The Goose with the Golden Eggs

ONE day a countryman going to the nest of his Goose found there an egg all yellow and glittering.

When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was going to throw it away, because he thought a trick had been played upon him. But he took it home on second thoughts, and soon found to his delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every morning the same thing occurred, and he soon became rich by selling his eggs. As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold the Goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find,—nothing.

Greed oft o'erreaches itself.

From The Goose with the Golden Eggs by Aesop, translated by Joseph Jacobs (1894). Public domain.

Check your understanding

1. Why did the countryman almost throw the first golden egg away?

He thought it was too small to sell.He thought someone was playing a trick on him because it was heavy.He did not like the yellow color of the egg.He wanted a regular egg for his breakfast.

2. What does the word 'occurred' mean as it is used in the passage?

StoppedHappenedBrokeDisappeared

3. How does the countryman's attitude change from the beginning of the story to the end? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

4. Why did the countryman find 'nothing' when he opened the goose? What does this reveal about his assumptions?

5. The author ends the story with the statement, 'Greed oft o'erreaches itself.' Based on the countryman's actions, what does this phrase mean?