The Golden Goose - German

My two older brothers always said I was too simple, but I didn't mind. My name is Hans, and while they were busy being clever, I liked to wander in the cool, quiet woods, listening to the birds sing. One morning, my mother gave me a dry biscuit and some water for lunch, and I set off to chop wood, but my day turned into an adventure I’ll never forget, the story of The Golden Goose. Deep in the forest, I met a tiny, grey-haired man with twinkling eyes who looked very hungry. My brothers had refused to share their fine cakes with him earlier, but I felt sorry for him. I said, "I don't have much, but you can have half of what I've got." I offered him half of my plain biscuit and water. As soon as he took a bite, something magical happened. My simple biscuit turned into a delicious, sweet cake, and my water turned into fine wine. The little man smiled a warm, crinkly smile. He pointed to an old tree with thick roots twisting out of the ground. He told me to cut it down and I would find something special underneath its roots as a reward for my kindness. I thanked him, and with a full tummy and a curious heart, I swung my axe.

Feeling full and happy, I chopped down the tree just as the man had said. It was hard work, but I was determined to see what was hidden. Nestled right there in the roots was a magnificent goose with feathers made of pure, shining gold. It glimmered in the sunlight, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I carefully picked it up and decided to take it with me. That evening, I found an inn to stay for the night. The innkeeper had three curious daughters who saw my sparkling goose and couldn't stop staring. The first daughter thought, "I'll just pluck one little feather for myself. No one will notice." But as soon as her fingers touched the goose, she was stuck fast. She couldn't pull her hand away. Her sister came to help her and grabbed her hand, but then she got stuck, too. The third sister ran to help them both and, you guessed it, she got stuck to the second sister. The next morning, I tucked the goose under my arm and set off, not noticing the three girls trailing behind me, all stuck together and unable to let go. A parson saw the silly sight and scolded them for chasing a young man, but when he tried to pull the girls away, his hand got stuck to the last girl. Then his sexton, who was his helper, tried to help him and got stuck, and then two farmers who were working in a field got stuck trying to help everyone else. Soon, I was leading a long, jumbled, and very funny parade of people all stuck together behind my golden goose.

My comical parade and I arrived in a city where the king had a very serious problem. His daughter, the princess, was so sad that she had never once laughed in her entire life. The king was desperate and promised that whoever could make her smile could marry her and become a prince. When the sad princess looked out her window and saw me marching along with a golden goose, followed by a wiggling, stumbling chain of seven people all stuck together, shuffling and hopping and complaining, she couldn't help it. A little giggle escaped her lips, then another, until she was laughing so hard that tears of joy ran down her face. The king was overjoyed and kept his promise. I, Hans, the simple boy with a kind heart, married the princess and we lived happily ever after. This story has been told for hundreds of years to show how a small act of kindness can lead to the greatest treasures, like laughter and love. It reminds us that being generous is a kind of magic, inspiring funny plays and cartoons that still make us laugh today, just like the princess did so long ago.