The Farmer and His Wife

Once upon a time, in a small peaceful village, there lived a hardworking farmer and his wife. They were not rich, but they had a small piece of land, a humble home, and a few chickens that gave them eggs every morning. They were content, lived simply, and shared everything with each other. The farmer worked all day in the field, growing crops and taking care of the animals. His wife would cook, tend to the garden, feed the chickens, and keep the house warm and neat. They never had gold or silver, but their life was filled with love, honesty, and peace. One morning, while collecting eggs, the farmer found something strange. One of the chickens had laid a shiny golden egg. He couldn’t believe his eyes. “Look!” he shouted, rushing into the house. “This egg is made of pure gold!” His wife’s eyes widened. They took it to the town, and the goldsmith confirmed it was real. They sold it for a good sum of money. From that day on, every morning the chicken laid a golden egg. The couple became richer and richer. They bought new clothes, a bigger house, and more land. The farmer no longer worked in the field, and his wife stopped cooking. Servants did everything. But slowly, greed crept into their hearts. The wife said one day, “If the hen lays one golden egg every day, imagine how many are inside her! Why wait? Let’s take them all at once.” Though the farmer hesitated, his greed got the better of him. That night, while everyone slept, they quietly killed the hen and opened her up. But to their horror, there were no golden eggs inside. Just like any ordinary chicken, her body was the same. “What have we done?” the farmer cried. “Our blessing is gone forever.” No more golden eggs came. No more wealth grew. They had lost the magic out of greed. They returned to their simple life, but this time with sorrow in their hearts. The farmer and his wife learned to live humbly once again—wiser, though sadder.