In a small village nestled between rolling hills and fertile valleys, a humble farming family lived a simple life. Their home was modest, surrounded by cornfields and grazing land, yet they had little to call their own. Every morning, the family tended to their crops and animals with diligence, hoping for a modest harvest that could sustain them. Among their possessions was a hen unlike any other: a hen that laid golden eggs.
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At first, the family marveled at this gift. Each day, the hen produced a single egg made of pure gold. They took the eggs to the market, selling them to neighbors and merchants, and their small fortune began to grow. With each golden egg, the family felt a mixture of wonder, gratitude, and cautious excitement. The villagers spoke of the miraculous hen in hushed tones, warning others to value the blessings they had rather than crave what they did not.
However, the family’s amazement soon gave way to impatience. Greed crept into their hearts like a shadow at dusk. They thought: if the hen could lay one golden egg each day, perhaps it held a treasure within that could be taken all at once. Why wait when they could have it all? The father, driven by desire for quick wealth, declared that they would kill the hen to collect all the gold inside at once.
The morning of their fateful decision dawned bright and warm. The hen clucked softly, unaware of the greed it had inspired. With trembling hands, the family struck the hen, expecting to find a secret trove of gold. But when the feathers settled and the body lay still, they discovered nothing. There were no hidden riches, only the loss of their steady blessing. Shock and despair filled their hearts. In seeking more than they needed, they had destroyed the very source of their prosperity.
From that day forward, the family learned a harsh lesson. The golden hen was gone, leaving only the memory of the golden eggs and the regret of a family blinded by impatience. Villagers told the story for generations, emphasizing the importance of restraint, patience, and gratitude. They taught that slow, steady blessings are more valuable than sudden, reckless gain, and that respect for what one has often outweighs desire for what one does not.
The tale of La Gallina de los Huevos de Oro spreads through village firesides and school lessons alike. Children listen wide-eyed as elders recount the cautionary tale, absorbing the wisdom embedded in its simple plot. Parents remind their young ones to appreciate small gifts, tend faithfully to their responsibilities, and avoid letting greed cloud judgment. Through repetition, the lesson becomes part of the moral fabric of the community, a story that endures across time and place.
Even today, in villages across Latin America influenced by Spanish colonial traditions, people speak of the golden hen when discussing patience, generosity, or the consequences of hasty decisions. The tale is more than a story; it is a guide for life, teaching that lasting prosperity requires patience, gratitude, and careful stewardship of one’s blessings.
Moral Lesson
La Gallina de los Huevos de Oro teaches that impatience and greed destroy lasting prosperity. Steady blessings, patience, and gratitude ensure enduring well-being and happiness.
Knowledge Check
1. Who owns the golden hen in the story?
A poor farming family living in a small village.
2. What miraculous gift does the hen provide?
It lays a single golden egg each day.
3. What mistake does the family make out of greed?
They kill the hen to get all the gold at once.
4. What is the consequence of their impatience?
They lose the hen and the steady source of wealth, gaining nothing.
5. What lesson does the story convey?
That patience, gratitude, and restraint are more valuable than reckless greed.
6. How is this folktale culturally significant?
It reflects Latin American village moral teachings influenced by Spanish colonial storytelling traditions.
Source: Village moral folktale tradition
Cultural Origin: Latin America (Spanish colonial influence)
