An Honest Wood Cutter - (Honesty is the best policy)

An Honest Wood Cutter - (Honesty is the best policy)

Once there lived a poor wood cutter. He used to cut trees in the woods. One day he was cutting wood on the bank of a river. His axe fell down into the river. The river was deep. He could not take his axe out. He sat on the bank and began to weep. Mercury, the god of water appeared. He asked the reason of his weeping. The wood cutter told the whole story. Mercury dived into the water and brought a golden axe. The wood cutter refused to take it. Mercury again dived and brought a silver axe. The wood cutter did not take it either. Then he brought an iron axe. The wood cutter took it gladly. Mercury was much pleased. He rewarded the woodcutter with the other two axes.

Moral: Honesty is the best policy.