A Drunkard’s Promise

Once there was a woodcutter who was so consumed by drinking that he couldn’t go a single day without wine. His addiction led to a life lost in the depths of alcohol, jeopardizing both his livelihood and wellbeing.

One day, the goddess of the forest appeared to him. She often appeared when he was in desperate need, urging him to “Give up this bad habit and become respectable.” Despite her pleas, the woodcutter continued to grapple with his addiction.

While working one day in the woods, the woodcutter stumbled upon a mysterious pool. He sighed, thinking, “If only the water of this pool could turn into wine! I could drink to my heart’s content for today and then give up drinking forever.” Just as he made this wish, he heard a voice telling him that the water had indeed become wine.

Unable to resist, the woodcutter drank and drank, eventually returning home late and inebriated. Days later, when he found himself back in the forest, the goddess confronted him. “You promised to give up drinking, hadn’t you?” she asked. The woodcutter shrugged and replied, “How could you believe a drunkard, Mother?”