The Honest Woodcutter
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A poor woodcutter was chopping wood by a river when his old iron axe slipped from his hands and sank into the deep water. He sat on the bank and wept, for it was his only tool and he had no money to buy another. A river goddess rose from the water and asked why he was crying. When he told her, she dived in and brought out a golden axe, asking if it was his. He said no. She dived again and brought a silver axe. Again he said it was not his. Finally she brought up his old iron axe, and he said happily, "Yes, that one is mine!" Pleased with his honesty, the goddess gave him all three axes as a reward. A greedy neighbor heard the story and deliberately threw his own axe into the river, then wept loudly. When the goddess appeared with a golden axe, he eagerly claimed it as his. Knowing he had lied, she vanished with all the axes, leaving him with nothing at all. He returned home with empty hands, having lost even his old axe to his own greed. The woodcutter, meanwhile, used his reward to build a comfortable life for his family, always remembering that honesty had been worth far more than any treasure.
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A poor woodcutter was chopping wood by a river when his old iron axe slipped from his hands and sank into the deep water. He sat on the bank and wept, for it was his only tool and he had no money to buy another. A river goddess rose from the water and asked why he was crying. When he told her, she dived in and brought out a golden axe, asking if it was his. He said no. She dived again and brought a silver axe. Again he said it was not his. Finally she brought up his old iron axe, and he said happily, "Yes, that one is mine!" Pleased with his honesty, the goddess gave him all three axes as a reward. A greedy neighbor heard the story and deliberately threw his own axe into the river, then wept loudly. When the goddess appeared with a golden axe, he eagerly claimed it as his. Knowing he had lied, she vanished with all the axes, leaving him with nothing at all. He returned home with empty hands, having lost even his old axe to his own greed. The woodcutter, meanwhile, used his reward to build a comfortable life for his family, always remembering that honesty had been worth far more than any treasure.
