Old Mother Goose and her son Jack

, she sent Jack to market to buy the finest Goose he could find. It was early

in the morning when he started, and his way lay through a wood. He was not afraid

of robbers, so on he went, with his Mother’s great clothes-prop over his shoulder.

The fresh morning air caused Jack’s spirits to rise. He left the road and plunged

into the thick of the wood, where he amused himself by leaping with his clothes-prop

till he found he had lost himself.

After he had made many attempts to find the path again, he heard a scream.

He jumped up and ran boldly towards the spot from which the sound came.

Through an opening in the trees, he saw a young lady trying to get away from

a ruffian who wanted to steal her mantle. With one heavy blow of his staff, Jack sent

the thief howling away and then went back to the young lady, who was lying

on the ground, crying.

Jack asked, “he is gone. Are you ok?” 

She dried her tears and thanked Jack for his help, and then she told Jack, “I am the 

 daughter of the Squire,  who lives in the great white house on the hilltop.

I know the path out of the wood quite well, and when we reach the border, you must

come to my father’s house so that he might thank you for his noble conduct”.

When Jack was left alone, he made the best of his way to the marketplace. He found

little trouble in picking out the best Goose, for when he got there, he was very late,

and there was, but one left. But as it was a prime one, Jack bought it at once

and, keeping to the road, made straight for home. At first, the Goose objected to being

carried; and then, when she had walked along slowly and gravely for a short time,

she tried to fly away; so Jack seized her in his arms and kept her there till he reached

home.

Old Mother Goose was greatly pleased when she saw what a fine bird Jack

had bought; the Gander showed more joy than I can describe. And then they all

lived very happily for a long time. But Jack would often leave off work to dream

of the lovely young lady whom he had rescued in the forest and soon began to sigh

all day long. He neglected the garden, cared no more for the Gander, and scarcely

even noticed the beautiful Goose. But one morning, as he was walking by the pond,

he saw both the Goose and the Gander making a great noise as though they were

in the utmost glee. He went up to them and was surprised to find on the bank a large

golden egg. He ran with it to his mother, who said, “Go to market, my son; sell

your egg, and you will soon be rich enough to pay a visit to the Squire.” So to market,

Jack went and sold his golden egg, but the rogue who bought it for him cheated him

out of half his due. Then he dressed in his finest clothes and went up to the Squire’s

house. Two footmen stood at the door, one looking very stout and saucy and the other

sleepy and stupid.

When Jack asked to see the Squire, they laughed at him and made sport of his fine

clothes; but Jack had wit enough to offer them each a coin when they at once

showed him to the Squire’s room.

Now the Squire, who was very rich, was also very proud and fat and scarcely turned

his head to notice Jack; but when he showed him his bag of gold and asked for his

daughter to be his bride, the Squire flew into a rage, and ordered his servants to throw

him into the horse-pond. But this was not so easy to do, for Jack was strong

and active, and then the young lady come out and begged her father to release him.

This made Jack more deeply in love with her than ever, and he went home determined

to win her despite all. And well did his wonderful Goose aid him in his design.

Almost every morning, she would lay him a golden egg, and Jack, grown wiser,

would no longer sell them at half their value to the rogue who had before cheated him.

So Jack soon grew to be a richer man than the Squire himself. His wealth became

known to all the country round, and the Squire at length consented to accept Jack

as his son-in-law. Then Old Mother Goose flew away into the woods on the back of her

strong Gander, leaving the cottage and the Goose to Jack and his bride, who lived

happily ever afterward.

The End