The Woodcutter and the Axe Story

The Woodcutter and the Axe Story is a moral story about a hardworking woodcutter named Raghav who loses his axe in a river.

When a river goddess offers him a golden and silver axe, he truthfully admits they aren’t his, even though they are valuable.

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Impressed by his honesty, the goddess rewards him with all three axes. However, a greedy neighbour who tries to deceive the goddess is punished for his dishonesty.

The story teaches the important lesson that honesty is always rewarded, while greed leads to misfortune.

The Woodcutter and the Axe – Let’s Read

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful village surrounded by a dense forest, where lived a humble woodcutter named Raghav. He was known for his honesty and hard work.

Every day, he went to the forest, cut wood, and sold it in the market to provide for his family. Raghav’s only valuable possession was his old, sturdy axe, which he used for his work.

One day, as Raghav was cutting wood near a river, his axe slipped from his hand. The axe was fell into the deep, fast-flowing water.

He was devastated, for without his axe, he could no longer work and earn a living. Sitting by the riverbank, he began to cry in despair.

Suddenly, there was a shimmering light from the river, and a divine figure emerged. It was the river goddess, who had heard Raghav’s cries.

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“Why are you so sad, dear woodcutter?” she asked gently.

“My axe has fallen into the river, and without it, I cannot work,” Raghav replied, wiping his tears.

The goddess smiled kindly and said, “Do not worry. I will help you.”

She disappeared into the river and returned moments later with a gleaming golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.

Raghav was amazed by the beauty of the golden axe but shook his head. “No, this is not my axe. Mine was old and made of iron.”

The goddess dipped into the water again and came back with a silver axe. “What about this one?”

Raghav looked at the silver axe and replied, “No, this is not mine either.”

Finally, the goddess brought up a simple iron axe, rusty and worn. “Is this your axe?” she asked.

Raghav’s eyes lit up with joy. “Yes! This is my axe!” he exclaimed.

The goddess was pleased with Raghav’s honesty. “Because you have been truthful, I will give you all three axes: the gold, the silver, and your own iron axe.”

Raghav was overjoyed and thanked the goddess for her kindness. He returned home with all three axes and continued his work with a grateful heart.

The news of Raghav’s good fortune spread throughout the village.

One of his neighbours, who was greedy and dishonest, 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.

Quote of the Day

True wealth is not measured by gold or silver, but by the honesty we carry in our hearts; for in truth, we find the richest rewards.

The river goddess appeared once again and asked, “Why are you crying?”

“My axe fell into the river,” the neighbor said, pretending to be upset.

The goddess went into the river and returned with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.

Without hesitation, the greedy man nodded. “Yes, that is mine.”

But the goddess saw through his lie. She took back the golden axe and disappeared, leaving the man with nothing.

The neighbour learned a hard lesson: dishonesty never leads to true success.

Moral of the Story

Honesty is always rewarded, while greed and dishonesty bring only misfortune.