One day a poor woodman lost his ax. He hunted all day, but he
could not find it. He was very sad, for how could he make a living
for his family without an ax? Besides he had no money with which
to buy a new one. As night came on, he sank down by the roadside
and buried his face in his hands.
He heard a noise in the bushes and raised his head. A stranger was
standing by him. "What is the matter?" asked the stranger. The
woodman told him of his trouble.
"I am sorry your ax is lost," said the stranger. "Would you know
it if you were to see it? I found an ax in the road. It may be
yours. Is this it?" he asked, holding out a gold ax.
"No," answered the woodman, "that is not my ax. All the money I
ever earned would not buy such an ax as that."
"I found another," said the man. "This must be the one," and he
held out a silver ax.
"No, that is not mine," replied the woodman. "I am too poor a man
to own such an ax as that."
"Well, here is another ax that I found. Is this yours?" The
stranger held out an old ax of steel.
"That is mine, oh, that is mine!" cried the woodman, springing up
joyously and taking his ax from the stranger. "Now we shall not
starve. Thank you, kind sir. Where did you find it?"
The stranger said, "All three of the axes are yours. I am glad to
make you a present of the gold ax and the silver ax. Let me have
your hand. I am happy to meet an honest man."
The woodman's neighbors heard of his good fortune. One of them
lost his ax. He appeared to feel very sad over his loss. He sat
down by the roadside and bowed his head, looking out of the
corners of his eyes for the stranger.
At last he saw the stranger coming around a bend in the road. The
sun shown upon a gold ax which he carried in his hand. He stopped
in front of the woodman. "Why do you grieve, my friend?" he asked.
"I have lost my ax with which I earned my living," the woodman
replied.
"Cheer up," said the stranger. "I have an ax here. Is it yours?"
"That is the very one," said the woodman. "Thank you, stranger,"
and he reached out his hand to take the gold ax.
But the stranger drew back, and put the ax behind him. "It is not
your ax. It is my own, and you wish to claim it. You are both
dishonest and untruthful;" and he turned away.