The Golden Goose
A farmer's son marries a miller's daughter who promises him a golden goose that lays golden eggs. The couple receives the goose and it produces eggs, but they are killed by the farmer's son for food. A king, disguised as a beggar, visits them and is offered a meal made from the goose. He orders the farmer's son to be hanged for his greed.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1815 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 1,280 words
First lines
There was once a man who had three sons. The youngest was called Dummerly, and was on all occasions scorned and ill-treated by the whole family. It happened that the eldest took it into his head one day to go into the forest to cut wood; and his mother gave him a delicious meat pie and a bottle of wine to take with him, that he might sustain himself at his work. As he went into the forest, a little old man bid him good day, and said, "Give me a little bit of meat from your plate, and a little wine out of your flask; I am very hungry and thirsty. " But this clever young man said, "Give you my meat and wine! No, I thank you; there would not be enough left for me; " and he went on his way. He soon began to chop down a tree; but he had not worked long before he missed his stroke, and cut himself, and was obliged to go home and have the wound bound up. Now, it was the little old man who caused him this mischief.
What this Textopian page supports
The Golden Goose is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1815 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Date: 1815 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Folklore, Comedy
- Length: 1,280 words
- Structure: 1 section, 12 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for The Golden Goose by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Golden Goose?
- How does this fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Fox And The Cat by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Fox And The Geese by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Bird Found by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Hare And The Hedgehog by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Donkey Cabbages by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features magical elements, a moral lesson, and a simple narrative structure typical of fairy tales.
- Fantasy — The presence of a magical goose with golden feathers and a transformative encounter with a mystical old man align with fantasy elements.
- Children's Literature — The narrative is simple, with clear moral lessons and fantastical elements appealing to a young audience.
- Folklore — The story is rooted in traditional folklore, with archetypal characters and a moral lesson.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Satire · Comedy · Animal Story · Magic Realism · Fantasy · Children's Literature · Short Story · Cautionary Tale · Moral Lesson · Punishment and Reward