The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
Every morning a Man finds a golden egg in his Goose's nest, and he and his Wife grow rich. But they grow greedy too, cut the Goose open to get all the gold at once, and find nothing inside.
Scene 1: A Glittering Egg
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs. Once upon a time, a Man and his Wife had a very special Goose. One morning, the Man went to the Goose’s nest. There he found an egg, all yellow and glittering. When he picked it up, it was as heavy as lead. He nearly threw it away. He thought someone was playing a trick on him.
Scene 2: Pure Gold
But he took it home, and soon he saw that it was an egg of pure gold! The next morning, there was another golden egg. And the next morning, another. Every day, the Goose laid one golden egg. The Man took the eggs to market, and soon he and his Wife grew rich.
Scene 3: Not Fast Enough
But as they grew rich, they grew greedy. One evening, after counting their money, the Man said: “Only one egg a day! We are not getting rich fast enough.” His Wife said: “The Goose must be made of gold inside. Let’s take all the gold at once!”
Scene 4: Nothing Inside
So they decided to cut the Goose open. But when they did, they found no gold at all. Inside, she was just like any other goose.
Scene 5: Much Wants More
Now their wonderful Goose was gone, and there were no more golden eggs. They did not get rich all at once, as they had hoped. And they never had a golden egg again. Those who have plenty want more, and so lose all they have. Or, as another old book says: much wants more and loses all.
Moral: Those who have plenty want more, and so lose all they have. Much wants more and loses all.
Questions about The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
Where did the Man find the first golden egg?
In the Goose’s nest.
How heavy was the egg when he picked it up?
As heavy as lead.
How many golden eggs did the Goose lay each day?
One.
What did the Wife think was inside the Goose?
Gold.
What did they find when they cut the Goose open?
No gold at all.
More stories to read aloud
- The Lion and the Mouse — A Lion catches a little Mouse but laughs and lets her go when she promises to repay him.
- The Hare and the Tortoise — A boastful Hare laughs at the slow Tortoise, so the Tortoise challenges him to a race.
- Belling the Cat — The Mice hold a council and a young Mouse has a clever plan: hang a bell about the Cat’s neck.