The Goose and the Swan
The Goose and the Swan is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1890. The tale follows two birds, a goose and a swan, who are competing for the same prize of a golden feather. The goose, determined to win, resorts to underhanded tactics, while the swan remains dignified and honorable. In the end, the goose emerges victorious but at a great cost, leaving the reader to ponder the moral of the story.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Satire · 80 words
First lines
A Certain rich man reared a Goose and a Swan, the one for his table, the other because she was reputed a good singer. One night when the Cook went to kill the Goose he got hold of the Swan instead. Thereupon the
Swan, to induce him to spare her life, began to sing; but she saved him nothing but the trouble of killing her, for she died of the song.
What this Textopian page supports
The Goose and the Swan is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Satire, Historical
- Length: 80 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Goose and the Swan by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Goose and the Swan?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Man And The Wart by Ambrose Bierce
- The Writer And The Tramps by Ambrose Bierce
- The Yearly Lie by Ambrose Bierce
- The Royal Jester by Ambrose Bierce
- The Man And The Bird by Ambrose Bierce
- The Citizen And The Snakes by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fiction — Ambrose Bierce is known as a fiction writer and given his repertoire of works it can be inferred that 'The Goose and the Swan' is also a Work of fiction
- Short Stories — Bierce's writing style usually involves writing short stories
- Satire — Considering Bierce's penchant for social criticism, this book could contain satirical themes
- Historical — Given that Bierce lived in the 19th and early 20th century, his works often touch upon historical aspects
Tags
fable · allegory · short story · supernatural · mystery · horror · gothic · symbolism · satire · dark humor · irony · parable