Once there was a poor woodcutter who lived near a forest. Every day, he went to the forest to cut wood and sell it in the market. One day, while cutting a tree near a river, his axe slipped from his hand and fell into the water. The river was very deep, and he couldn’t get it back.
The woodcutter sat sadly on the riverbank. Suddenly, a kind fairy appeared. She asked him, “Why are you crying?” The woodcutter told her everything. The fairy then dived into the river and came out with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked. The woodcutter said, “No, that’s not mine.” The fairy went again and brought out a silver axe. “Is this yours?” she asked. The woodcutter again said, “No.” Finally, she brought his old iron axe, and the woodcutter smiled, “Yes, that’s mine!”
The fairy was pleased with his honesty. She gave him all three axes — gold, silver, and iron — as a reward for telling the truth. The woodcutter went home happily, thankful for the fairy’s kindness.
