Aesop's Fables · Character

The Woodman

A laborer whose honesty is tested when Mercury offers him a golden axe he never lost, and he refuses it.

supporting

Also known as The Woodman, the Woodman, A Woodman, The Hunter

First appearance: Mercury and the Woodman

As a supporting figure in Aesop's Fables, The Woodman is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The honest woodman who loses his axe and is rewarded by Mercury for his truthfulness.

In the storyMercury and the WoodmanOpen this moment free

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In Mercury and the Woodman: The honest woodman who loses his axe and is rewarded by Mercury for his truthfulness. Later, in The Three Tradesmen: Advises using wood for fortifications, citing its availability and ease…

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See The Woodman in Mercury and the Woodman

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how The Woodman sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Divine Tests and Honesty
Tricksters and Survivors
Moral Archetypes and Victims
Diverse Moral Agents
Predators and Prey

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the victor Cock, swollen with pride after his triumph, is sud…

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In the story

The Woodman appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Mercury and the Woodman
The honest woodman who loses his axe and is rewarded by Mercury for his truthfulness.
The Three Tradesmen
Advises using wood for fortifications, citing its availability and ease of working.
The Travellers and the Plane-Tree
One of the two travellers who rests under the Plane-tree and complains about its lack of fruit.
The Trees and the Axe
Requests a handle from the Trees and then uses the axe to fell them.
The Hunter and the Woodman
Offers to show the hunter the lion itself, revealing the hunter's cowardice.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for The Woodman unlock in the free preview.

See The Woodman in Mercury and the Woodman