Victorian-Era depiction of Mercury and the Woodman (Source)
Once there were two brothers who lived in a small village near the forest's edge, and they both worked as woodmen for their father. Although related by blood, the two differed greatly in virtue. The Good Woodman woke every day at sunrise. He would go into the forest and work until the sun set. His brother, however, was not quite as committed. He never really wanted to be a woodman in the first place, but in a small town like his, there are not that many options. The Bad Woodman rarely ever worked more than an hour a day. He would spend hours lounging in the shade, gorging himself on their lunches and watching his brother slave away. The Good Woodman always worked hard enough to cut enough wood for himself and his brother to take back to the shop and their father was none the wiser.
The two brothers headed out one particularly hot summer morning. After one hour of work, the Bad Woodman laid down under a tree to take a nap and the Good Woodman worked mercilessly to fill their carriage with enough wood for the village. The sun hung low in the sky and the Good Woodman was dripping with sweat so much that his axe slipped right from his hands and into a nearby spring. The Good Woodman cried out in despair, waking his brother.
“Must you work so loudly, brother?” The Bad Woodman grumbled grumpily.
“My axe has fallen into the spring! Please, let me use your axe. The sun is almost set and I have much work to do before dark,” the Good Woodman exclaimed.
“And have father ring my neck? Not a chance! I’m taking the carriage back to the shop.” The Bad Woodman picked up his axe and headed towards the village.
The Good Woodman sighed, walking over to the spring and peering into the dark spring. Suddenly, Mercury emerged from the water, the lowering sun glistening behind him.
“Why do you despair, young man?” Mercury asked.
“My axe has fallen into the spring. It was my father’s when he was a young boy and was entrusted to me. Now I’ve lost it. It will take me days to search these waters by myself,” the Good Woodman replied.
Mercury looked around. “Will your brother not help you in your search?”
“I’m afraid not. He does not do much of anything when we are out here. I dare not tell our father, though. It would break his heart,” said the Good Woodman.
“Perhaps I can help,” Mercury smiled, and dived back into the spring. When he emerged again, he was a holding a fine golden axe, better than any the Good Woodman had ever seen.
“Do not fret, young man. I have found your axe!” declared Mercury.
“I am sorry, but as elegant as that axe is it does not belong to me,” the dismayed Woodman said.
With a determined look, Mercury dipped back under the water, this time returning with an axe of silver, shinier than a new coin. “Aha! Now this must be your father’s prized axe!”
“No,” the Woodman answered disappointedly, “as beautiful as that axe is, it is not the one I lost. Mine is just a simple axe, with a wooden handle worn from use.”
Mercury returned to the spring once more, this time bringing with him the Good Woodman’s axe.
“You’ve found it!” the Woodman exclaimed with a smile across his face. “Thank you! Thank you a hundred times. I cannot express my true gratitude.” He took the old, worn axe from Mercury as if it were made of gold and jewels.
“Your honesty is thanks enough, young man. And as a reward for your good heart, accept the gold and silver axes as a gift from me.” With that, Mercury descended back into the spring.
The Good Woodman returned home that night, showing his father and brother the gifts bestowed on him by Mercury. His father beamed with pride at his son’s virtuosity and condemned his other son for not helping his brother. The Good Woodman had no need for the fine axes, and gifted them to his father. He became infamous in the village for his honesty and became the most respected man around.
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Author's Note: This is a retelling of the famed fable titled "Mercury and the Woodman". In the original fable, a woodman is working in the woods and his axe slips from his hands into a spring. As it is his only tool for making a living, he cries in despair. Mercury appears from the water, and after hearing the woodman's story, goes down to bring up a gold axe. The woodman says it is not his. Mercury appears with a silver axe, and the woodman again explains that it is not his. Mercury returns a third time with the woodman's axe. He is so impressed with the woodman's honesty that he gifts the gold and silver axe to the woodman. Others in the village hear of this and go to the forest. They hide their axes and cry out so Mercury appears, and when they are presented with the gold axe they claim that it is theirs. Mercury hits them on the head with the gold axe, knowing the truth, and takes their own axes as punishment.
I added a brother character to better foil the woodman's honest and good morals. I wanted to portray him as a simple man, who didn't mind doing a little hard work in order to support himself and family. I added the small change at the end about giving the axes away because I didn't want the message to be sent that honesty should only be practiced in order to be rewarded. Otherwise, I didn't feel like the story needed much changing! Just some added dialogue.
Source: "Mercury and the Woodman", The Æsop for Children by Æsop (1919)
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