The Honest Woodcutter and the Magic Axe
Once upon a time, in a peaceful village nestled between lush hills and a flowing river, there lived a hardworking woodcutter named Arjun. Arjun was known throughout the village for his honesty and hard work. Every day, he would cut wood in the forest, chop it, and bring it to the market to sell. His life was simple, and though he wasn’t wealthy, he was content.
One day, while Arjun was chopping wood by the river, his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the deep water. He watched in despair as the axe sank to the bottom, realizing that he had lost the one tool that allowed him to make a living.
"What will I do now?" Arjun sighed, his face full of worry. "Without my axe, I won’t be able to feed my family or earn money."
As he sat by the river, feeling helpless, a beautiful fairy appeared before him. She was glowing with a soft, golden light, and her wings shimmered like stardust.
“Why are you so sad, good woodcutter?” the fairy asked gently.
Arjun explained what had happened, and the fairy listened carefully. After hearing his story, she smiled kindly and said, “Don’t worry. I will help you.”
With a wave of her hand, the fairy dived into the river and returned with a gleaming golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked, holding it out to him.
Arjun looked at the golden axe. It was beautiful and valuable, but he shook his head. “No, that is not my axe. Mine was an old, worn iron axe.”
The fairy nodded and dived into the river again. This time, she brought up a silver axe, sparkling in the sunlight. “Is this your axe?” she asked.
Again, Arjun shook his head. “No, that is not my axe either. My axe was much simpler and older.”
The fairy smiled and dove into the river once more. After a short time, she emerged with Arjun’s old iron axe. “Is this the one?” she asked.
Arjun’s face lit up with joy. “Yes! That is my axe!” he exclaimed.
The fairy, impressed by Arjun’s honesty, smiled warmly and said, “Because you have been so truthful, I will give you the golden axe and the silver axe along with your own. May they bring you prosperity.”
Arjun was overjoyed and thanked the fairy. He took all three axes and went back to the village, sharing his good fortune with the people.
However, word of the golden axe spread quickly, and a greedy woodcutter named Vikram, who lived in a nearby village, heard about Arjun’s good luck. Vikram was envious and wanted the golden axe for himself.
The next day, Vikram went to the same spot by the river and deliberately threw his axe into the water. He sat down by the riverbank and began to cry loudly, hoping that the fairy would appear and offer him a golden axe too.
Sure enough, the fairy appeared. “Why are you crying, woodcutter?” she asked.
Vikram lied and said, “I’ve lost my axe in the river. Please help me find it.”
The fairy, trusting his words, dove into the river and returned with the golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.
Vikram greedily nodded. “Yes, that’s my axe!”
The fairy immediately knew that he was lying, as the axe was too fine for someone like him. Her face grew stern. “You have not been truthful, and so, you shall not be rewarded. The golden axe belongs to someone who is honest and pure of heart.”
In an instant, the fairy vanished, and Vikram was left standing empty-handed. Not only did he lose the golden axe, but his own axe was also gone, swept away by the current.
When Vikram returned to his village, the other villagers learned of his greed and deceit. They saw how Arjun’s honesty had brought him blessings, and they understood that greed and dishonesty only lead to loss.
Moral of the Story:
Honesty is always the best policy. When you remain truthful, even in difficult situations, good things come your way. Greed and dishone
sty, on the other hand, only lead to misfortune.
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