Contents ▼▲
Front Matter The Wolf and the Kid The Tortoise and the Ducks Young Crab and His Mother The Frogs and the Ox The Dog, Cock, and Fox Belling the Cat The Eagle and the Jackdaw The Boy and the Filberts Hercules and the Wagoner The Kid and the Wolf Town Mouse, Country Mouse The Fox and the Grapes The Bundle of Sticks The Wolf and the Crane The Ass and His Driver The Oxen and the Wheels The Lion and the Mouse Shepherd Boy and the Wolf The Gnat and the Bull The Plane Tree The Farmer and the Stork The Sheep and the Pig The Travelers and the Purse The Lion and the Ass Frogs Who Wished for a King The Owl and the Grasshopper The Wolf and His Shadow The Oak and the Reeds The Rat and the Elephant The Boys and the Frogs The Crow and the Pitcher Ants and the Grasshopper The Ass Carrying the Image A Raven and a Swan The Two Goats The Ass and the Load of Salt The Lion and the Gnat The Leap at Rhodes The Cock and the Jewel The Monkey and the Camel The Wild Boar and the Fox The Ass, Fox, and Lion The Birds, Beasts and Bat The Lion, the Bear and the Fox The Wolf and the Lamb The Wolf and the Sheep The Hares and the Frogs The Fox and the Stork The Travelers and the Sea The Wolf and the Lion The Stag and His Reflection The Peacock The Mice and the Weasels The Wolf and the Lean Dog The Fox and the Lion The Lion and the Ass The Dog and His Master's Dinner The Vain Jackdaw The Monkey and the Dolphin The Wolf and the Ass The Monkey and the Cat The Dogs and the Fox The Dogs and the Hides The Rabbit, Weasel, and Cat The Bear and the Bees The Fox and the Leopard The Heron The Cock and the Fox The Dog in the Manger The Wolf and the Goat The Ass and the Grasshoppers The Mule The Fox and the Goat The Cat, Cock, and Mouse The Wolf and the Shepherd The Peacock and the Crane The Farmer and the Cranes The Farmer and His Sons The Two Pots The Goose and the Golden Egg The Fighting Bulls and Frog The Mouse and the Weasel The Farmer and the Snake The Sick Stag The Goatherd and Wild Goats The Spendthrift and Swallow The Cat and the Birds The Dog and the Oyster The Astrologer Three Bullocks and a Lion Mercury and the Woodman The Frog and the Mouse The Fox and the Crab The Serpent and the Eagle The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing The Bull and the Goat The Eagle and the Beetle The Old Lion and the Fox The Man and the Lion The Ass and the Lap Dog The Milkmaid and Her Pail The Wolf and the Shepherd The Goatherd and the Goat The Miser The Wolf and the House Dog The Fox and the Hedgehog The Bat and the Weasels The Quack Toad The Fox Without a Tail The Mischievous Dog The Rose and the Butterfly The Cat and the Fox The Boy and the Nettle The Old Lion The Fox and the Pheasants Two Travelers and a Bear The Porcupine and the Snakes The Fox and the Monkey The Mother and the Wolf The Flies and the Honey The Eagle and the Kite The Stag, Sheep and Wolf The Animals and the Plague The Shepherd and the Lion The Dog and His Reflection The Hare and the Tortoise The Bees, Wasps, and Hornet The Lark and Her Young Ones The Cat and the Old Rat The Fox and the Crow The Ass and His Shadow The Miller, His Son, and the Ass The Ant and the Dove The Man and the Satyr The Wolf, Kid, and Goat The Swallow and the Crow Jupiter and the Monkey The Lion, Ass, and Fox The Lion's Share The Mole and His Mother The North Wind and the Sun The Hare and His Ears The Wolves and the Sheep The Cock and the Fox The Ass in the Lion's Skin The Fisherman and the Fish The Fighting Cocks and Eagle

Aesop for Children - Milo Winter




Mercury and the Woodman

A poor Woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and the Woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and his strokes were not so sure as they had been early that morning. Thus it happened that the axe slipped and flew out of his hands into the pool.

The Woodman was in despair. The axe was all he possessed with which to make a living, and he had not money enough to buy a new one. As he stood wringing his hands and weeping, the god Mercury suddenly appeared and asked what the trouble was. The Woodman told what had happened, and straightway the kind Mercury dived into the pool. When he came up again he held a wonderful golden axe.

[Illustration] from Aesop for Children by Milo Winter

"Is this your axe?" Mercury asked the Woodman.

"No," answered the honest Woodman, "that is not my axe."

Mercury laid the golden axe on the bank and sprang back into the pool. This time he brought up an axe of silver, but the Woodman declared again that his axe was just an ordinary one with a wooden handle.

Mercury dived down for the third time, and when he came up again he had the very axe that had been lost.

The poor Woodman was very glad that his axe had been found and could not thank the kind god enough. Mercury was greatly pleased with the Woodman's honesty.

"I admire your honesty," he said, "and as a reward you may have all three axes, the gold and the silver as well as your own."

The happy Woodman returned to his home with his treasures, and soon the story of his good fortune was known to everybody in the village. Now there were several Woodmen in the village who believed that they could easily win the same good fortune. They hurried out into the woods, one here, one there, and hiding their axes in the bushes, pretended they had lost them. Then they wept and wailed and called on Mercury to help them.

And indeed, Mercury did appear, first to this one, then to that. To each one he showed an axe of gold, and each one eagerly claimed it to be the one he had lost. But Mercury did not give them the golden axe. Oh no! Instead he gave them each a hard whack over the head with it and sent them home. And when they returned next day to look for their own axes, they were nowhere to be found.

Honesty is the best policy.