A goose once laid an egg so bright
And wondrous to behold
Its owner noticed with delight
It was of purest gold.
And every day a perfect twin
Of that first egg was laid,
So that the master came to win
More than the gains of trade.
Deep down, what greater wealth must be!”
He chuckled to himself;
And snatched, in avaricious glee,
A long knife from a shelf;
And slew the bird, and slashed inside
To strip the treasure bare.
Now what was this it seemed to hide?
Nothing at all was there!
But dead the golden creature lay
As any slaughtered goat.
For often greed will but succeed
In cutting its own throat.
