The Golden Goose
Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between the hills, there lived a poor farmer named Simon. Simon worked hard on his farm every day, planting crops and tending to his animals, but no matter how much he toiled, his life remained difficult. He had a humble little house and just enough to get by. One day, while walking through the forest near his farm, Simon came across a strange sight.
In a clearing, there stood an old man with a long white beard, wearing tattered clothes. The man was bent over, as if he were searching for something in the grass. Simon, always the kind and helpful soul, approached the man and asked, “Good sir, can I assist you with something?”
The old man looked up, his eyes twinkling despite his worn appearance. “Ah, young man,” he said, “I seem to have lost my way. I have been wandering these woods for days, and I am hungry and tired.”
Simon, being a generous and compassionate person, offered the old man a meal. He invited him back to his cottage, where his mother would surely prepare a warm meal. The old man accepted the invitation, and the two of them made their way to Simon’s home.
When they arrived, Simon’s mother was at first surprised to see the old man, but she was just as kind-hearted as her son and welcomed him with a warm meal. The old man ate heartily, and as they sat at the table, he thanked Simon and his mother for their hospitality.
“You have both shown me great kindness,” the old man said. “For that, I would like to reward you. I will give you a gift, one that will bring you fortune and happiness.”
Simon and his mother looked at each other, puzzled, but the old man continued. “In the morning, you will find a golden goose in your barn. Treat it with kindness, and it will reward you. But be warned, there are those who will seek to take the goose for themselves, so be careful.”
The next morning, Simon went to his barn as usual, but when he opened the door, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There, in the corner of the barn, stood a magnificent goose with feathers that shimmered like gold. It was real! A golden goose! Simon immediately thought of the old man’s words and decided to take the goose to the village to show his mother.
As Simon made his way to the village, word quickly spread about the golden goose. The people in the village were astonished, and soon enough, a man from a neighboring town arrived, asking to buy the goose. “I’ll give you a great fortune for that bird,” the man said greedily, “a fortune you could never dream of.”
Simon, however, remembered the old man’s warning and politely refused. “I will not sell the goose,” he said. “It’s a gift, and I must keep it.”
The man, frustrated by Simon’s refusal, decided to take matters into his own hands. He followed Simon and the golden goose, planning to steal it when the time was right. But as Simon continued on his way, something strange began to happen. Anyone who came too close to the goose seemed to be drawn toward it, as if they were stuck. The goose’s golden feathers shimmered so brightly that they caught the attention of all who passed by.
A woman who was walking with her child got too close and suddenly found herself unable to move. Her hand was stuck to the golden feathers, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull herself away. Then a man who had been watching the goose did the same, and before long, a crowd had gathered, all with their hands stuck to the golden goose.
Simon, unaware of the chaos he had caused, continued walking. He arrived at the village square, and as soon as he entered, the crowd of people, all stuck to the golden goose, followed him. They couldn’t let go of the bird no matter how hard they tried. The people from the neighboring town, who had heard the rumors of the golden goose, arrived too and, seeing the crowd, were drawn to it as well. Soon, everyone was stuck to the goose, forming a long chain of people.
Meanwhile, the man who had originally tried to buy the goose had sneaked up from behind, hoping to steal it in the confusion. But as he reached out for the bird, his hand too became stuck to the golden feathers, and he joined the growing chain.
By the time Simon and the golden goose reached the town square, a comical procession of people—each one stuck to the other—was trailing behind him. The entire village was in an uproar as people tried desperately to free themselves, but to no avail. It seemed that everyone who touched the golden goose was bound to it in some way.
As Simon reached the town square, a voice suddenly called out from the crowd. It was the king, who had heard the commotion and come to investigate. The king, intrigued by the spectacle, asked Simon what had happened. Simon explained the situation, telling the king about the old man, the goose, and the strange curse that had come upon the people.
The king, seeing an opportunity, demanded that Simon bring the goose to his castle. “I will take the golden goose,” the king said, “and I shall have riches beyond measure.”
Simon, remembering the old man’s warning, refused once more. But the king’s soldiers, eager for the golden goose, rushed to grab it. Just as they did, the golden goose flapped its wings, and the entire chain of people was whisked into the air, floating up with the goose. The king and his soldiers watched in astonishment as the golden goose flew away, carrying all the people behind it. It was as if the bird had a life of its own, and it wasn’t about to let anyone take it.
The golden goose flew off into the sky, and Simon and his mother were left with the reward they had been promised: fortune and happiness. And as for the greedy people who tried to steal the golden goose, they learned a valuable lesson about greed and the consequences of trying to take something that didn’t belong to them. From that day on, Simon and his mother lived peacefully and happily, their farm flourishing with good fortune.
