In a cozy little cottage, nestled beside a big, whispering forest, lived a woodcutter with his three sons. The two older sons thought they were very clever, but the youngest son, everyone called him Simpleton, was often teased for being, well, a bit simple. But he had a kind heart.

One day, the eldest son decided to go into the forest to chop wood. His mother gave him a delicious, sweet cake and a bottle of fine wine. In the forest, he met a little gray old man who said, "Please, share your cake and wine with me. I'm so hungry and thirsty."
But the eldest son scoffed, "Share my good food with you? If I do, I won't have enough for myself! Go away!" And he walked off, leaving the little man behind. Soon after, as he was chopping a tree, his axe slipped and he cut his arm badly. He had to go home.

The next day, the second son went to the forest. His mother gave him an even better cake and a bottle of tasty juice. He too met the little gray man. "Please, share your food and drink," begged the little man.
But the second son, just as selfish as his brother, replied, "What I give to you, I lose myself. Be off!" And not long after, he too missed a swing with his axe and cut his leg. So he limped home.

Then Simpleton said, "Father, let me go and chop wood."
His father said, "Your brothers hurt themselves. You're not as clever as them, you'll surely get into trouble."
But Simpleton begged and begged, so finally, his father said, "Alright, go then. Learn from your own mistakes." His mother gave him a plain, crumbly cake made with water and ash, and a bottle of sour water.

When Simpleton went into the forest, he too met the little gray old man. The old man greeted him and said, "Please give me a piece of your cake and a sip of your drink. I am so hungry and thirsty."
Simpleton replied, "Oh dear, I only have this burnt cake and sour water. But if you think it's good enough, let's sit and share it."
They sat down, and when Simpleton took out his burnt cake, it had turned into a wonderful, sweet cake! And the sour water had become delicious, sparkling juice! They ate and drank happily.

Then the little old man said, "Because you have a kind heart and shared what little you had, I will give you good luck. See that old tree over there? Cut it down, and you will find something in its roots."
Simpleton thanked him, went to the tree, and chopped it down. And what did he find among the roots? A goose with feathers of pure, shining gold! "Wowzers!" he thought.

He picked up the golden goose and decided to stay the night at an inn. The innkeeper had three daughters. When they saw the golden goose, their eyes grew wide. Each one wanted just one of its golden feathers.
The eldest daughter thought, "I'll just wait until he's not looking and pluck one feather." When Simpleton left the room for a moment, she reached for the goose's wing. But as soon as her hand touched the goose, it stuck fast! She couldn't pull it away.
Soon, the second daughter came in. Seeing her sister stuck, she thought, "If she can have a feather, so can I!" She touched her sister, planning to reach past her, but instantly, she too was stuck to her sister!
Then the third daughter came, with the same idea. She touched the second sister, and zap! She was stuck too. They pulled and tugged, but they were all stuck together, and stuck to the goose.

The next morning, Simpleton picked up his golden goose, not minding the three girls trailing behind him, stuck like glue. "Well, I must be going!" he said cheerfully.
Out on the road, they passed a parson (a churchman). When the parson saw the procession, he cried, "Shame on you, girls, running after a young man like that through the fields!" He tried to pull the youngest girl away, but as soon as he touched her, he too got stuck!
A little further on, the parson's clerk (his helper) saw them. He was surprised to see the parson running after three girls. "Mr. Parson, where are you going so fast?" he called, and grabbed the parson's sleeve to stop him. Instantly, the clerk was stuck too!
So now Simpleton walked along with his golden goose, followed by three girls, the parson, and the clerk, all stuck in a line.
They met two farmers coming from the fields with their hoes. The parson begged them for help. But when the farmers tried to pull the clerk free, they both got stuck as well! Now there were seven people trailing behind Simpleton and his goose.

Simpleton and his funny parade eventually came to a city where a king lived. This king had a daughter, a princess, who was so serious that she never, ever laughed. The king had declared that whoever could make his daughter laugh would marry her.
When Simpleton heard this, he marched his goose and its long tail of stuck people right in front of the princess.
When the princess saw Simpleton, the golden goose, and the seven people all hopping and stumbling along, all stuck together and looking very silly, her serious face began to twitch. Then she giggled. Then she chuckled. And finally, she burst into a great, joyful laugh! It was the first time anyone had heard her laugh so heartily.

Simpleton then asked for his reward, the princess. But the king didn't really want a "Simpleton" for a son-in-law. So he made up some tasks.
First, he said, "You must find me a man who can drink all the wine in my cellar."
Simpleton went back to the forest, feeling a bit sad. There he found the little gray old man sitting by the tree stump. Simpleton told him his problem.
"Don't worry," said the little man. "I know someone who is always thirsty." He led Simpleton to a man sitting by a stream, looking very parched. This man went to the king's cellar and drank, and drank, and drank, until every single barrel was empty!

The king was annoyed but set another task. "Now you must find a man who can eat a mountain of bread."
Again, Simpleton went to the little gray man, who said, "I know just the fellow." He showed Simpleton a man who was always hungry. This man sat down before the huge pile of bread the king had ordered and ate, and ate, until not a crumb was left.

The king was still not happy. He said, "One last thing. You must bring me a ship that can sail on land as well as on water."
Simpleton went to his friend, the little gray man. "This will be easy," said the little man. And because Simpleton had been so kind, the little man gave him a magnificent ship that could indeed sail on land and float on water.

When the king saw the amazing ship, he could make no more excuses.
So, Simpleton married the princess, who now laughed every day. And when the old king passed away, Simpleton, who wasn't so simple after all, became the new king. He ruled wisely and kindly, and they all lived happily ever after, especially the princess, who never forgot the funny sight of the golden goose and its sticky followers.

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