The Golden Goose

Hello, everyone.

    The story that I am going to tell you today is one of my favourites. I had read this story when I was in primary school. This story holds many good memories for me.

    I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

    Happy reading.

The Golden Goose

    Once upon a time, there was an old woman who had three sons, the eldest was called Sam, the younger was called Paul and the youngest was called Tom. She was a widow. One day there was very little food in the house and so she called her sons.

    “My sons,” she said. “There is hardly any food left in the house. You will have to go and cut wood in the forest so that when you sell it we could buy food.”

    “Alright, Mother,” said Sam, the eldest son. “I will go and cut wood today.”

    So the old woman gave him a big piece of cake and an apple. She also gave him some orange juice.

    Sam took all this and went to the forest. He cut wood until noon. Then, feeling tired and hungry he sat down to rest and have his lunch.

    Now, as soon as he opened his mouth to put his first morsel a very old woman appeared before him.

    “I am very hungry,” she said. “I haven’t eaten for two days. Please spare me some food.”

    Sam was startled and looked up. He was an old woman in tattered clothes and a stick standing there before him.

    “I just have enough for myself,” he said, rudely. “How can I give you any?”

    “Very well,” said the old woman and disappeared.

    Now as soon as Sam finished eating he took up his axe and wanted to continue his work, the axe slipped from his hands and cut his leg badly. Sam tied an handkerchief on his wound and went home.

    The next day, the second son, Paul said he would go to the forest to cut wood.

    So his mother gave him half a loaf of bread, some cheese and some orange juice.

   Paul did the same thing as well. He went to the forest and cut wood until noon. He was tired and hungry and so he sat down on a log to eat his lunch.

    As soon as he put the first morsel in his mouth an old woman in tattered clothes and a stick appeared before him.

    “I am very hungry,” she said. “I haven’t eaten anything for two days. Please, spare me some food.”

    Paul was startled and looked up.

    “Certainly not,” he said, rudely. “I barely have enough for myself. Now, go away.”

    “Very well,” said the old woman and disappeared.

    Now, when Paul had finished his lunch he stood up to continue with his work. As soon as he lifted his axe it slipped from his hands and cut his hand badly. He tied an handkerchief on his wound and went home.

    The third day the old woman told Tom to go to the forest and cut wood.

    “My son,” she said. “Both your brothers are hurt and cannot go to cut wood. You will have to go today, but there is no food left in the house. Take these two slices of bread and water. That is all I can give you.”

    “It’s alright, Mother,” said Tom taking the two stale slices of bread and some water. Then he left.

    He did what his brothers had done. He cut wood until noon and then being very tired and hungry he sat down on a tree stump to eat his meager meal.

    Now as soon as he was about to put a morsel in his mouth the same old woman appeared in tattered clothes and a stick.

    “I am very hungry,” she said. “I haven’t eaten for two days. Can you spare me some food?”

    Tom looked up startled.

     “Oh, hello,” he said. “I didn’t see you come. Well, I just have two slices of stale bread. Here you can have one if you want.”

    And he gave one piece to the old woman. The old woman took it gratefully and they both started to eat. Soon they had finished and then suddenly something happened instead of the old woman in old tattered clothes and a stick there stood a most beautiful fairy. She had beautiful golden hair and very beautiful transparent shimmering wings!

    Tom just gapped at her.

    “You look surprised,” she said, laughing. “I came to test you. I tested your brothers but they were too selfish. You, on the other hand are a kind lad.”

    Then, she gave him a golden goose.

    “This is a magic goose,” she said. “As soon as someone touches it and you say ‘don’t let go, don’t let go’, that person will be stuck to the goose until you say ‘let go’.”

    Then, she disappeared. Tom took the goose and went home excitedly.

    As soon as he reached home he called his mother and brothers and showed them the golden goose. Nobody believed him so he told his older brother to touch it and as soon as he touched it he said out loud, “don’t let go, don’t let go” and his brother got stuck to the goose and when Paul tried to free Sam, Tom cried, “don’t let go, don’t let go” and he got stuck to Tom.

    His brothers begged him to free them and so he said, “let go”, and they were free. His brothers and mother were angry.

    “What good is a golden goose,” his mother said, angrily, “when all it does is stick people? Take your goose go away. You lazy boy.”

    Tom did not say anything. He just took his golden goose and went away.

    Now let me tell you about this town. The king who ruled this town had a beautiful princess. She was so beautiful that her beauty was praised far and wide, but there was one problem. The princess had never laughed or even smiled in her life. The king was worried and had announced that whosoever would make the princess laugh he would give her hand in marriage to that person. Soon many princes and young men came but no-one was able to make her laugh. The king got so fed up that he announced if whosoever came and tried to make the princess laugh and was unable to do so would be sent to jail. Even then many princes and young men came but no-one was able to do so.

    Now, Tom had reached this town. As soon as he entered the town people were curious to see such a beautiful golden goose and came nearer to have a closer look at it. They began to annoy Tom. At first, he did not know what to do. Then he had an idea.

    There was a maid and she tried to stroke the goose and at once Tom said, “don’t let go, don’t let go” and of course she got stuck to the goose at once.

    Now, the baker saw this and he came with a rolling pin to hit Tom and rescue the maid and as soon as he touched her Tom shouted again “don’t let go, don’t let go” and he got stuck to the maid. The butler saw them and he came to rescue them and as soon as he touched the baker Tom shouted, “don’t let go, don’t let go” enjoying himself and the butler got stuck to the baker. Then came the butcher and then came the footman and they were all stuck together and Tom just went on his way and soon he came to the palace and as he as passing there with everyone shouting to let them go.

    Now the princess was in her room and when she heard all the noise she came to window to see what all the din was about. When she saw everyone stuck to one another in such a comical way she burst out laughing. She laughed and she laughed until tears were rolling down her cheeks.

    Now when her maids saw that they at once went and informed the king. The king couldn’t believe his ears. He came to the princess’ room to see for himself. He was very happy to see his daughter laugh and at once sent his servants to bring Tom and his goose and everyone stuck to it in his presence.

   The king also laughed to see such a sight. Then he asked Tom about himself and then as was his promise he married his daughter to Tom and gave half of his kingdom to him.

    Tom and the princess lived happily ever after.