Completing Story: The Honesty of a Woodcutter for JSC, SSC, & HSC

The Honesty of a Woodcutter

Once there lived a woodcutter. He was very poor but honest. He lived on the bank of a river near a jungle. Every day, he would go to the jungle to cut wood. By doing this hard work, he earned a little money and somehow managed to support his family.

One day he went to the jungle to cut wood. While he was cutting, all of a sudden, his axe slipped from his hand and fell into the river. The current in the river was strong, and the water was deep. The woodcutter became very worried. He tried heart and soul to find his axe but failed. It was his only means of earning. He thought, “Without this axe, I cannot feed my family.”

Sitting beside the river, he began to cry like a child. “What will I do now?” he sobbed. Just then, a fairy heard him crying. She came to him and said, “Why are you crying, good man?”

The woodcutter told her everything and said, “Please help me. I have lost my only axe.”

The fairy smiled gently and said, “Let me see what I can do for you.” She dived into the river and came up with a golden axe. “Is this yours?” she asked.

The honest woodcutter shook his head and said, “No, this is not mine.” Then the fairy went underwater again and returned with a silver axe. “Is this one yours?” she asked.

Again, he replied, “No, this is not mine either.” The fairy dived once more and came back with the old iron axe. Seeing it, the woodcutter shouted, “Yes! That’s mine! Thank you so much!”

The fairy was pleased and said, “Because you are honest, I want to reward you. You may keep all three axes. But don’t say ‘No’ this time!”

The woodcutter was surprised and said joyfully, “Thank you, kind fairy. I will always remember your gift.”

Moral: Honesty is always rewarded.