Once upon a time, in a quiet village, there lived a poor woodcutter named Tom. One day, while he was chopping wood by a sparkling river, his old, rusty axe slipped from his hands and fell into the deep water with a splash! Tom felt his heart sink as he watched it sink to the bottom.

Sitting by the river, he sighed deeply, feeling sad and hopeless. Just then, a shimmering fairy appeared before him, sparkling like the sun. “Why do you look so sad?” she asked, her voice as sweet as honey.

Tom explained, “Oh, kind fairy, I lost my rusty axe in the river, and I have no money to buy a new one.”

The fairy smiled gently and said, “Don’t worry! I can help you!” With a wave of her wand, she dove into the river. Moments later, she emerged, holding a beautiful golden axe, shining in the sunlight. “Is this yours?” she asked.

Tom shook his head and replied, “No, that’s not mine. I only had a rusty axe.”

The fairy, undeterred, plunged back into the water and soon returned with a silver axe, glimmering like a star. “What about this one?” she asked again.

Once more, Tom replied, “No, that’s not mine either. My axe is old and rusty.”

Finally, the fairy retrieved Tom’s old rusty axe from the depths of the river. “Is this the one?” she asked with a smile.

“Yes! That’s mine!” Tom exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy. The fairy smiled brightly, impressed with his honesty. “Because you were truthful, I will reward you!” She waved her wand, and to Tom’s surprise, she gifted him both the golden and silver axes.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Tom thanked the fairy. As he walked home, he realized that being honest had brought him unexpected rewards.

Moral:

Honesty is always rewarded.

Parenting Tip: Encourage your child to always tell the truth, even when it’s difficult or tempting to tell a little lie. Remind them that honesty, like in this story, often leads to positive outcomes, sometimes even better than what they expected. You can also discuss with them how telling the truth builds trust and shows integrity.

Fun Questions For Curious Kids:

After reading “The Honest Woodcutter,” here are some fun questions to explore the moral of the story:

• Why did Tom say no when the fairy offered him the golden and silver axes?
• How do you think Tom felt when the fairy gave him both axes as a reward?
• Have you ever been in a situation where telling the truth was hard? What did you do?
• Why do you think the fairy rewarded Tom for being honest?
• What would have happened if Tom had lied and said the golden or silver axe was his?
• Do you think it’s always easy to tell the truth? Why or why not?
• What lesson do you think Tom learned after his encounter with the fairy?
• How do you think telling the truth can help you in everyday life?

Did You Know? Fun Facts About Woodcutting and Fairies:

Here are some fun, child-friendly facts to go with the story:

1. Did you know that woodcutting is one of the oldest professions in the world? People have been chopping wood for thousands of years to make homes, tools, and furniture!
2. Fairies are magical creatures often depicted as kind and helpful, but sometimes they play tricks on people too. In many cultures, fairies are thought to grant wishes or give rewards to those who are kind and truthful.
3. An axe has been used for centuries to chop wood and for hunting. The design of the axe hasn’t changed much over the years because it works so well!
4. In folklore, when fairies give gifts, they are often enchanted and hold special powers, just like the golden and silver axes in the story.

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!