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Johnny and the Golden Goose
by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm

There once was a man who had three sons. Johnny, the youngest, was always looked upon as the simpleton of the family, and had very little kindness shown to him.

It happened one day that the eldest son was going out into the woods to cut fuel for the fire. Before he started however, his mother gave him a slice of rich plum-cake and a flask of juice, so that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst.

Just as he reached the woods, he met a strange old man, dressed in gray who wished him “Good day,” and begged for a piece of the young man’s cake and a drink of juice. But the greedy youth replied, “If I were to give you cake and wine, I should not have enough left for myself. So be off with you and leave me in peace.” Then he pushed the little man rudely off to one side and went on his way. He soon came to a likely-looking tree, and began to chop it down. He made a wrong stroke, and instead of striking the tree he buried his axe into his own arm. He was obliged to hurry home as fast as he could to have the wound dressed.

The following day the second son set out into the woods, and his mother treated him just as she had done her eldest son—gave him a slice of cake and a flask of juice in case he should feel hungry or thirsty. The little man dressed in gray met him at the entrance to the woods, and begged for a share of his food, but the young man answered, “The more I give to you, the less I have for myself. Be off with you.” Then he left the little man dressed in gray standing in the road, and went on his way. But it was not long before he too, was punished, for the first stroke he aimed at the tree strayed aside and wounded his leg, so that he was obliged to be carried home.

Then Johnny said: “Father, let me go to the woods for once. I will bring you home plenty of fuel.” “Nonsense,” answered the father. “Both your brothers have gotten into trouble, and it is not likely that I can trust you.” But Johnny would not give up the idea, and worried his father, 'til at last he said: “Very well, my son, have your own way. You shall learn by experience that I know better than you.” There was no rich cake for the simpleton of the family. His mother just gave him a little loaf of bread and a bottle of old juice. No sooner did he reach the woods than the little man dressed in gray appeared. “Give me a piece of your cake and a drink of your juice?” said he. But the young man told him he had only a loaf of bread and a bottle of old juice.

“Still,” said Johnny, “you are welcome to a share of the food, such as it is.” So the two sat down together, but when Johnny took his humble share from his pocket, he was surprised to find it had changed into the most delicious cake and juice. Then the young man and his guest made a hearty meal, and when it ended the little man dressed in gray said, ”Because you have such a kind heart, and have willingly shared your food with me, I am going to reward you. Yonder stands an old tree: hew it down, and deep in the heart of the roots you will find something.” The old man then nodded kindly, and disappeared instantly. Johnny, at once, did as he had been told, and as soon as the tree fell he saw sitting in the midst of the roots, a goose with feathers of purest gold. He lifted it carefully out, and carried it with him to the inn, where he meant to spend the night. Now, the landlord had three daughters, and no sooner did they see the goose than they wanted to know what curious kind of bird it might be. For never before had they seen a bird of any kind with feathers of pure gold. The eldest made up her mind to wait for a good opportunity and then pluck a feather for herself. So, as soon as Johnny went out of the room she put out her hand and seized the wing of the goose. To her horror she found that she could not unclasp her fingers, nor even move her hand away from the golden goose!

Very soon after the second sister came creeping into the room, meaning also to steal a feather. No sooner than she touched her sister than she too, was unable to draw her hand away.

Lastly came the third sister, anxious to secure a feather before the goose’s master returned.

“Go away! go away!” screamed her two sisters, but she could not understand why she should not help herself like the others had. So, she paid no heed to their cries, came toward them, and stretched out her hand to the goose.

In doing so she touched her second sister, and then, alas! She too, was held fast.

They pulled and tugged with all their might, but it was of no use. They could not get away, and there they had to remain the whole night.

The next morning Johnny tucked the goose under his arm and went on his way, never troubling himself about the three girls hanging on behind.

Then what a dance he led them on: over hedges and through ditches. Wherever he went they were bound to follow. Halfway across a sunny meadow, they met a person, who was terribly shocked to see the three girls running after a young man.

“For shame!” he cried angrily, and seized the youngest by the hand to drag her away. But no sooner than he touched her than the poor person was stuck too, and had to run behind the girls, whether he could or not. On and on they ran, until at length they came into the county of a powerful King. This King had an only daughter, who all her life had been so sad that no one had ever been able to make her laugh. So, the King made a decree that the man who could bring a smile to his daughter’s face should have her for his bride. When Johnny heard what the King had promised, he at once made his way into the Princess’s presence. When she saw the goose, with the seven strange-looking companions hanging on behind it, she burst into such a hearty fit of laughter that it was thought she would never be able to stop again.

Of course, the simpleton claimed her as his bride, but the King did not fancy him for a son-in-law, so he made all sorts of excuses.

“You shall have her,” said he, “if you can first bring me a man who can drink up a whole canister of juice.”

Johnny at once remembered the little man dressed in gray, and, feeling sure that he would help him, set out for the woods where he had first met him.

When he reached the stump of the old tree, which he had himself chopped down, he noticed a man sitting beside it with a face as gloomy as a rainy day.

Johnny asked politely what ailed him, and the man answered, “I suffer from a thirst I cannot quench. Cold water disagrees with me, and though I have, it is true, emptied a barrel of juice, it was no more to me than a single drop of water upon a hot stone.”

You can imagine how pleased Johnny was to hear these words. He took the man to the King’s cellar where he seated himself before the huge barrels, and drank and drank 'til, at the end of the day, not a drop of juice was left.

Then Johnny claimed his bride, but the King could not make up his mind to give his daughter to person who went by such a name as “Simpleton.”

He made fresh excuses, and said that he would not give her up until the young man had found someone who could eat up a mountain of bread in a single day. So the young man had no choice but to set out once more for the woods. Again he found a man sitting beside the stump of the tree. He was very sad and hungry looking, and sat tightening the belt round his waist.

“I have eaten a whole oven full of bread,” he said sadly, “but when one is as hungry as I am, such a meal only serves to make one more hungry still. I am so empty that if I did not tighten my belt I should die of hunger.”

”You are the man for me!” said Johnny. “Follow me, and I will give you a meal that will satisfy even your hunger.” He led the man into the courtyard of the King’s palace, where all the flour in the kingdom had been collected together and mixed into an enormous mountain of bread. The man from the woods placed himself in front of it and began to eat, and before the day was over the mountain of bread had vanished.

A third time the Simpleton demanded his bride, but again the King found an excuse. “First bring me a ship that can sail both on land and sea, and then you shall wed the Princess,” he said. Johnny went straightway to the woods, where he met the little man dressed in gray with whom he had once shared his food. “Good day,” he said, nodding his wise little head. “So you’ve come to visit me again, eh? It was I, you know, who drank the juice and ate the bread for you, and now I will finish by giving you the wonderful ship which is to sail on either land or sea. All this I do for you because you were kind and good to me.” Then he gave him the ship, and when the King saw it he could find no further excuse. So he gave the young man his daughter, and the pair was married that very day. When the old King died, the Simpleton became King in his land and he and his wife lived happily ever after.

The passage above is a story about a simpleton named Johnny.

• Describe Johnny.
• Describe whether you think Johnny was very simple or very smart.
• Explain your answer above.