The Woodcutter and the Axe • Moral Story

                                             

           Completing Story

         The Woodcutter and His Ax

There lived a woodcutter in a village. One day while he was cutting wood near a
river, his ax slipped and fell into the river. He hunted it for a long while, but he
could not find it. So he was lamenting. Then a beautiful fairy appeared before him .
"What's the matter?" asked the fairy. The woodman told him of his trouble.

"I am sorry your ax is lost," said the fairy. "Would you know it if you were to see
it? I found an ax in the river. It may be yours. Is this it?" he asked, holding out a
gold ax.
"No," answered the woodman, "that is not my ax."
"I found another," said the man, "This must be the one," and he held out a silver ',,

"No, that is not mine," replied the woodman. "I am too poor a man to own such an
ax as that."
"Well, here is another ax that I found. Is this yours?" The fairy held out an old ax
of steel.
"That is mine, oh, that is mine!" cried the woodman. The fairy said, "All three of
the axes are yours. I am glad to make you a present of the gold ax and the silver
ax. Let me have your hand. I am happy to meet an honest man." '
The woodman's neighbors heard of his good fortune. He went to the river and
while cutting wood he threw his ax into the river willingly. Then he sat there
sadly. The fairy came-and said to him, "Why do you grieve, my friend?"
"I have lost my ax with which I earned my living," the woodman replied.
"I have an ax here. Is it yours?"
"That is the very one," said the woodman. "Thank you, fairy," and he reached out
his hand' to take the gold ax.
But the fairy drew back, and put the ax behind him. "It is not your ax. It is 'my
own, and you wish to claim it. You are both dishonest and untruthful;" and he
turned away.

Moral: Honesty is the best policy.