One afternoon, a woodcutter was cutting a huge tree by the river. Suddenly, his axe fell into the water. The woodcutter had only one axe and he had lost it. He did not have money to buy another axe. He sat by the river and wept. The river goddess heard him weeping. She appeared before him and asked why he was weeping. The woodcutter told her about the axe. The river goddess disappeared. When she appeared again, she showed the woodcutter a gold axe. He shook his head and said, “No, this isn’t mine.” The goddess showed him a silver axe. Again, he shook his head and said, “Not this, either.” The goddess then showed him an iron axe. The woodcutter wiped away his tears and said, “Yes, this is mine, Mother!” The goddess said, “Your honesty has moved me. Take all three axes, my son. Honesty brings great rewards.
The Honest Woodcutter
