The Golden Goose - A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale 

Illustrated By: Stella Wei

Simpleton was the youngest of three brothers. Each brother chopped wood for a living. One day, the oldest brother went off to the forest and there he met a dwarf.

"Please," said the dwarf, looking hungrily at the oldest brother's basket, "Won't you share your lunch with me?"

"Why should I?" snapped the oldest brother.

The next day the middle brother ventured to the forest to chop wood, and he met the same dwarf.

"Surely you'll share your lunch with me!" said the dwarf.

"Get your own," growled the middle brother, "and don't call me 'Shirley'!"

On the third day the youngest brother went off into the forest to chop wood. Like his two older brothers, he met the same dwarf.

Like his two older brothers, he met the same dwarf.

"I don't suppose you'd share your lunch with me," sighed the dwarf, casting his head down.

"Why not?" says Simpleton. "I'd like the company." And so the two of them ate happily together.

"I am going to tell you a secret," whispered the dwarf. "There's an oak tree by the river near a very large rock. Chop it down, and you will find among the roots something very fine."

Simpleton thanked the dwarf. He chopped the tree, looked down among the roots, and something bright sparkled in the sunlight. A goose emerged - a goose with feathers made of pure gold!

Delighted, Simpleton scooped up the goose. That night he stayed at a nearby inn, paying for his room with one of the feathers.  It's not everyday that someone steps into their inn and pays for a room with a feather made of pure gold, so you can imagine the excitement stirred with the innkeeper and his family.  Poking their heads out from the hallway, each of the innkeeper's three daughters hatched a plan to steal the goose.

When Simpleton was sound asleep, the innkeeper's eldest daughter tiptoed into his room. She reached to grab the sleeping goose with the golden feathers.  But the moment her hand clasped the goose, it stuck! Try as she might, she could not remove her hand. "I may as well fall asleep," she thought. "I hope that by morning my hand will be free. Then I'll go back to my room before anyone finds out I even came in here."

Later that same night, the innkeeper's middle daughter slowly opened the door. She also tiptoed into the room with the intention of stealing the golden goose. But much to her surprise, snoring in the corner was her big sister! She tapped her big sister on the shoulder to wake her up. Alas! The moment she touched her sister's arm she, too, was stuck!

I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised to hear that minutes later, the innkeeper's youngest daughter was also tiptoeing into the room. Surprised to see both of her older sisters snoring in the corner, she tapped the arm of her middle sister and instantly her fingers stuck fast, too!

She tapped the arm of her middle sister and instantly her fingers stuck fast, too!

The next morning they all awakened.

Simpleton yawned.  He said, "Now that was a good night's sleep! It's time to get going." He took the golden goose and left the inn, not noticing the three sisters who were stuck, tumbling after him left and right, wherever his legs took him.

A farmer hoeing his field saw this strange sight. He said, "I have never seen a golden goose before, but if those girls are going to get a piece of it, there's no reason I shouldn't, either." He grabbed the youngest daughter by the hand, whereupon his hand instantly became stuck to her hand, and he had to stagger along behind them.

Then a miller got attached to the farmer. The five of them approached two woodcutters coming out of the woods. The farmer, the miller and the three sisters called to the woodcutters to help set them loose. But the woodcutters thought they were being motioned to stay away from the golden goose. Of course, THAT they would not do. As soon as they touched the miller, they got stuck, too!  Now there were seven of them stuck, trailing behind Simpleton and his goose.

As soon as they touched the miller, they got stuck, too!

After awhile Simpleton entered a kingdom where a large crowd was gathered in front of the King's castle.

"What's going on?" said Simpleton to someone standing there.

"They are all trying to make the Princess laugh," he said. "She hasn't laughed in years, and the King says the first worthy fellow who can make her laugh will marry her."

"Honestly, father," Simpleton heard the voice of a Princess coming from the balcony. "If there's something that's NOT funny, it's a bunch of over-privileged rich dandies trying to be funny!"

"If there's something that's NOT funny, it's a bunch of over-privileged rich dudes trying to be funny!"

"But pumpkin!" Simpleton heard the King plead, "won't you give the next suitor a teeny, weeny chance?"  He turned to the crowd. "Number #437!  Step up!"

The princess threw up her arms in despair.  As she whirled around, she saw Simpleton with seven people tripping behind him, all attached to one another. It was hilarious! She laughed and laughed.

The King, however, saw at once where this could go and he did not like it one bit.  That Simpleton, a woodcutter of all things! - should presume to marry into the royal family! "I said a WORTHY young man," frowned the King, crossing his arms. "A NOBLEMAN. From a good family. Not a woodcutter!"

"Your Majesty," said Simpleton with a bow.  "I do not presume to marry the Princess, as lovely as her laughter may be."  He tipped his hat to the Princess in the palace window, and she broadly smiled back.  "Yet I can offer a few of these golden feathers, and with them we can all eat like royalty. Let us all share a feast.  Come one and all!" He spun around to make the announcement and when he did all seven followers, who had been tugging and pulling with all their might to break free, suddenly came loose! Springing backward, they collapsed into a heaping pile of arms, legs, and spinning hats. The Princess roared with laughter once more.  Even the King could not hold back a whoop of laughter. 

Even the King could not hold back a whoop of laughter.

"Oh father!" said the Princess, gasping from laughing so hard, "he will always keep me in stitches! Besides, he's the only fellow who ever offered US anything. Everyone else wanted to get something FROM us."

"True, that," said the king, rubbing his chin. "And twice he's made you laugh. Not to mention that he has that golden goose." 

So Simpleton was invited into the King's palace.  The Princess was delighted by his kindness and natural warmth and the King was won over as well - even the skeptical court attendants were charmed.  What's more, in spending time together at the castle and sharing their hearts, Simpleton and the Princess soon realized that being together always was exactly what they wanted to do.

So Simpleton and the Princess were married, and who sat in the front row at the wedding? Why, the dwarf from the beginning of the story, of course! And so they all lived happily ever after.

• What is the most important qualities to look for in someone to marry.
• Why do people seem to go crazy at the chance of getting a lot of gold?