# Mercury and the Woodman explained — Aesop's Fables

> Chapter companion for Aesop's Fables by Aesop.

## What happens

A Woodman loses his axe in a river and laments his loss. Mercury appears, retrieves a golden axe and then a silver axe, but the Woodman honestly denies they are his. Mercury finally retrieves the original axe and rewards his honesty with the other two. When a dishonest companion tries the same trick, Mercury exposes his greed and leaves him empty-handed, teaching that honesty is the best policy.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cunning and Deception

The dishonest companion attempts to deceive Mercury by claiming the golden axe as his own, but his cunning backfires.

### Justice and Consequence

Mercury rewards the honest woodman and punishes the dishonest one, demonstrating that actions have moral consequences.

## Character check-ins

### The Woodman

The honest woodman who loses his axe and is rewarded by Mercury for his truthfulness.

### Mercury

The god who tests the woodman's honesty and rewards or punishes accordingly.

## Key lines

> Honesty is the best policy.

Being truthful and upright is the most advantageous course of action in the long run.

_The moral of the fable, emphasizing the practical and ethical benefits of honesty._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters/mercury-and-the-woodman
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fables_se/chapters