech tree said, "Woodpecker, you're a tree expert. Can you tell us if that sapling on the far side of meadow is a son of a beech or if it is a son of a birch?" The woodpecker agreed to help, and he flew off to the far side of the meadow and landed on the sapling.
While they waited, the two ancient trees renewed their boasting while they listened to the woodpecker's tapping in the distance. Momentarily, the tapping stopped and the woodpecker returned with the answer they had long awaited. The woodpecker - flittering with excitement - explained, "That, my friends, is neither a son of a beech nor a son of a birch, . . . but it is the best piece of ash I've ever stuck my pecker in."