“The Honest Woodcutter,” also known as “The Golden Axe,” is a classic folktale with various versions across cultures. Here’s a short version of the story along with its moral:
Once upon a time, there lived a poor woodcutter in a small village. One day, while cutting wood near a river, his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the water. Distressed, the woodcutter sat down and wept.
Suddenly, a magical figure appeared before him, holding a golden axe. The figure asked if it was the woodcutter’s lost axe. The honest woodcutter, though tempted by the offer of the golden axe, replied, “No, that’s not my axe.”
Impressed by the woodcutter’s honesty, the magical figure not only returned his own axe but also gave him the golden axe as a reward for his integrity.
The next day, the woodcutter met two envious fellow woodcutters. He shared his story about the magical figure and the golden axe. Greedy for riches, the two woodcutters went to the same river and deliberately dropped their axes, hoping for a similar reward.
However, when they sat down and pretended to weep, the magical figure appeared and asked about the lost axe. The first woodcutter claimed a silver axe, and the second claimed a golden one. Seeing through their dishonesty, the magical figure vanished, leaving the greedy woodcutters with nothing.
The moral of the story is that honesty is a valuable trait. The honest woodcutter was rewarded for his integrity, while the greedy ones paid the price for their dishonesty. The tale teaches us the importance of truthfulness and the consequences of attempting to deceive others for personal gain.
