Honest Woodcutter and Goddess of Water

Once there lived a poor woodcutter in a small village. There was a river end of the village. The woodcutter used to cut trees in woods and sale it in the nearby market. 

One day he was cutting wood on the bank of the river. His axe fell into the river. The river was deep. He could not take his axe out. He sat on the bank and began to weep. Sometimes later Mercury, the goddess of water appeared. She asked the reason of his weeping. 

The woodcutter told the whole story. Mercury dived into the water and brought the golden axe. The woodcutter refused to take it. Mercury again dived in to the water and brought the silver axe. The woodcutter did not take it either. Then she brought iron axe which the woodcutter lost in the river. The woodcutter took it gladly. Mercury was much pleased. She rewarded the woodcutter with the other golden and silver axes.

Moral of the story: Honesty is the best policy.