# Golden Egg explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James McIntyre.

## What happens

The poem reflects on the ancient fable of the goose that laid golden eggs, then pivots to a modern tale of miners in California who find gold in the craws of hens, celebrating the hen's value in both fable and rural Ontario life.

## Themes in this chapter

### Agriculture and Rural Economy

The poem celebrates the hen as a source of both eggs and gold, linking rural poultry farming to economic fortune.

### Moral Lessons and Domestic Virtue

The fable warns against greed and impatience, while the modern tale praises the hen's domestic utility and the miner's reward.

## Key lines

> In ancient times we have been told / A goose did lay an egg of gold, / She did produce one every day, / So regular this goose did lay.

Long ago, a goose laid a golden egg each day without fail.

_Introduces the classic fable of the golden goose._

> But her stupid foolish master / Wanted her to lay them faster, / And he at last the goose did kill, / Gold grist no more came to his mill.

The greedy owner killed the goose trying to get more gold, but then got nothing.

_Moral lesson about the folly of greed._

> Then they are slain and you behold / In their craw the shining gold, / Made up of particles so fine, / The purest gold in all the mine.

When the hens are killed, miners find fine gold particles in their crops.

_Describes the California practice of finding gold in hens._

> And in Ontario the hen / Is worthy of the poet's pen, / For she doth well deserve the praise / Bestowed on her for her fine lays.

The hen in Ontario deserves poetic praise for her excellent egg-laying.

_Ends with a tribute to the hen's value in local agriculture._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters/golden-egg
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters