Once upon a time in an old forest, there was a poor wood cutter cutting wood by the lake. One day, his axe accidently fell into the lake. The poor wood cutter didn’t know how to swim, so he could do nothing but sat by the lake and prayed to the lake godess.

　　The lake godess heard his prayer and appeared before him.

　　“What’s wrong, my good man?” she asked.

　　“ Help me!” Said the wood cutter, “ I’m very poor, and I lost my only axe.If I don’t get my axe back, my family will starve to death, please help me!” He cried.

　　Then the godess glanced at the wood cutter., “Very well,” she answered, “ You should have your axe back. ”

　　After a while, the godess brought out an axe made of gold from the lake.

　　“Is this your axe, my good man? ”Asked the godess.

　　“No, ”Said the wood cutter, “That is not my axe.”

　　Then the godess brought out a silver axe, the wood cutter said that wasn’t his axe again.

　　The third time, she brought out the wood cutter’s axe. The wood cutter was very happy and said, “This is my axe, thank you very much”

　　the end of the story, the godess was very pleased with the wood cutter’s honesty. He didn’t tell a lie, so that he can get the gold or the silver axe, he just wanted what he deserve. So she desided to give both the gold and silver axe to him. The wood cutter sold the axes, and became a kind rich man.

　　The moral of this story is, honesty is the best policy.

　　翻譯：

　　從前，在一個古老的森林的里，有一個貧窮的樵夫在湖邊砍柴。有一天，他的斧頭不小心掉進湖里。可憐的樵夫不知道如何游泳，所以他只能坐在湖邊向湖女神祈禱。

　　湖女神聽了他的禱告，出現在他面前。

　　“怎么了，我的好男人？“她問。

　　幫幫我！“樵夫說，“我很窮，我失去了我唯一的斧頭。如果我不把我的斧頭回來，我的家人會餓死，請幫助我！“他喊道。

　　然后女神瞥了樵夫一眼說。“很好，”她回答說，“你應該把你的斧頭找回來。“

　　過了一會兒，女神從湖里帶來了黃金做的斧頭。

　　“這是你的斧子，我的好男人？“問女神。

　　“不，”樵夫說，“那不是我的斧頭。”

　　然后女神拿出一把銀斧子，樵夫說那不是他的斧頭再次。

　　第三次，她帶來了樵夫的斧頭。樵夫非常高興的說，“這是我的斧頭，非常感謝你”

　　故事的結尾，女神對樵夫的誠實非常高興。因為他沒有為了就能得到金或銀斧子而撒謊，他只是想讓他應得的東西。所以她決定給把金和銀斧頭送給他。樵夫賣掉斧子，成為一個富有的人。

　　這個故事的寓意是，誠實是最好的政策。