A wood-cutter was at work by the river. As he was chopping off the branches of the tree, his feet slipped losing his balance and his axe fell in the water. The poor man did not know what to do, for the river was very deep and he could not fish out the axe. He had no money for a new one. He was so worried that he sat down and wept loudly.
The Spirit of the river heard him cry, and appeared before him and asked the reason of his sadness. The wood-cutter told her his sad story. The River Spirit then dived into the water and brought up a golden axe. “Is this yours ?” she asked.
“No,” said the wood-cutter.
“Is this yours ?” asked the River Spirit again, bringing up a silver axe.
“No,” said the wood-cutter.
The Spirit dived a third time and brought up the wood-cutter’s own axe.
“Yes, that’s mine !” said the wood-cutter joyfully.
The Spirit was so pleased with the wood-cutter’s honesty that she gave the wood-cutter his own axe as well as the gold and silver axes.
Some days later, a man to whom the wood-cutter had told his story, thought he would try his luck at the river. He threw his axe into the water and wept. The same thing happened to him as it had to the first wood-cutter. But when the Spirit brought up a golden axe, the man said : “Yes, yes, that’s mine.”
The Spirit was so shocked by his lie that she disappeared with the axe at once, and did not bother to bring up the man’s original axe.
Moral of the Story:- Honesty is the best policy.
