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The Tale of the Woodcutter

The Inheritance

Years passed in the safe haven of Walstad. As the town grew larger, the woodcutter grew richer and older. But no matter how many trees he felled, he never broke his promise to the Huldrekall, and he kept the ancient forest spirit’s tree safe.

As the woodcutter aged, he visited the Huldrekall often. The woodcutter thanked his immortal friend for the great gift of his ax. But he also spoke of his uncertainty of the future. Unlike the Huldrekall, the woodcutter was only mortal. Soon his time would end. And without a new wielder of the ax, things would return to the way they had been.

He would have to pass his ax on.

The woodcutter and his wife had three children, and each was virtuous in their own way. His eldest son was the cleverest; his middle child, a daughter, was the kindest; and his youngest son was the most honest. But the woodcutter did not know which one was worthy of inheriting the ax and the responsibilities that came with it.

So once again, the Huldrekall offered his help to the woodcutter.

He instructed the woodcutter to give him back the ax that he had gifted him so many years ago. He told the woodcutter to go home and tell his children he had forgotten the ax in the woods and to send each of them to fetch it back for him.

Whichever of the woodcutter’s three children returned with the ax would be most worthy of wielding it.