Abdullah was a poor young man who lived near the River Ravi. Every day, he went to the forest to cut wood and sold it in the market to earn a living.
One day, while chopping wood, his axe slipped from his hand and fell into the river. Abdullah was heartbroken. He sat by the river, crying and praying for help.
Suddenly, an angel appeared and brought a golden axe. The angel asked, “Is this your axe?”Abdullah shook his head and said, “No, this is not mine. I cannot take it.”
The angel disappeared and returned with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” the angel asked again.Abdullah replied, “No, this is not mine either. I cannot take it.”
The angel disappeared once more and came back with an old iron axe. Abdullah’s face lit up. “Yes! This is my axe,” he said happily.
The angel smiled and said, “Your honesty is rare. As a reward, you may keep the golden and silver axes too.”
Abdullah thanked the angel, and went home with all three axes, and learnt that honesty is indeed the best policy.
Source:
Narrated by Muhammad Hashir's grandmother. Recorded in Lahore, as a part of Clicks and Culture, our collaboration with Beaconhouse School System.
Notes:
Abdullah Lakarhara means Abdullah, the Woodcutter.
There is a similar story in Lithuanian folklore, The Three Axes of the River God.
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