Mercury and The Woodcutter
Once there was a poor woodcutter. Every day he went out into the
forest to cut wood. He sold the wood he had cut to the villagers, but he
very little money for it . One day as he was cutting wood his axe fell into
the river. He could not get it out.
He called out," Help! Help!" But no one heard him and no one came.
Suddenly a boy with wings appeared before him. It was Mercury.God
had sent him to help the poor woodcutter When he heard what had
happened to the axe,he jumped into the river and came out with a
silver axe in his hand .
• " Is this your axe ?" he asked " No," said the woodcutter. Then
Mercury jumped into the river again.
• This time he took out a golden axe." Is this your axe ?" he asked."
no” said the woodcutter. " My axe is not made of gold or silver.It
is made of iron." So Mercury jumped into the river a third time.
This time he took out an iron axe.The woodcutter was very glad. It
was his axe. Then Mercury said ," I see you are an honest man. Here
is your iron axe. And I will give you the other two axes, too."
" Honesty is the best policy."