The Golden Goose -bokuaka

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there were three brothers. The youngest son was given the name Bokuto, but everyone laughed at him and called him dummling - even his family. He didn't seem to mind and just ignored as folk talked behind his back.

The brothers often ran errands for their mother. The elder two would chop wood, hunt and collect water. Bokuto was hardly trusted to buy from the market by his mother. But every Sunday he would get everything his mother listed, though he sometimes forgot an item or two.

One day, while eating breakfast their mother said, "Oikawa, my oldest son, would you please cut some wood for us today. I have some cake and a bottle of wine for you to take with you. Be back by dark."

Oikawa collected the cake and wine then headed to the shed to get the axe. The forest was a small walk from their house and he set about chopping some wood. He didn't mind the work, it only helped with his stunning muscles that all the girls in town fawned over. No sooner had he started had a voice interrupted.

"Excuse me, lad, but could you spare some food and drink for a poor old man?" an elderly man smiled at Oikawa.

But Oikawa stuck out his tongue at the old man, "I will share my meal with no-one. Leave." and with that he swung his axe again. That swing hit his own foot.

Oikawa cried out, cursing the old man but he was no where to be found. The eldest son had to return home as he was unable to chop any wood. He hadn't managed to chop much wood before he was interrupted before and returned home with nothing.

The next day at breakfast, their mother said, "Tsukishima, my dear son, since your brother has been hurt and we are still in need of wood you will go cut some. I have cake and wine for you also."

Tsukishima clicked his tongue but set off anyway. He didn't really care for cutting wood. He got to the clearing in the wood and set down his stuff before swinging his axe once.

A voice cut him off, "I'm terribly hungry and thirsty, would you please share with me?" an old man was starring at Tsukishima.

The brother simply rolled his eyes, swinging his axe again. How he yelled when it, too, struck his foot. Like his older brother, he had to return home empty-handed with a bitter thoughts of the old man.

The next morning at breakfast the mother spoke again, "Dummling, go get some wood, there's some bread and water by the axe." Bokuto knew he was only going because his brothers were injured and couldn't but he didn't mind.

He skipped to the woods, happy to do something more than a few errand runs into town. He got to the clearing and set about to cut some wood. Before he could even swing his axe, a voice called out, "I am so hungry and thirsty. Please, lad, spare me some food and drink."

Bokuto immediately agreed, setting his axe down he went about splitting the portion in half. The old man settled on a log in the clearing, grateful for the brother's kindness.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"It's Bokuto, sir. But everyone calls me Dummling," he handed the bread to the old man and passed a cup to drink from.

"People can be so cruel, but not you - you are a good boy," said the man, "and if you cut down that tree you will get your reward."

After they had eaten, Bokuto picked up his axe and set to work on the tree.

"Sir, it's a goose! And it's golden!" Bokuto cried out in astonishment. He turned to find the old man gone.

Bokuto decided he could probably make a great fortune selling it in the city. So off he set.

One of their girls from his village, Alisa, called out to him, "Dummling, what are you carrying?" Golden feathers seemed to sprout from beneath his arm and he left a small trail where he walked. He didn't seem to have heard her so she reached out to touch whatever it was. A goose she realised. A golden goose.