George and Mabel lived on a small farm. Though they had little, they were happy.
But one year the weather was hot and dry. Very few crops grew. Even their last chicken died.
George looked at the vegetables and sighed. "We don't have much to sell at the market this year. That means a very hard winter, Mabel."
Mabel looked nervous. "I hope we'll be okay."
At the market George sold his vegetables for a few coins. By the time he reached home, he was even more worried.
"This money will not last long," he thought.
Honk!
"What's that?" George thought.
Honk!
George followed the noise to the empty chicken coop. He saw a goose.
"Where did you come from?" George asked.
Just then something shiny caught his eye. George looked in the coop. He saw an egg. He picked it up, and his eyes went wide. It wasn't just any egg—it was a golden egg!
"Mabel!" he cried as he ran inside. "We don't have to worry anymore!"
Mabel looked at him, confused. "What?"
George showed her the egg.
Tears of joy filled Mabel's eyes. "We'll have food and fuel for the winter."
The next day the goose laid another golden egg. George was thrilled. "If the goose lays more golden eggs, we'll be rich! You can buy new clothes! We can build a huge house."
"Now, now," Mabel said. "We don't need any of that. We've lived just fine the way we are. These two eggs will be a huge help."
That night George kept thinking of the goose. Surely it would lay more golden eggs.
"I could get jewels for Mabel," he thought. "And some fancy shoes for myself, and . . ." George sat up in bed. "I'll open the goose's belly! Then I can get all the eggs at once!"
George slipped outside. Inside the coop, the goose was sleeping. George reached for the goose, and—Honk! Honk! Suddenly the goose bit George's arm.
"Ouch!" George cried.
The goose flapped its wings and chased George. Honk! Honk!
George tripped and fell on his face. When he looked up, he saw the goose flying away.
Mabel ran outside. "What's going on?"
George told Mabel what happened. He hung his head in shame. "The goose could have helped us a lot. But now, because of me, we lost it."
Mabel sighed. "Oh, George. Bad things happen when people become greedy."