Saturday, January 26, 2019

Reading Notes: The Golden Feathers

The Golden Feathers

A poor man looking to provide for his family went away to make money
When he left, a fairy turned him into a goose with gold feathers
Thinking that he could use this gold feathers to give wealth to his family he went back to them
He let them take and sell the feathers a couple times.  
He would fly away and return each time.
Fearing that the goose would not return, the wife took all of his feathers and put him in a barrel.
She was greedy and selfish so the goose flew away when his feathers grew back white.
He never returned to his wife.

There are many lessons to be learned from this story.
1.  Money cannot buy happiness
2.  Family needs to stick together
3.  Greed can drive away the people you are closest to

As the man/goose, it would be extremely difficult for me to leave my family behind.  His intentions to provide for his family are pure I think, but if I was his family I would much rather be with him and without him with a lot of money.  I really enjoy the part of the plot where the fairy turns the man into a golden goose.  I definitely could use this idea in one of my stories.  I might not use a man turning into a goose, but I could definitely turn a man into a different animal.  I could also switch from animal to animal.  This idea connects a little with the reincarnation but it is in the same life.   

This story inspires me to include lessons in my upcoming stories.  An interesting story is great, but it becomes so much better when a theme or life lesson can be learned.  Stories can give rise to wisdom in a reader, and I hope to accomplish that this semester.


A Golden Feather: Public Domain Picture

Bibliography

Twenty Jātaka Tales, retold by Noor Inayat

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