Post by youngstown on Apr 5, 2008 15:52:30 GMT -8
Ax grinding is a term borrowed from one of the most charming stories by that Great Apologist of shrewd common sense, Benjamin Franklin.......The story goes that when Ben was a little boy, on his way to school one beautiful spring morning, he was solicited by a large burly man carrying an Ax. The man began to tell Ben how intelligent he looked, and paid him all manner of compliments. ;D Than, without hesitation, he with the Ax says, if you'll follow me to that barn, I'll show you something very pretty. There he found a grinding stone.....which he dutifully turned as the ax was sharpened to perfection. Straight away he turned with strident voice and fierce gesture and yells at the smiling boy; "You abandoned little miscreant, what do you mean by playing truant from school? Are you trying to get me into trouble? I'll have the sheriff on you! Get you gone sirrah, this instant!" After this Franklin adds, from that day forward, when anybody flattered me, I always remembered......."Beware the Man who has an Ax to grind" 
