About this video
Imandar Lakadhara is the traditional tale of a poor woodcutter who tells the truth when it would be easy to lie. This short Hindi video from Flucie tells it, and this page adds the story in English and Hindi, the key words, and questions to talk about with your child. The story below is the classic version.
Meet the characters
Poor but honest. He earns his living by cutting wood.
Where his axe falls, and where he is put to the test.
One plain iron axe, one gold and one silver. Only one is really his.
The story in English
A poor woodcutter is cutting wood beside a river when his axe slips from his hand and sinks into the water. It is the only axe he has, and he cannot work without it.
He sits on the bank, very sad. Then someone appears from the river and offers to help him.
The helper holds up a shining gold axe and asks, “Is this yours?” The woodcutter looks at it and says no. The helper holds up a silver axe. Again the woodcutter says it is not his.
At last the helper shows his own plain iron axe. “Yes,” says the woodcutter, “that one is mine.”
In the classic version, the helper is so pleased with the woodcutter’s honesty that he gives him all three axes. The woodcutter was ready to lose everything rather than tell a lie.
कहानी का सार
एक लकड़हारे की कुल्हाड़ी नदी में गिर जाती है।
जब उसे सोने और चाँदी की कुल्हाड़ियाँ दिखाई जाती हैं, तो वह ईमानदारी से कहता है कि वे उसकी नहीं हैं।
सीख: ईमानदारी का फल हमेशा अच्छा होता है।
The lesson: honesty always brings a good result.
Key English words from the story
“The woodcutter cuts wood.”
“He drops his axe in the river.”
“The axe falls into the river.”
“This axe is gold.”
“That axe is silver.”
“The woodcutter is honest.”
Talk about it with your child
- Why did the woodcutter say the gold axe was not his?लकड़हारे ने क्यों कहा कि सोने की कुल्हाड़ी उसकी नहीं है?
- What would you do if you found something that was not yours?अगर आपको कोई ऐसी चीज़ मिले जो आपकी नहीं है, तो आप क्या करेंगे?
- How do you feel when someone tells you the truth?जब कोई आपसे सच बोलता है, तो आपको कैसा लगता है?
Frequently asked questions
What is the moral of Imandar Lakadhara?
Honesty always brings a good result. The woodcutter tells the truth even when a lie would have been easy, and he is rewarded for it.
What happens to the woodcutter’s axe?
It falls into the river. A helper from the river shows him a gold axe and a silver axe, and the woodcutter says neither one is his.
What age is this story for?
It suits young children, roughly ages 3 to 8. The story is short and has one clear idea about honesty.
Where does the story come from?
It is a traditional tale told in many places, and versions of it are often linked to Aesop. Flucie retells it in Hindi for children.
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