FAIRY TALES FOR LITTLE FOLKS. 201 



But the dame grew rich. In her one goose she 

 had an exhaustless treasure. He cost little to keep, 

 and the more she plucked, the more there was for 

 next month. She built a new house, and then, for 

 getting her husband, ideas of a Afresh marriage sug 

 gested themselves to her. There was a young man 

 soon found to marry her for her wealth, and what 

 was her old husband s misery to think that his tor 

 ments purchased her a new bridegroom! But this 

 husband was a worthless fellow, much given to drink, 

 and, in a fit of intoxication, he killed the old goose, 

 from which all their luxuries flowed. Poverty came 

 upon them, and, ere long, the dame had no feathers 

 to sell, and was forced to dispose of her house and 

 her land, pond included, and to take down the sign of 



Whether this story is positively and literally true, 

 I can not say of my own knowledge, not having been 

 born till one or more centuries after it is supposed to 

 have happened ; but there are many pieces of corrob 

 orative evidence that go to maintain its entire accord 

 ance with fact. Whether the geese really spoke is 

 to be doubted, and the conversation may have been 

 merely a dream the effect of a bad supper on a 

 worse conscience but that they flew away can not 

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