THE HONEST WOODMAN.

A woodman was at work near the water. He was cutting down a large oak-tree. You could hear the chip, chip, chip of his ax. He lifted the ax high over his head to give a good blow. The ax fell into the water. The poor woodman looked down into the deep water. He said, “Oh! What shall I do? I have lost my good ax!”

A kind fairy lived in the water. She came up out of the water and said, “My poor man, why are you crying?” “Oh! said the woodman. “I have lost my good ax.” “Do not cry,” said the fairy. “I will get your ax for you.” The fairy went down into the deep water. Soon she came up with a gold ax. “Is this your ax?” said the fairy. “Oh, no!” said the “That is not my ax.” The fairy again went down into the water. Soon she came up with a silver ax. “Is this your ax?” she said. “Oh, no, no!” said the woodman. “That is not my old ax.”

Then the fairy said, “You shall have your ax.” She went down into the water again. Soon she came up with a steel ax.

“Oh, thank you!” said the happy woodman. “That is my ax. Now I can work.” “Yes,” said the fairy, “this is your ax, but it is a steel ax. Did you not like the gold ax and the silver ax?” “This is my ax,” said the woodman. “The gold ax was not mine, and the silver ax was not mine.” “You are an honest woodman,” said the fairy. “You would take only what is yours. So I will give you the gold ax and the silver ax.” The woodman carried home the gold ax, the silver ax and the steel ax. He was very, very happy.