Hanuman and the Ebony Tree

This is a graphic from the folks at Amar Chitra Katha; you can read more about the Tendu tree, also known as East Indian Ebony, at Wikipedia.

How the Ebony Tree Turned Black

When Hanuman went to Lanka, he was captured by Ravana. His tail was bound with an oil-soaked cloth and set on fire. Hanuman, magically increasing the length of his tail, went through the city setting houses ablaze.

Later, he untied the cloth and wiped his soot-blackened hands on the bark of a tree nearby. This happened to be the Tendu tree. Ever since, the tree has had black wood.