The Honest Woodcutter Once upon a time, in a small village near a dense forest, there lived a poor woodcutter named Ramu. Every day, he would go into the forest to cut wood, sell it in the market, and earn just enough to feed his family. Though he was poor, Ramu was known throughout the village for his honesty and kindness. One day, while cutting wood by a river, Ramu's axe slipped from his hand and fell into the deep water. He was heartbroken, as the axe was his only tool for work. He sat down by the river, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, a gentle old man, who was the spirit of the forest, appeared before him. "Why are you so sad, dear woodcutter?" the spirit asked. Ramu explained his situation, and the forest spirit nodded sympathetically. He dove into the river and returned with a shining golden axe. "Is this your axe?" the spirit asked. Ramu looked at the golden axe and shook his head. "No, that's not mine. My axe was made of simple iron." The spirit smiled and dived back into the water. This time, he brought out a silver axe. "Is this your axe?" he asked again. Once more, Ramu shook his head. "No, that’s not mine either." Finally, the spirit went into the water one last time and brought back Ramu’s plain iron axe. "Is this your axe?" he asked. Ramu’s face lit up. "Yes, that’s my axe! Thank you!" he exclaimed. The forest spirit was impressed by Ramu’s honesty. "Because you were truthful and did not take what wasn’t yours, I will reward you. You may keep the golden and silver axes as well." Ramu was overjoyed and thanked the spirit for his kindness. He returned to the village, not only with his own axe but with the golden and silver ones as well. From that day on, Ramu's honesty became known throughout the land, and he lived a happy and prosperous life. Moral of the Story: Honesty is always rewarded in the end.