The thick outer layer of the oak’s bark is also much more robust than the smooth, thin skin of the beech, and it can take a great deal of punishment. This has given rise to a saying in German, “Was schert es eine alte Eiche, wenn sich ein Wildschwein in ihr scheuert?” which roughly translates as: “It’s no skin off an old oak’s back if a wild boar wants to use its bark as a scratching post.”
