The Golden Goose

Once upon a time there was a boy called Dummling. He was kind and happy. But everyone laughed at him. His brothers were big and clever. Dummling was small and soft. He lived in a little house by the forest. And in the forest, among the moss, an adventure was waiting.

The eldest brother went first to the forest. He had a sweet cake and a bottle of juice. A little grey old man stepped out from the trees. 'May I have a piece?' the old man asked. 'No!' said the brother. 'It's my cake!' Then he swung his axe, but the axe slipped. Ouch! He had to go home and bandage his arm. Snip-snap.

Then the second brother went to the forest. He too had a sweet cake and a bottle of juice. The little grey old man came out again. 'May I have a piece?' he asked. 'No, it's mine!' said the brother. And swish! The axe slipped again. This time it hit his leg. Ow-ow-ow. He had to go home too.

Now it was Dummling's turn. 'Please, may I go?' he begged. His mother shook her head. But he begged and begged. 'All right then,' she said. She gave him a hard little cake made of ashes. And a bottle of sour drink. That was all. Dummling smiled anyway. 'Thank you, Mama!' And off he went happily towards the forest.

The little grey old man stepped out from the trees. 'May I have a piece?' he asked softly. 'I only have ash-cake and sour drink,' said Dummling. 'But what we have, we share.' They sat down in the moss. And look! The ash-cake turned into a sweet cake. The sour drink turned into sweet wine. 'Yum!' said Dummling. The old man smiled.

'You have a good heart,' said the old man. 'Cut down that old tree. You'll find something fine at its roots.' Dummling chopped and chopped. Crack! The tree fell. And among the roots sat a goose. But not just any goose! Her feathers were pure gold. They shone like the sun. 'Oh!' whispered Dummling.

Dummling took the goose in his arms. She honked softly. 'Honk-honk.' He walked to an inn to sleep for the night. Three sisters lived there. When they saw the golden goose, they were utterly delighted. 'A golden feather! I must have one!' whispered the eldest. She crept up when Dummling stepped outside. She reached out her hand. And touched the goose.