A Little Pretty Pocket-book/Mercury and the Woodman

←The Shepherd's Boy

A Little Pretty Pocket-book by John Newbery Mercury and the Woodman

Letter to Sir→

Fable IV.

Mercury and the Woodman.

A Woodman, at Work,  Dropp'd his Ax in a Pond, And in Sorrow and Tears,  His Disaster bemoan'd. Merc'ry brings one all Gold,  And cries, Friend, is this thine? No Sir, (says the Woodman)  Mine was not fo fine. Then he shew'd him the right,  Ah that's mine by my Troth: Thou art honest, says Merc'ry,  So, Friend take them both.

To Master Tommy, or Miss Polly.

By this you may see, my Dear, that Honesty is the best Policy; had Mercury found the Woodman a Rogue, he would not have given him any Thing; but as he was an honest Man, he not only gave him his own Ax, but a golden one also. Consider, my Dear, it is a fine Thing, to have a Golden Ax, and at the same Time the Love and Esteem of all the World besides, and that you will certainly have if you are strictly honest.

I am,

Your affectionate Friend,

Jack the Giant-Killer.