# How a Goose and a Gander Were Mated explained — The Adventurous Simplicissimus > Chapter companion for The Adventurous Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. ## What happens Simplicissimus, confined in a goose-pen, reflects on his earlier adventures. During a wedding dance, a couple enters the pen for a secret rendezvous, and Simplicissimus, misunderstanding their actions, bursts out crying 'Murder' and bolts the door behind him, escaping the house. He comments on the dishonorable fruits of such dancing. ## Themes in this chapter ### Deception and Appearance The secret rendezvous in the goose-pen and Simplicissimus's misinterpretation highlight the theme of appearances versus reality. ### Folly and Wisdom Simplicissimus's naive reaction to the lovers' actions underscores his folly, while his later reflection on the dishonor of such dances suggests a dawning wisdom. ## Character check-ins ### Simplicissimus Narrator and protagonist, confined in the goose-pen, observes and then flees the scene. ## Key lines > So in my goose-pen I pondered on all that I have set down in black and white in my first part; of which, therefore, there is no need in this place to say more. While confined in the goose-pen, I reflected on everything I wrote in the first part, so I won't repeat it here. _Simplicissimus summarizes his earlier narrative._ > Yet can I not choose but say that even then I doubted whether the dancers in truth were so mad to stamp the floor down or whether I was only so led to believe. I still wonder if the dancers were truly so wild as to shake the floor, or if I was just made to think so. _Simplicissimus questions the reality of the dancers' frenzy._ > For three whole hours, namely, till that Praeludium Veneris (I should have said that seemly dance) was ended, I must perforce sit till one came softly and fumbled with the bolt. I had to sit for three hours until the dance ended, when someone quietly came and fiddled with the lock. _Describes the duration of his confinement and the arrival of a visitor._ > So presently there was between these two a whispering, whereof I could understand naught save that the one party complained of the evil air of the place, and on the other hand the second party would console the first. Soon the two whispered, but I only caught that one complained about the bad air and the other tried to comfort them. _Simplicissimus overhears the couple's conversation._ > Yet when a comical noise arose and the goose-pen, which was but of boards nailed together below the staircase, began to shake and crack, and moreover the lady seemed in trouble, I thought, surely these be two of those mad folk which helped to stamp on the floor, and have now betaken themselves hither to behave in like manner, and bring thee to thy death. When a funny noise started and the flimsy goose-pen shook and cracked, and the lady seemed distressed, I thought these were the same mad dancers who had come to stamp here and kill me. _Simplicissimus fears for his life, misunderstanding the couple's activity._ > As soon as these thoughts came into my head, I seized upon the door, so to escape death, and out I whipt with a cry of 'Murder' as loud as that which had brought me to that place. Thinking this, I grabbed the door to escape death, rushed out shouting 'Murder' as loudly as I had when I was first brought there. _Simplicissimus flees in panic, crying for help._ > Yet had I the sense to bolt the door behind me and make for the open house-door. But I had the sense to lock the door behind me and head for the front door. _He shows some cunning by securing the door as he escapes._ > This was now the first wedding I was ever present at in my life, and even to that I had not been invited: on the other hand, I needed to give no wedding-gift, though the bridegroom did mark up a heavy score against me, which I honourably discharged. This was my first wedding, and I wasn't even invited; I didn't have to give a gift, but the bridegroom held a grudge against me, which I later settled honorably. _Simplicissimus reflects on the ironic nature of his first wedding attendance._ > Gentle reader, I tell this story not that thou mayest laugh thereat, but that my History may be complete, and my readers may take to heart what honourable fruits are to be expected from this dancing. Dear reader, I tell this not for your amusement, but to complete my story and to show what honorable outcomes come from such dancing. _Simplicissimus explains his moral purpose in recounting the event._ > For this I hold for certain, that in these dances many a bargain is struck up, whereof the whole company hath cause thereafter to be shamed. I am certain that in these dances many deals are made that later bring shame to everyone involved. _Simplicissimus condemns the secret dealings that occur at dances._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/i-how-a-goose-and-a-gander-were-mated - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters