In my dream the wood kept softening under my hands

I'm sawing a dovetail in the shop at night and the pine keeps turning spongy, almost like bread dough, the teeth of the saw just sliding through. The master's standing in the corner not saying anything, just clipping his nails, and every time I think I've got the tail flush it sinks back into the board like a pillow settling. I wake up with my palm pressing hard against the mattress, still trying to hold the piece still.