A poor woodcutter earned his living by cutting trees and selling firewood.
One day, while working beside a river, his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the water.
It was the only tool he owned, so he sat on the riverbank and began to cry.
A kind angel appeared and asked what was wrong.
After hearing the story, the angel dived into the river and returned holding a golden axe.
“Is this yours?” the angel asked.
“No,” the woodcutter replied.
The angel disappeared beneath the water again and came back with a silver axe.
“Is this one yours?”
The woodcutter shook his head.
“No.”
The angel went down one last time and returned with the woodcutter’s old iron axe.
“Yes! That’s mine!” he said happily.
Pleased by his honesty, the angel gave him all three axes.
Over the years, the woodcutter became a wealthy man.
One day, he and his wife were walking along the same river when she slipped and fell into the water.
The woodcutter began calling for help.
The same angel appeared and said,
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
The angel disappeared beneath the water and returned with actress Raquel Welch.
“Is this your wife?” the angel asked.
“Yes,” the woodcutter answered immediately.
The angel looked surprised.
“I thought you were an honest man. Why would you claim she is your wife?”
The woodcutter smiled and explained,
“If I said no, you’d come back with another famous actress. Then if I said no again, you’d bring back my real wife and tell me I could have all three.”
He shook his head and laughed.
“I can barely handle one wife. Three would be far too much!”