English Original
Once upon a time, a woodman was cutting down a tree by the side of a lake. By accident, he let his ax fall into the water. As he lost the tool with which he had gained his livelihood, he sat down upon the bank and felt very sad about his hard fate.
To his surprise, Mercury appeared and asked him what was the matter. When he heard the story of the man's misfortune, he dived to the bottom of the lake and brought up a golden ax, asking if that were the one he had lost. Hearing that it was not his, Mercury dived a second time and returned with a silver ax, again asking the Woodman if it were his. The woodman denied this too, saying it was not his. Mercury dived a third time and brought up the very ax that the man had lost. This the poor man took with joy and thankfulness. So pleased was Mercury at the honesty of the man that he gave him the other two axes besides his own.
When he returned home, the woodman told his companions all that had happened. One of them decided to see if he could secure the same good fortune for himself. He ran to the lake, threw his ax in on purpose, then sat down upon the bank and lamented his sad fate.
Mercury appeared as before and wanted to know the cause of his grief. After hearing the man's story, he dived and brought up a golden ax, asking him if that were his. Delighted at the sight of the golden ax, the fellow answered that it was and eagerly attempted to get hold of it.
The God saw that he was dishonest and refused to hand it to him. The man went home disappointed.
"Honesty is the best policy."
中文翻译
从前，一个樵夫在湖边砍树。他不小心让斧头掉进了水里。由于失去了赖以谋生的工具，他坐在岸边，为自己的不幸命运感到非常悲伤。
令他惊讶的是，墨丘利出现了，并问他发生了什么事。听完樵夫的不幸遭遇后，墨丘利潜入湖底，捞起一把金斧头，问这是不是他丢失的那把。听说不是他的，墨丘利第二次潜入水中，带着一把银斧头回来，再次问樵夫这是否是他的。樵夫也否认了，说这不是他的。墨丘利第三次潜入水中，捞起了樵夫丢失的那把斧头。这个可怜的人高兴而感激地接过了它。墨丘利对樵夫的诚实感到非常高兴，于是除了他自己的斧头外，还把另外两把斧头也送给了他。
樵夫回家后，把发生的一切都告诉了同伴。其中一人决定看看自己能否也获得同样的好运。他跑到湖边，故意把自己的斧头扔进水里，然后坐在岸边，哀叹自己悲惨的命运。
墨丘利像之前一样出现了，想知道他悲伤的原因。听完这个人的故事后，墨丘利潜入水中，捞起一把金斧头，问他这是否是他的。看到金斧头，这个人欣喜若狂，回答说正是他的，并急切地试图抓住它。
神看出他不诚实，拒绝把斧头交给他。这个人失望地回家了。
"诚实为上策。"