One sunny mid-morning, young Goose and their siblings, cousins, parents, and grandparents came upon a gorgeous meadow full of lush green grass and plump ripe grains. Yummy!
They ate so much that their stomachs swelled right up until they almost touched the ground. They were so full they could barely move.
Meanwhile, Fox was out walking. “It seems like forever since I’ve eaten, and my stomach is rumbling,” Fox thought. Coming around a curve in the path, Fox’s nose twitched. Something smelled very sweet. A little further on, there in the meadow Fox saw more geese than could be counted. “Lunch,” thought Fox, and began to salivate.
Fox snuck quickly in among the tall grass, trying to keep quiet. But Fox couldn’t fool the geese. The sunlight glinted off Fox’s great big teeth and long sharp claws.
Some of the geese began to quiver and quake. Some began to cry. Some hid their heads under their wings.
Goose was just as worried as the rest. The meadow had no escape. Except for the path where Fox waited, the meadow was surrounded by tall cliffs. And the geese were too full to fly.
But Goose took a deep breath. They weren’t going to give in or give up! Goose took another deep breath and then called, “Fox! We know you are there. Before you eat us, please let us say one last blessing of thanks for this life we have lived.”
Fox salivated some more. Fox thought the geese might taste even sweeter after exercising their gratitude. “Go on, then, and say your blessing,” Fox said. “While I wait, I will choose who’ll be the tastiest among you.”
Goose held their wings out to their siblings, cousins, parents, and grandparents. Soon all the geese were touching wings in a great big circle. They began to pray, “Gaggle, gaggle, gaggle.”
Their blessing had rhythm. The geese added harmony. They began to dance a little while they kept on praying: “Gaggle, gaggle, gaggle.”
Finally, Fox fell asleep.
Singing and dancing had helped the geese to nicely digest their feast. They left the meadow. When they passed the sleeping fox, Fox’s teeth didn’t look nearly so sharp nor their claws nearly so long.
Adapted from an Aesop’s fable retold by Faye Mogensen in Ancient Stories for Modern Times (Skinner House, 2017).
Wondering Questions
In the story, the geese save their own lives by coming together.
- How did the geese discover “the power of we”?
- What did they do to escape the fox?
- Have you ever joined up with others to resist a threat? Stop a bully? Seek justice?
Additional Activities
Download the Summer 2019 UUWorld Families Pages (pdf) for more activities.
Originally published in the “Families Weave a Tapestry of Faith” insert in the Summer 2019 Issue of The UUWorld.
Ancient Stories for Modern Times — Spiral-bound Edition50 Short Wisdom Tales for All Ages
50 lively and engaging stories from around the world explore a broad range of life lessons. Includes reflection questions, story maps, and an index of themes and UU Principles. Spiral bound edition.