Once, there lived a poor woodcutter.
One day, while cutting a tree on a river-bank, his axe fell into the river. Mercury, one of the gods from heaven, came to help him.
Mercury dived into the river and came out with a gold axe. But the woodcutter said, “that’s not my axe.’’
Mercury dived again and brought back a silver axe. “It must be yours,” Mercury asked. “No, it isn’t,” said the woodcutter.
Mercury dived into the river once more and brought out an iron axe. The woodcutter was happy to see his axe. He thanked Mercury.
Mercury was impressed with his honesty. He gifted him the other two axes as a reward for honesty. The woodcutter went home and he told the story to his friends. One of his friends was greedy.
He went to the river-bank and dropped his axe into the river. Mercury came out with a gold axe.
The greedy friend said, “Yes, It is mine.” Mercury was angry at his dishonesty and he disappeared.
The greedy fellow was left without an axe.
