FABLES. 



MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN. 



A Man was felling a tree on the steep bank of 

 a river, and by chance let slip his hatchet, which 

 dropt into the water, and sunk to the bottom. 

 Being in distress for want of his tool r 4ie sat down 

 and bemoaned himself on the occasion. Upon this, 

 Mercury appeared to him, and being informed of 

 the cause of his complaint, dived to the bottom of 

 the river, and coming up again, shewed the man a 

 golden hatchet, demanding if that were his? lie 

 denied that it was: upon which Mercury dived a 

 second time, and brought up a silver one; the Man 

 refused it, alleging again that it was not his : he 

 dived a third time, and fetched up the identical 

 hatchet the Man had lost; upon sight of which the 

 poor fellow was overjoyed, and took it with all 

 humility and thankfulness. Mercury was so pleased 

 with his honesty, that he gave him the others into 



VOL. IV. H 



