Sharpening the Axe: A Village Tale of Hard Work and Wisdom

The Woodcutter’s Lesson

BY:Ubaid

In a small village of dusty roads and humble homes lived Fazlu, a hardworking but struggling man. Every morning, before the sun had fully risen, he would step out of his modest hut in search of daily labor. His life was uncertain, as his earnings depended on whether he could find work that day. Some days he returned with enough money to buy food for his family; on others, he came home empty-handed, with only exhaustion and disappointment as his companions.

There was no stable source of income in his life. Whatever small amount he earned after a long day of toil was quickly consumed by the basic needs of his family. At the end of each evening, his pockets would once again be empty, and the cycle of hope and despair would start over the next morning.

Time kept moving forward, and with it his children grew older. Their needs grew as well. Clothes, books, and school fees added to the burden of feeding hungry stomachs. Fazlu’s wife, Noor Fatima, was a simple yet wise woman. She understood that the occasional wages her husband brought home were no longer enough to sustain the household. One evening, after seeing her children go to bed hungry yet again, she looked at her husband and said softly,

“Fazlu, we cannot live like this anymore. The children are growing. They need food, clothes, and education. We need a steady source of income. You must think of a permanent solution.”

Fazlu listened carefully. He was a man of immense willpower, though life had tested him in countless ways. That night he lay awake, thinking. He realized his wife was right. His strong arms and hardworking spirit were his only wealth, but perhaps he could use them differently.

The very next morning, he walked into the local market with the small savings he had managed to put aside. After careful thought, he bought a sturdy axe. With determination in his eyes, he returned home and headed straight for the forest that lay on the edge of the village.

For hours he swung the new axe with all his might, cutting thick branches and gathering bundles of wood. By evening, he carried the heavy load to the market and sold it. To his surprise, he earned more that day than he ever had through daily labor. That night, for the first time in many weeks, the family sat together around a simple meal and ate to their fill. There was laughter in the home again. Fazlu realized he had found a new livelihood.

Day after day, he went to the forest. Each morning he rose with fresh energy, determined to chop more wood than the day before. His efforts paid off. With steady income, the family’s condition improved. They could afford proper meals, small comforts, and even save a little for the children’s education.

But as months passed, Fazlu noticed something troubling. His arms ached more than before, and though he worked from dawn to dusk, he could no longer cut the same amount of wood. His earnings began to fall. The family once again felt the pressure of poverty creeping in.

His wife noticed the change. One evening she asked, “Fazlu, why are we earning less now? Do you not work as hard as before?”

He sighed deeply and replied, “I still spend the entire day in the forest, working harder than ever. But the axe does not cut as it once did. It takes far more effort, and yet I bring home fewer bundles of wood.”

Noor Fatima thought carefully, then asked a simple question: “Since the day you bought the axe, how many times have you sharpened its blade?”

Fazlu was silent for a moment. Then he admitted, “I never thought of sharpening it. If I spend time taking it to the blacksmith, then when will I cut the wood?”

His wife smiled gently. “Fazlu, if you spend just a little time sharpening the axe, you will be able to cut more wood in less time. The effort you save will make you stronger, and the earnings will be greater. Sometimes, pausing to prepare makes the work easier.”

Her words struck him like a revelation. He realized that in his eagerness to work hard, he had forgotten the wisdom of working smart. The very next day, he took the axe to the blacksmith and had the blade sharpened until it gleamed. When he returned to the forest and swung it at a tree, the wood split with astonishing ease. In just a few hours, he collected more firewood than he had in many long days of struggle.

From that day forward, Fazlu made it a habit to sharpen his axe regularly. His productivity soared, his income stabilized, and the dark clouds of poverty began to lift once again. His children went to school with books in their hands, and his home echoed with joy instead of worry.

The story of Fazlu spread through the village. People admired his determination, but they also learned from his lesson: hard work alone is not enough; wisdom and preparation are equally important.