Death and the goose herder
by Brothers Grimm
The Goose Boy and the Kind Guide
Once there was a boy. He had ten white geese. They lived by a big lake. The lake was shiny. The grass was green. The boy loved his geese.
One day a tall man came. He walked along the lake. He had a long coat. He had a gentle smile. "Hello! Who are you?" the boy said. "I am the Kind Guide," the man said.
"Where do you come from?" the boy said. "I come from far away," the Guide said. "There is a new land. It is across the water. It is very beautiful."
"Oh! I want to see it!" the boy said. The Guide smiled. "Not yet, little one. I will come back soon."
Now, a mean man lived near the lake. He had piles of gold coins. He counted them every day. "More! I want more!" the mean man said. He never shared. He never helped anyone.
The Kind Guide went to the mean man. "Come to the new land," the Guide said. The mean man ran to the water. But the water splashed him back. It did not let him cross. He was wet. He was sad. He walked away.
Many days went by. The boy sang songs to his geese. Then the Kind Guide came back.
"Are you ready to see the new land?" the Guide said. The boy smiled. "Yes! I am ready!"
The boy walked to the water. His white geese walked with him. They stepped onto the shiny water. They walked across it! And the white geese changed. They became fluffy white sheep!
The new land was so beautiful. Green hills went on and on. Flowers grew everywhere. The sun was warm and golden. "Here, every good shepherd is a king!" a voice said.
Three kind old kings came to him. "Welcome, little king!" Abraham said. Isaac smiled at the boy. Jacob took his hand.
They put a golden crown on his head. The crown was bright and shiny. The boy looked at his white sheep. He looked at the green hills. He looked at the three kind kings. The boy smiled. He was a king now. And he was happy forever and ever.
Original Story
Death and the goose herder A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm A poor herder went along the shore of a large and stormy water, herding many white geese. To this on came Death over water, and was asked by the herder, whence he came from, and whence he wanted to go? Death answered, that he came out of the water and wanted to go out of the world. The poor gooseherder asked futher: how does one go forth out of the world? Death said, that one had to go over the water into the new world, which lies beyond. The herder said, that he tired of this life, and asked Death, he should take him over with him. Death said, that it was not yet time, and he had now otherwise to do. But there was unfar from there a greedy-neck, he by night thought in his lair, how he could bring even more money and goods together, this one Death led the to the great water and pushed him in. Because he could no swim, he drowned to bottom, before he could reach the shore. His dogs and cats, who so ran after him, also drowned with him. Several days after that Death came also to the goose herder, found him singing merrily and said to him: "Will you now go with me?" He was willing and came with his white geese well over, which were all transformed into white sheep. The goose herder looked upon the beautiful land and heard, that the herders of the places became kings, and as he rightly looked about him, the chief herders Abraham, Isaac and Jacob came towards him, placed a kingly crown upon him, and led him to the herder's palace, there he is still to be found. * * * * *
Moral of the Story
Those who live simply and accept their fate will find peace and reward in the afterlife, while the greedy will meet a grim end.
Characters
Death ◆ supporting
Implied skeletal figure, emerges from water
Attire: Not specified, but likely dark, flowing robes or shroud
Impartial, business-like, follows a schedule
The Goose Herder ★ protagonist
Poor, weary of life
Attire: Simple, functional peasant clothing suitable for herding geese (linen shirt, breeches, leather boots)
Melancholy, accepting, ultimately rewarded for his patience
The Greedy-Neck ⚔ antagonist
Implied overweight due to greed
Attire: Fine but ostentatious clothing, rings on fingers
Greedy, avaricious, focused on material wealth
Abraham ○ minor
Wise and benevolent
Attire: Simple, regal robes
Welcoming, king-making
Isaac ○ minor
Wise and benevolent
Attire: Simple, regal robes
Welcoming, king-making
Jacob ○ minor
Wise and benevolent
Attire: Simple, regal robes
Welcoming, king-making
Locations
Shore of a large, stormy water
A wide, windswept shore beside a large body of water, the surface churned by a storm.
Mood: Desolate, dangerous, otherworldly
Death first appears and speaks with the goose herder.
Greedy-neck's Lair
A hidden place where the greedy man schemes to accumulate wealth.
Mood: Dark, secretive, avaricious
The greedy man plots his financial gains before being led to his death.
The New World beyond the water
A beautiful, pastoral land beyond the stormy water, filled with green fields and transformed sheep.
Mood: Peaceful, heavenly, rewarding
The goose herder is transported to a new life and crowned king.
Herder's Palace
A grand palace where herders become kings.
Mood: Regal, peaceful, eternal
The goose herder is crowned king and led to his new home.
Story DNA
Moral
Those who live simply and accept their fate will find peace and reward in the afterlife, while the greedy will meet a grim end.
Plot Summary
A poor goose herder encounters Death, who explains the journey to the afterlife. Though initially tired of life, the herder is told it's not his time. Death then punishes a greedy man by drowning him. Days later, Death returns for the now content herder, who willingly goes, his geese transforming into sheep. In the new world, he is crowned a king by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, finding eternal reward for his simple, virtuous life.
Themes
Emotional Arc
acceptance to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The Grimm's tales often reflect Christian morality and traditional German folk beliefs about death and the afterlife, where a simple, pious life is valued.
Plot Beats (12)
- A poor goose herder tends his white geese by a stormy body of water.
- Death emerges from the water and is questioned by the herder about his origin and destination.
- Death explains he came from the water and intends to leave the world, and that one must cross the water to the new world.
- The herder, tired of life, asks Death to take him, but Death says it's not his time and he has other tasks.
- Death finds a greedy man nearby, who is plotting to acquire more money and goods.
- Death leads the greedy man to the great water and pushes him in, causing him, his dogs, and cats to drown.
- Several days later, Death returns to the goose herder, who is now singing merrily.
- Death asks the herder if he is ready to go, and the herder willingly agrees.
- The herder and his white geese cross the water, and the geese transform into white sheep.
- The herder observes the beautiful new land and learns that its herders become kings.
- Chief herders Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob approach the goose herder.
- They place a kingly crown upon him and lead him to the herder's palace, where he remains.
