Honest Woodcutter

A poor woodcutter accidentally dropped his axe into a river. He was very upset because he had no money to buy another axe.

As he stood by the river, feeling very sad and not knowing what to do, a fairy appeared. She stood in the river holding out a golden axe to him. “Perhaps this your axe. I found it in the river,” she said.

“That’s not mine,” said the woodcutter.

The fairy then brought out a silver axe. The woodcutter disowned this one too. Finally, the fairy held out an axe with a wooden handle.

“That’s mine,” said the woodcutter, smiling with happiness. “Thank you for getting my axe back for me!”

“Such honesty deserves a reward,” said the fairy and she gave the honest woodcutter all the three axes.

The moral of the story ‘Honest Woodcutter’: Honesty is the Best Policy.

Other Stories: Snow White, Sleeping Beauty,  The Discontented Dog,