The Golden Goose
This classic German fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm collection follows Dummling, the youngest and most despised of three sons, who receives kindness from a magical old man in the forest and is rewarded with a golden goose that magically adheres anyone who touches it. As the goose's peculiar power creates an increasingly absurd procession through the countryside, Dummling's simple heart and fortune ultimately win him a kingdom and a bride. The tale exemplifies the Grimms' characteristic blend of folk wisdom, magical reward for virtue, and satirical humor about human nature.