Once upon a time, a poor family lived in a remote village. Andiris did not earn much by cultivating a chena. His wife, Ethana, bought a hen thinking that her family could get rich by selling eggs. She was a very kind woman who loved animals.
She fed the hen and looked after it day and night. However, Ethana did not know that the hen was no ordinary bird.
A golden egg
One day, she was surprised to see a golden egg in a straw hut put up for the hen. She sold the golden egg to the goldsmith and received a large sum of money. The hen started laying golden eggs regularly and Ethana’s family prospered. The news of the hen laying golden eggs spread like wildfire. One day a thief decided to steal the hen.
The thief entered Ethana’s house without much difficulty and carried the hen away. He took the bird home very happily thinking that he could become rich like Ethana.
However, his dreams were dashed to the ground when the hen laid an ordinary egg. He was so furious that he wanted to kill the hen.
A sin
“Please spare my life. I can lay golden eggs only for those who lead a pious life. As you have committed a sin by stealing me from Ethana’s house, I am unable to lay golden eggs,” said the hen.
The thief found that there was no use keeping a hen that did not lay golden eggs. He took the hen to the Sunday fair and sold it to a woman. When she took the hen home, her children were very happy. All of them loved it very much and began to feed the bird and play with it. Each member of the household led a difficult life as they did not have any income.
One day, all of them were surprised to see a golden egg in a bundle of straw where the hen used to sleep. When the hen started laying golden eggs regularly, everybody at home became rich. They bought everything they desired. They built a big house and lived there very happily.
A theft
They say good fortune does not last long. To their dismay, the children found that their favourite hen had been stolen.
They searched for her everywhere but could not find her.
After some time they traced the hen to a butcher who was about to kill her.
A plea
The children pleaded with the butcher not to kill her because she was their pet. The butcher, however, demanded a large sum of money to release the hen. The children did not have such a large amount of money to pay the butcher. The hen suddenly spoke.
“Don’t worry. I’ll lay a golden egg and give it to the butcher. Then he will release me.”
The children gave the golden egg to the butcher and took the hen home.
Thereafter, the hen laid a golden egg every day and everybody became rich and lived happily for a long time.
