~ 156. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs ~

Laura Gibbs · 156. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs

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A woman possessed a miraculous goose that laid golden eggs.
But this was not enough for the greedy woman.
"If the goose can lay eggs of gold," she thought, "then surely I will find a goldmine in its guts. I don't want the eggs; I want the goldmine inside!"
So the woman killed the goose and cut it open, but inside there were only goose guts. There was no gold in there at all.
"Woe is me!" the woman cried. "I should have been grateful, but instead I was greedy and killed my goose, so now I'm left with nothing."

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Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 571 in the book, which is Perry 87.

(illustration from a 17th-century Aesop)