Loading...
The Hen and the Golden Eggs
fable
1 min read
0 comments
0:000:00
Story Summary
In this wisdom-packed moral story, a cottager and his wife, driven by greed, decide to kill their Hen that laid a golden egg every day, believing it must contain a treasure inside. However, they learn a valuable lesson when they discover the Hen was just like their other hens, ultimately depriving themselves of their daily wealth. This unique moral story highlights the dangers of impatience and greed, offering impactful lessons learned from stories that entertain while teaching.
Click to reveal the moral of the story
Greed can lead to the loss of steady benefits in the pursuit of immediate wealth.
Historical Context
The story of the cottager and his wife with the golden-egg-laying hen is a fable attributed to Aesop, a storyteller from ancient Greece known for imparting moral lessons through simple narratives involving animals and everyday characters. This tale, often interpreted as a cautionary warning against greed and impatience, has been retold in various cultures and literary forms over centuries, emphasizing the timeless message that seeking instant wealth can lead to loss rather than gain.
Our Editors Opinion
This story highlights the dangers of greed and the impulse to seek immediate gratification at the expense of steady, reliable gains. In modern life, this can be seen in scenarios like a successful entrepreneur who, instead of focusing on sustainable growth, decides to cash out and sell their business prematurely, only to realize that they sacrificed a steady income and future potential for a quick payout.
You May Also Like
The Hen and the Swallow
In "The Hen and the Swallow," a hen nurtures viper eggs, oblivious to the danger they pose, which serves as a timeless moral story highlighting the folly of nurturing harmful beings. The swallow warns her of the impending threat, illustrating a simple lesson from stories about the consequences of ignorance. This fable joins the ranks of popular moral stories, emphasizing the importance of discernment in our choices.
naivety
consequences
Hen
Swallow
The Miser and His Gold
A Miser hides his gold at the foot of a tree, visiting it regularly to gloat over his wealth but never using it, illustrating a classic moral lesson. When a robber steals the gold, the Miser laments its loss, only to be reminded by a neighbor that since he never utilized the treasure, he might as well simply look at the empty hole instead. This tale, one of the top 10 moral stories, teaches that wealth is worthless if not put to use.
Greed
futility
Miser
robber
The Lion the Fox and the Ass
In the short moral story "The Lion, the Fox and the Ass," three animals agree to share the spoils of a hunt. After the Ass is devoured by the Lion for dividing the loot equally, the Fox wisely learns from this misfortune and takes the largest portion for himself when asked to divide the spoils. This tale, part of folklore and moral stories, emphasizes the importance of learning from others' experiences, making it a fitting choice for bedtime moral stories.
greed
survival
Lion
Fox
Other names for this story
Golden Egg Dilemma, The Greedy Hen, Wealth in Eggs, The Hen's Secret, Killing for Gold, The Cost of Greed, Daily Dose of Gold, The Egg-Laying Hen
Did You Know?
The story highlights the dangers of greed and impatience, illustrating how the desire for immediate wealth can lead to the loss of steady, reliable gains. Instead of appreciating the consistent, small fortune provided by the hen, the couple's avarice drove them to destroy their source of prosperity.
Subscribe to Daily Stories
Get a new moral story in your inbox every day.