The Golden Goose is the story of a city and the people of Benares. One day, golden clouds covered their sky and they didn't figure out why. A goose was then flying through the sky, but it wasn't an ordinary goose. It was a beautiful golden goose they lit up the sky. The King looked up through his castle and called out to the goose, explaining "Great bird of those why fly through space you are certainly the king". The King called everyone to come out and celebrate and honor their visitor. The flock of geese following the golden goose thought the King just wanted to be the golden gooses friend. So the goose went down to earth to greet the king, then back up to his companions. The goose then headed home to his kingdom at Cittakutta. As time passed, the King of Benares longed more and more to see the bird. He walked to Lake Anokkatta every day looking for the bird. One day, two young geese under the golden gooses rule approached him and said they hoped to race to the sun. They persisted, even after the golden goose said it was not wise. The King repeatedly said no, so the young geese went anyway without permission.
The King knew what these two young geese were up to, so he followed them anyway. The two geese grew so tired of flying for so long, and the King saved them and flew them back down to land. The golden goose decided to visit the King of Benares again, and the King was overjoyed at his visitor. The King brought a golden throne for the goose and invited him inside. The goose spoke of his speed and the King asked if there was anything faster than him. The golden goose informed him that Time was a hundred thousand times faster than the himself. The golden goose then decided it was time to return back to his kingdom.
Source:
Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat
(The Golden Goose:
wikimedia)
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