Reading Notes: More Jataka Tales, Part A

Story: The Golden Goose

Story Source: More Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt

More Jataka Tales book cover by Ellen C. Babbitt

Out of all of the stories, one of the ones that stood up to me was the story of the Golden Goose. I thought that the story has a very good message. 

Plot Summary:

Once upon a time, there was a goose with feathers made of gold. He discovered that a poor woman who had two daughters lived nearby.

The Goose being a very nice fellow, gave them golden feathers so that the family could survive. He visited them and gave them a feather, and each visit he would give them a golden feather.

The mother being greedy, and thinking of what she would do if the goose did not come back, wanted to take all of the golden feathers. 

In his next visits, the mother seized the Goose and plucked all of the golden feathers. Unknown to her, if the feather was plucked unwillingly, it would turn into a regular feather. Furthermore, once the feather was plucked, it would grow back as a regular feather. 

After a time, the Goose's feather grew back as a normal white feather. He was able to fly home and never returned. The woman in her greed lost her golden feathers and the Golden Goose.