We once were as you are. Spears and arrows. There came a time when
our weapons grew faster than our wisdom, and we almost destroyed
ourselves. We learned from this to make a rule during all our travels
never to cause the same to happen to other worlds ... just as a man
must grow in his own way and his own time.
-- Kirk, "A Private Little War," stardate 4211.8.
Related:
The Box, 1969 by Kendrew LaSalles
Once upon a time in the land of Hush-a-Bye,
Around about the wonderous days of yore,
They came across a sort of box, all bound with chains and
locked with locks,
And labeled, "Kindly Do Not Touch....