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After he told him his misfortune, Mercury plunged into the stream, and,
bringing up a golden axe, inquired if that were the one he had lost. On
his saying that it was not his, Mercury disappeared beneath the water a
second time, returned with a silver axe in his hand, and again asked the
Workman if it were his. When the Workman said it was not, he dived into
the pool for the third time and brought up the axe that had been lost.
The Workman claimed it and expressed his joy at its recovery. Mercury,
pleased with his honesty, gave him the golden and silver axes in
addition to his own. The Workman, on his return to his house, related to
his companions all that had happened. One of them at once resolved to
try and secure the same good fortune for himself. He ran to the river
and threw his axe on purpose into