The Farmer and the Golden Goose: A Story About Greed

The Golden Egg - A Story of Greed and its Consequences

The Goose and the Golden Egg


Once upon a time, there was a farmer who lived in a small village. He lived with his wife and their two children. Their house was small, but it was warm and clean. They had a little farm with a few animals. They had a cow, a few chickens, and a small garden. Every day, the farmer worked hard in the fields, planting seeds, watering the plants, and taking care of the animals.

Even though the family was poor, they were happy. They had enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and each other’s company. The farmer would often sit outside in the evening with his children and tell them stories about the sky, the trees, and the animals. His children loved these stories very much.

One sunny morning, something very strange happened. The farmer was walking near the barn when he saw a beautiful goose. But this was no ordinary goose. Its feathers were shiny and soft, and it had a golden glow.

The farmer called out, “Hello, little goose! Where did you come from?”

The goose just honked softly and walked towards him. The farmer was surprised but happy. He took care of the goose, feeding it grains and giving it water. The next morning, the farmer went to check the goose and found a golden egg inside the nest.

“Oh my! A golden egg!” said the farmer, his eyes wide with wonder.

He ran to tell his wife. “Look! Look at this egg! It is made of pure gold!”

The wife gasped. “Gold? Are you sure? Let me see!”

The farmer showed her the egg. They could not believe their eyes. The golden egg was shiny and beautiful. They carefully placed it on the table.

They soon realized they could sell the golden eggs in the nearby town. Every week, the goose laid one golden egg. The farmer sold the eggs to merchants and made a lot of money. With this money, the family bought a bigger house, better clothes, and more food. They even bought better feed for their animals.

Life was good, and the family was happy. The children were excited to see a new egg every day. The farmer would say, “See children, patience is good. The goose gives us one golden egg at a time. That is enough.”

But soon, the farmer started thinking differently. He thought, “What if I had all the golden eggs at once? Then I could be the richest man in the village. People would respect me, and I would never have to worry about money again.”

The idea of having more gold every day made him greedy. He did not want to wait for the goose to lay eggs slowly. “I will get all the gold at once,” he said to himself.

One day, he told his wife, “I cannot wait any longer. I am going to get all the golden eggs from the goose now!”

The wife was scared. “What? Are you crazy? The goose gives us one egg every day. If you kill it, we will have nothing!”

But the farmer did not listen. His mind was full of greed. He thought only about gold. So, he grabbed a knife, and with his wife watching, he killed the goose.

After cutting open the goose, he looked inside. But to his shock, there were no golden eggs. Not a single one!

The farmer’s wife cried, “Oh no! What have we done? We have lost everything!”

The farmer sat on the ground, holding his head in his hands. “We were so greedy,” he said sadly. “We had a miracle, and we destroyed it. I can never get this back.”

The children came running. “Father! Mother! What happened?”

The farmer hugged his children tightly. “We made a mistake, my dear children. We were greedy and impatient. We lost the goose and all the golden eggs.”

From that day, the farmer learned an important lesson. He realized that greed can destroy everything we have. He also learned that happiness is not about gold or wealth. Happiness is about family, love, and simple life.

The farmer told his children, “Listen carefully. Do not be greedy. If you are patient and thankful for what you have, you will always be happy.”

The wife added, “Yes, my children. We must take care of what we have. Money and gold are not the most important things in life. Love, kindness, and our family are what matter most.”

After this, the farmer worked hard on the farm again. He planted crops, fed the animals, and spent time with his children. They laughed together, played games, and enjoyed the small joys of life. He did not think about gold anymore.

The farmer also told the villagers about the story of the golden goose. He said, “Do not let greed control you. Be thankful for the little you have, and you will be happier than the richest person in the world.”

Years passed, and the farmer and his family lived a simple but happy life. They were loved by everyone in the village because of their kindness and wisdom. The children grew up learning the value of patience, gratitude, and hard work.

The golden goose was gone, but the lesson it taught stayed with the family forever. The farmer often said, “True treasure is not gold. True treasure is the happiness we share with each other every day.”

And so, the farmer, his wife, and their children lived happily ever after, not because they were rich in gold, but because they were rich in love, gratitude, and contentment.

THE END

Moral of the story: Greed can make us lose everything we have. Instead of always wanting more, we should be grateful for what we have and cherish the small joys in life. Happiness comes from love, family, and simple pleasures—not from gold or wealth.

Questions and Answers for “The Farmer and the Golden Goose”

Comprehension Questions

Q1: Who lived on the farm?
A1: A farmer, his wife, and their children lived on the farm.

Q2: What kind of animals did the family have?
A2: They had a cow, some chickens, and a special goose that laid golden eggs.

Q3: What was special about the goose?
A3: The goose laid golden eggs every day.

Q4: How did the family use the golden eggs?
A4: They sold the golden eggs in the town and earned money to improve their house, farm, and food.

Q5: What mistake did the farmer make?
A5: The farmer was greedy and killed the goose to get all the golden eggs at once.

Q6: What happened after the farmer killed the goose?
A6: They found no golden eggs inside, and the family lost their special goose.

Moral and Life Lesson Questions

Q7: What is the main lesson of the story?
A7: Greed can make people lose everything. It is better to be patient and thankful for what we have.

Q8: Why is it important to be patient like the farmer’s family before the mistake?
A8: Because being patient helps us enjoy what we have without losing it by being greedy.

Q9: What is more important than gold or money in this story?
A9: Family, love, happiness, and simple pleasures are more important than money.

Q10: How did the farmer feel after losing the goose?
A10: He felt very sad and regretted being greedy.

Critical Thinking Questions

Q11: What would you have done if you were the farmer?
A11: (Children can answer in their own words, e.g., “I would wait for the goose to lay eggs every day.”)

Q12: How can greed affect people in real life?
A12: Greed can make people unhappy and cause them to lose friends, family, or important things.

Q13: How did the farmer’s life change after he learned his lesson?
A13: He became happy, enjoyed his farm, spent time with his family, and stopped thinking only about gold.

Q14: Can you think of other times when it is better to be patient than greedy?
A14: (Children can give examples, e.g., saving toys, waiting for a birthday gift, sharing with friends.)

Fun Questions for Younger Kids

Q15: What sound does a goose make?
A15: A goose says “honk, honk.”

Q16: If you found a golden egg, what would you do with it?
A16: (Encourage creative answers, e.g., “I would save it for my family,” or “I would share it with my friends.”)

Q17: What is your favorite part of the story?
A17: (Open-ended; children may say when the goose laid eggs or when the farmer learned his lesson.)

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