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Online ProgramReading Task 3
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN Aesop for Children A poor woodman was cutting down a tree near the edge of a deep pool in the forest. It was late in the day and the woodman was tired. He had been working since sunrise and the strokes of his axe were not so sure as they had been early that morning. As he began to grow even more tired, thus it happened that the axe slipped and flew out of his hands into the pool. “Oh no!” the woodman cried. He couldn’t believe what had happened. Since it was made of wood, it was the end of the axe. | |
The woodman was in despair. The axe was all he possessed with which to make a living, and he did not have enough money to buy a new one. As he stood wringing his hands and weeping, the god Mercury suddenly appeared and asked what the trouble was. The woodman told him what had happened to his axe, and straightway the kind god Mercury dived into the pool. When he came up again he held a wonderful golden axe. “Wow!” said the woodman. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was the most incredible axe he had ever seen! “Is this your axe?” Mercury asked the woodman. | |
The poor woodman was very glad that his axe had been found and could not thank the kind god enough. Mercury was greatly pleased with the woodman’s honesty. | |
What does possessed mean as it is mentioned in the above passage?