Once upon a time, there was a poor woodcutter who lived near a forest. Every day, he went into the woods to cut trees and sell the wood to earn money.
One day, while cutting a tree near a river, his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the deep water. He was very sad because it was his only axe, and he had no money to buy another one. He sat by the river and cried.
Suddenly, a kind fairy appeared and asked, “Why are you crying, dear woodcutter?”
The woodcutter replied, “My axe fell into the river. I can’t work without it.”
The fairy dived into the water and brought up a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.
“No,” said the woodcutter. “That’s not mine.”
She went back into the water and brought up a silver axe. “Is this yours?”
“No,” replied the woodcutter again.
Finally, she brought up his old iron axe. “Is this your axe?”
The woodcutter smiled and said, “Yes! That one is mine!”
The fairy was so pleased with his honesty that she gave him all three axes — the gold, the silver, and his own iron axe.