The Man and his Goose
The Man and His Goose by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that follows the tale of a man who buys a goose and trains it to lay eggs. However, the goose begins to lay eggs with strange and ominous messages inside, leading the man to question the true nature of his purchase. The story explores themes of obsession, control, and the unpredictability of nature.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Classics · 77 words
First lines
"See these valuable golden eggs," said a Man that owned a Goose. "Surely a Goose which can lay such eggs as those must have a gold mine inside her."
So he killed the Goose and cut her open, but found that she was just like any other goose. Moreover, on examining the eggs that she had laid he found they were just like any other eggs.
What this Textopian page supports
The Man and his Goose 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, Classics, Allegory
- Length: 77 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Man and his Goose 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 Man and his Goose?
- 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 King Of Bores by Ambrose Bierce
- The Milkmaid And Her Bucket by Ambrose Bierce
- The Oleomargarine Man by Ambrose Bierce
- The Lassoed Bear by Ambrose Bierce
- His Fly Speck Majesty by Ambrose Bierce
- The Yearly Lie by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Fiction — This text is a fabricated narrative, therefore it qualifies as fiction.
- Short Stories — Due to the concise and complete narrative, this text is categorized under the genre of short stories.
- Classics — As a work by Ambrose Bierce, a renowned author of the 19th century, this text qualifies as a classic.
- Allegory — Considering the symbolic nature of the characters and plot, this text can be viewed as an allegory.
Tags
fantasy · magic · adventure · humor · satire · short story · classic literature · American literature · 19th century literature · surrealism · absurdity · allegory