Once upon a time, in a small village nestled near a dense forest, lived an honest and hardworking woodcutter named Ramu. Ramu was known for his kindness and integrity. He lived in a simple hut with his wife and two children. Every day, he would venture into the forest with his old axe, cutting down trees to sell firewood in the village. Though his life was tough, Ramu was content with what little he had because he believed in honesty and hard work.
One fine morning, Ramu went to the forest as usual to chop wood. As he worked near the edge of a beautiful river, his hands, sweaty from a long day of chopping, slipped, and his old axe fell from his grip. To his dismay, it flew out of his hands and splashed into the river’s deep water.
"Oh no!" Ramu cried out in despair, staring at the water where his only tool had sunk. "What will I do now? Without my axe, I cannot earn any money to feed my family. I am ruined!"
Feeling hopeless, Ramu sat down at the riverbank with tears in his eyes. He had no idea how to recover the axe from the deep river. Just when he thought all was lost, the surface of the water began to shimmer, and suddenly, out of the river emerged the beautiful Goddess of Water. Her long flowing hair sparkled with drops of water, and her radiant figure glowed under the sunlight. She floated above the water, holding a calm and gentle expression on her face.
"Why do you weep, good woodcutter?" asked the Goddess, her voice soft like the flowing river. "Tell me, and I will see if I can help."
Ramu, wiping his tears, explained, "O kind Goddess, I am a poor woodcutter, and today while working, my only axe fell into the river. Without it, I have no way to earn a living. Please, can you help me find it?"
The Goddess of Water nodded with sympathy and said, "Wait here. I will search for your axe." She gracefully dove back into the water. After a few moments, she resurfaced, holding a shiny golden axe.
"Is this your axe?" the Goddess asked, holding the golden axe high.
Ramu stared at the golden axe in awe, but he shook his head and said, "No, dear Goddess, that is not my axe. Mine was an old iron one, not made of gold."
The Goddess smiled at his honesty and disappeared back into the water. A few moments later, she emerged again, this time holding a silver axe, even more beautiful than the first.
"Is this your axe?" she asked again.
Ramu gazed at the silver axe, but he shook his head once more. "No, kind Goddess, that is not my axe either. Mine was simple and made of iron."
The Goddess smiled even wider, pleased with Ramu’s truthfulness. She dove back under the water one last time and returned with a worn iron axe—the very one Ramu had lost.
"Is this your axe?" she asked, holding out the old iron axe.
Ramu’s face lit up with joy, and he exclaimed, "Yes! Yes! That is my axe! Thank you so much, dear Goddess!" He took the axe with great relief and gratitude.
The Goddess of Water, deeply impressed by Ramu’s honesty, said, "Because you have been truthful, I will give you all three axes—the golden, the silver, and your iron one—as a reward for your integrity."
Ramu was speechless. He had not expected such a gift. "But, dear Goddess, I do not deserve such riches," he humbly replied.
The Goddess smiled gently and said, "Honesty is more valuable than any treasure. You have proven that truth and integrity are greater than gold or silver. Use these gifts wisely, and continue living your life with kindness and honesty."
With that, the Goddess of Water disappeared back into the river, leaving Ramu with the three axes. Overjoyed, Ramu hurried back to his village, where he told his family and friends about the miraculous encounter with the Goddess and her generous gifts.
As time passed, Ramu remained the same humble and honest man he had always been. He used the silver and golden axes wisely, selling them to provide for his family, but never letting greed overtake him. He continued to work hard, using his old iron axe to chop wood, just as he always had.
The news of Ramu’s good fortune spread quickly through the village, and soon, it reached the ears of a greedy and dishonest woodcutter named Hari. Hari was envious of Ramu’s new wealth and decided he would try to trick the Goddess into giving him golden and silver axes as well.
The next day, Hari went to the same river with his old axe. Pretending to be clumsy, he purposely threw his axe into the water and began to cry loudly, hoping to attract the attention of the Goddess of Water.
Just as Ramu had experienced, the surface of the water shimmered, and the Goddess of Water appeared before Hari. "Why are you weeping?" she asked.
Hari, putting on a sorrowful face, replied, "O kind Goddess, I am a poor woodcutter, and I have lost my axe in the river. Please, can you help me find it?"
The Goddess, seeing through his deception, decided to teach Hari a lesson. She dove into the water and emerged holding the golden axe.
"Is this your axe?" she asked.
Hari’s eyes gleamed with greed, and without hesitation, he lied, "Yes! Yes, that is my axe!"
The Goddess frowned, disappointed by Hari’s dishonesty. "That is not your axe. You are lying," she said sternly. She then vanished into the river, taking the golden axe with her and leaving Hari empty-handed.
Hari waited for hours by the river, hoping the Goddess would return, but she never did. He realized that his greed and dishonesty had cost him not only the chance at riches, but also his own axe. Defeated and ashamed, Hari returned to his village, having learned a valuable lesson.
From that day on, the villagers admired Ramu even more, not because of his wealth, but because of his honesty and humility. Ramu’s story became famous, and it was told to children for generations as a reminder that honesty and integrity are more precious than gold or silver.
And so, Ramu lived a happy and content life, knowing that the true wealth of a person lies not in material riches, but in the goodness of their heart.
Moral of the Story: Honesty is always rewarded, and greed can lead to one’s downfall. It is better to be truthful and live a simple, honest life than to seek riches through deceit and lies.
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