The comic uses an old story mentioned by Momiji about two woodcutters. The first dropped his ax into a spring, and when the spirit of the spring asked which one he had dropped, he got a gold ax and a silver ax for answering honestly. The second woodcutter, hearing this story, lied out of greed and so got nothing.
It's the fable of Mercury and the Woodman. We even have a tag for it, which is honest_axe because it's shorter, and because it's what tvtropes uses, I guess.
Thanks for pointing that out. I'd never have guessed there was such a tag.
Funny you should say "someone", for I have come! Which one of these did you drop?Aah! My weapon is going to sink into the river unless someone does something!The thicker one...Kawashiro's beloved NatureThis is just like the story of the woodcutter who dropped his ax in the spring...
I'm glad I answered honestly...
I wonder if Nitori-san will praise me? I think I'm lucky today!Don't pollute nature, you damn idiot! Treat the river right!You're absolutely right! I'm very sorry!