Horace Elisha Scudder

The Goose That Laid Golden Eggs

There was a man who had a Goose that always laid golden eggs, one every day in the year.

Now, he thought there must be gold inside of her. So he wrung her neck and laid her open. He found that she was exactly like all other geese. He thought to find riches, and lost the little he had.

This fable teaches that one should be content with what one has, and not be greedy.