The Golden Goose
Dummling shares his poor dry cake with a little grey man and is rewarded with a goose with feathers of pure gold. Everyone who grabs at it sticks fast, and the long, silly procession makes a sad princess laugh at last.
Scene 1: Three Sons
The Golden Goose. There was once a man with three sons. The youngest was called Dummling, and everyone laughed at him. One day, the eldest son went to cut wood in the forest, with a sweet cake and some wine. A little grey old man asked him for a bite and a sip, but the eldest son said: “If I give you my cake, I shall have none for myself. Be off with you!” Soon his axe slipped and hurt his arm. The second son sent the little man away too, and his axe hurt his leg.
Scene 2: A Good Heart
Then Dummling begged to go. His mother gave him only a dry cake baked in the ashes, and sour beer. The little grey man asked him for food too, and Dummling said: “I have only a dry cake and sour beer. If that pleases you, let us sit down and eat.” As they sat, the dry cake became a fine sweet cake, and the sour beer became good wine. Then the little man said: “You have a good heart, and you share what you have. Cut down that old tree, and you will find something at its roots.”
Scene 3: Feathers of Pure Gold
Dummling cut down the tree. And there among the roots sat a goose with feathers of pure gold! He took her to an inn. The innkeeper’s three daughters each wanted a golden feather. The eldest grabbed the goose by the wing, and her hand stuck fast. The second touched her sister, and stuck fast too. When the third came, the others screamed: “Keep away! For goodness’ sake, keep away!” But she touched them anyway, and stuck fast.
Scene 4: Seven in a Row
Next morning, Dummling tucked the goose under his arm and set off. The three girls had to run behind him. In the fields, they met the parson, who cried: “For shame, you silly girls! Why are you running after this young man?” He grabbed the youngest by the hand, and stuck fast. The sexton grabbed the parson’s sleeve, and stuck fast. Two farmers with hoes tried to pull them free, and stuck fast as well. Now seven people were running behind Dummling and the golden goose!
Scene 5: The Princess Who Never Laughed
Soon they came to a city where the King’s daughter was so serious that no one could make her laugh. The King said that whoever made her laugh could marry her. So Dummling marched his goose and all seven of them right under her window. When the princess saw them running on and on, one behind the other, she laughed and laughed. She could not stop!
Scene 6: Kind Heart, Good Luck
But first, the King set Dummling three hard tasks. Each time, the little grey man helped him, all because Dummling had been kind. So Dummling married the princess, and they lived happily for a long, long time. Share what you have, with a good heart.
Moral: Share what you have, with a good heart.
Questions about The Golden Goose
What did Dummling do when the little grey man was hungry?
He shared his cake.
What was sitting in the roots of the old tree?
A goose with feathers of pure gold.
What happened to anyone who touched the goose or the people holding on?
They stuck fast.
How many people ended up running behind Dummling and the goose?
Seven.
What did the serious princess do when she saw the procession?
She laughed and laughed.
More stories to read aloud
- Cinderella — Kind Cinderella works among the cinders for her proud stepmother and stepsisters, until her fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a golden coach and sends her to the King’s son’s ball in glass slippers.
- Diamonds and Toads — A kind girl gives water to a poor old woman at the fountain, and the woman, who is really a fairy, makes roses, pearls and diamonds fall from her lips at every word.
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears — While the Three Bears take a walk until their porridge cools, a little girl called Goldilocks walks into their house and tries their porridge, chairs and beds.