Once upon a time there were three brothers, called Handsome, Fair, and Less Attractive Then His Two Older Brothers (let’s call him Less for short). Now, usually all three brothers spent their days in leisure, playing games and reading and eating and fighting with each other. Their parents did most of the work.
But one day, their father was accosted by an angry moose, and while he was on bedrest, their mother realized she was going to have to give her sons work to do.
The first task she set them was to collect wood. Their stockpile was quickly running out, and she didn’t like when the cat’s paws got too cold. So, she packed up a nice meal for Handsome, and told him to collect as much wood as he could manage. However, not long into his trip, he was stopped by a little man with a jester’s hat on.
“Excuse me sir,” he said. “I’m so very hungry. May I have some of your food?”
Handsome considered. “No can do, little man,” he said. “For if I give my food to you, what will I eat? No can do.”
He went off on his way, but the little man with the jester’s hat on sneaked up behind him and hit the back of his leg very hard with an ax. While Handsome was down, the little man stole his food and ran off.
Later that night, when their mother realized that the cat’s paws were cold, and therefore that Handsome had never come home, she sent Fair out to find him, packing him a nice snack should he get hungry during his search.
He set out, but soon into his journey he was stopped by the same little man, only this time he was wearing a cowboy hat.
“Please, good man, I’m so hungry,” he said. “Might I have some of your food?”
But Fair just walked on, as though he didn’t hear the little man at all.
And so, just as he thought he had spotted his brother, the little man in the cowboy hat hit him over the head with a large novelty hammer he happened to have on his person. He stole the food and ran off.
The next day, upon realizing that neither Handsome nor Fair had returned, their mother sent Less in search of both or either of them, packing him a lunch made of leftovers.
Soon after he set off, however, he was stopped by the same little man, this time wearing a sailor’s cap.
“Please, sir, I’m so hungry,” he said. “Might I have some of your food?”
Less considered his request. “I guess,” he said. “Let’s sit down and share it.”
The little man seemed taken aback, but he exclaimed, “How kind of you, sir! For your generosity, I will share a secret with you. If you cut down this tree, you will find something wonderful inside.”
So Less cut down the tree, and found inside a goose made entirely of syrup. But when he tried to pick it up and put it in his pack, he found his hand stuck fast to the goose.
While he was stuck, the little man stole his food and ran off.
At this point, Less figured he might as well just go on with his search, and when he found his brothers he stuck their hands to the goose as well and slowly dragged them back home.
The End. For now…
Source: The Golden Goose
