the bed of procrustes

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Procrustes \Pro*crus"tes\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to beat out,
   to stretch; ? forward + ? to strike.] (Gr. Antiq.)
   A celebrated legendary highwayman of Attica, who tied his
   victims upon an iron bed, and, as the case required, either
   stretched or cut of their legs to adapt them to its length;
   -- whence the metaphorical phrase,

   {the bed of Procrustes}.
      [1913 Webster]