The Quote -

"Nope, I don't really have anything new to say. but then, I always have something amazing to tell about things that you already know!!"

-Muthu

Friday, December 14, 2012

The Honest Woodcutter- Fiction (Aesop's Retold)



“You are not honest.” The angel sighed. “Not even close to it.”

The wood cutter’s hand tightened around the three axes as he stopped walking, turned and looked up at the angel. His hardened face skewed into welt lines lashed with the abrupt accusation.

“But I did the right thing… Didn't I?”

“Oh …. Really? So, tell me, my dear man” She taunted “What happened? And what did you do, that you think is so right?”

“My axe. It fell into the river. My mistake. Was not handling it properly. And just as I thought that it was done for, you came forward to help but retrieved a golden and silver version of my axe before coming up with my own. And yes, as honest as I am, I owned up to only my own axe.”

“And then…” she prodded.

“You gave me all the three as a gift to my honesty. Right??”

 “Well, that’s true.” She paused, her warm red lips dipping into a delicious smirk.  “But wouldn't a really honest man simply refuse the other two axes given as gifts. And what’s the point of being honest, if you start accepting bribes for the very act, the one you deem to be in accordance to your own moral principles.”

She calmly shook her head, her soft flowing hair reveling in the mellow breeze.

“Oh… please…… Didn't you see this coming? What are you… a thumb sucking kid? You are honest because you choose to be; not because someone greases your palm now and then for your good deeds.”

The wood cutter blurted out. “But it was a gift.”






It was then that she started to laugh. Her luscious voice raining through the entire valley, her guffaws drizzling with the dew of her mirth, her dark eyes exploding with a million teasing tinges, she turned around towards the bottom of the river. And just before leaping in into its arcane depths, she gave the bewildered woodcutter one last look and sighed.

Another wannabe. A honest one at that.



Author's note-

Another attempt in twisting the Aesop's with regard to a more skewed version of morality. The argument that is made by the fairy is ambiguous and questionable but I think it is still valid in its own right. If we are not enjoying something and doing it just for the end result- then that I think marks the first step in the decay of human purpose. (Well, that went too philosophical than I intended to. Pardon me.) And I would love to hear what you guys think of my version of honesty.

Also, If you guys are interested to check out the other Aesop's that were retold by me, kindly check out this link. Also, the original tale of the honest woodcutter can be read in the following link.


19 comments:

Harikrishna said...

Retelling the old stories has become an interesting one... You have made a very good justice to the retold one :) Cheers :) I replied to your comment in my blog with a question and I think you didn't see it. That is "I am disappointed not to find your post in Blog-a-ton after all you gave the topic?"

muthu said...

@ @ Harikrishna ---

Thank you for your warm comments. Yes, I did not see your question. My apologies.

hmhm..... I was a bit engaged during that week and was not able to blog during that time. Will sure join in during the next Blog-a-ton.

A hearty thanks for looking out for my post. I am overjoyed.

Cheers. :)

Kleopatra said...

Wow, I loved that and I really agree with your idea of honesty. It's the same with those people who can't stop telling everyone how good they are as a person, or who brag about their good deeds all the time and expect some kind of reward for them. I think in this case they aren't true good deeds.

muthu said...

@ Kleopatra ---

hmhm... I think that, Good deeds are good deeds -- as long as they help people. But, when the same is awarded- it does raise question about the intention of the person who was going the deed in the first place.

It just reduces him from a selfless Samaritan to everyday joe.

Don't you think so?? :)

sm said...

nice twist to story

muthu said...

@ sm -

Thanks.. :)

vinny said...

Hahaha!
You've managed to make me think...nice line of thought to this fable.

The most attractive feature of your writing is your rich description of characters, emotions and situations:)

muthu said...

@ Oldfox004 --

I am always in debt to your hearty encouragement.

Thanks a million. It has been so long since I last saw your comment in here... :)

Ruchi Jain said...

Happy new year...

Kappu said...

Very very beautiful! Love the narration to bits!

Do visit my blog! Would love to see you by! *cheers*

Anupama K. Mazumder said...

Taking it up from where the story ended - interesting!
But honesty is about putting the best one can, and not worry too much about gains: because that's not in one's control. You know what I mean?

Happy New Year

www.anucreations.blogspot.in

Unknown said...

I think that generically there's a difference between a gift and a bribe. In this case the angel by her own admission meant the "gifts" to be bribes, but the woodcutter could not have known that when they were offered to him. Very confusing - have fun with the challenge.

muthu said...

@ Mary Rack -

Welcome to my blog & Thank you for your comments..

Yes. There indeed is a slim line between ideas of a gift and a bribe.

But may be, each and every gift can be seen as a bribe for someone for something. May be even for something as innocent as reciprocated love. Just wondering though. :)

What do you say??

muthu said...

@ Damyanti -

Thank you for your warm words. :)

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