Folk Tale

The Goose and the Swan

Translated From

Κύκνος ἀντὶ χηνὸς ἀπαχθείς.

AuthorΑἴσωπος
LanguageAncient Greek
AuthorLaura Gibbs
LanguageEnglish
OriginGreece

A wealthy man wanted to raise a goose and a swan together but for different purposes: the swan was for singing and the goose was for eating. The time came for the goose to meet his appointed fate and have his throat cut. Yet the darkness of nighttime prevented the man from knowing which bird was which. As a result, he grabbed the swan instead of the goose. The swan then declared his true nature by bursting into a swan-song, and thus narrowly escaped from death.


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