The Honest Woodcutter
The Honest Woodcutter
Once upon a time, in a small village near a dense forest, there lived a poor but honest woodcutter named Tom. Every day, Tom went to the forest to chop wood, which he sold in the market to earn his living.
One day, as Tom was cutting a tree near a river, his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the deep water. The river was swift and deep, and Tom couldn't retrieve his axe. He sat on the riverbank and wept, for he knew that without his axe, he could not earn a living.
Suddenly, a fairy appeared from the river. She had seen Tom’s honesty and decided to help him. She dived into the river and brought up a golden axe.
"Is this your axe?" she asked.
Tom shook his head and said, "No, that is not my axe."
The fairy dived into the river again and came up with a silver axe.
"Is this your axe?" she asked.
Again, Tom shook his head and said, "No, that is not my axe either."
The fairy smiled and dived into the river one more time. This time, she brought up Tom’s old, wooden axe.
"Is this your axe?" she asked.
Tom’s face lit up with joy, "Yes, that is my axe!"
The fairy was very pleased with Tom’s honesty. She said, "Because you are honest, I will give you all three axes as a reward." Tom thanked the fairy and went home happily with his axes.
When Tom's neighbors heard about his good fortune, they grew jealous and one of them decided to try his luck. He went to the same spot by the river, deliberately dropped his axe into the water, and pretended to cry. The fairy appeared and, knowing the man’s intentions, decided to teach him a lesson.
She brought up a golden axe and asked, "Is this your axe?"
The man eagerly said, "Yes, that is my axe!"
The fairy frowned and said, "You are not honest. This is not your axe, and you shall not have it. You will also not get back your own axe." With that, she vanished, leaving the dishonest man to go home empty-handed.
Moral of the Story
Honesty is rewarded, and deceit is punished. Actions speak louder than words—Tom's honest actions were recognized and rewarded, while the neighbor's dishonest actions were recognized and punished. Always strive to be honest in your actions, as they reflect your true character.
Mcqs:
1) Why did Tom not claim the golden or silver axes as his own?
- A. He didn't like them.
- B. He didn't want to carry heavy axes. C. He wa
- C. He was honest and knew they weren't his.
- D. He was afraid of the fairy.
2) What lesson was the fairy trying to teach when she took away the dishonest neighbor’s axe?
- A. That you should not cry by the river.
- B. That honesty is more valuable than greed.
- C. That everyone should have a golden axe.
- D. That you should never talk to strangers.
3) What can be inferred about Tom’s character from the story?
- A. He is very wealthy.
- B. He is content with what he has and values honesty.
- C. He is cunning and deceitful.
- D. He is afraid of hard work.
4) How did the actions of the dishonest neighbor differ from Tom’s actions?
- A. The neighbor was also honest.
- B. The neighbor didn't go to the river.
- C. The neighbor tried to deceive the fairy for personal gain.
- D. The neighbor was rewarded more than Tom.
5) What does the fairy's response to Tom and the neighbor suggest about the theme of the story?**
- A. Hard work always pays off.
- B. Magic can solve all problems.
- C. Integrity and honesty lead to rewards, while dishonesty leads to punishment.
- D. Riches bring happiness.
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