Home/Posts/ The Hen That Laid Golden Eggs

The Hen That Laid Golden Eggs

Once upon a time, in a small village, a farmer and his wife lived together. The farmer loved to buy hens from the market and take care of them.

One day, he brought home a new hen. He loved and cared for her, and she grew healthy and strong.

After a few months, the hen laid an egg! But this wasn’t just any egg – it was a golden egg!

Watercolor painting of a farmer and his wife, both wearing simple, earthy-toned clothing (the farmer in browns and the wife in a muted blue), standing beside a hen house. The hen is depicted as a plump, healthy Rhode Island Red with vibrant red feathers. In the foreground, a single gleaming golden egg rests on the ground, contrasted by the muted earth tones of the setting. In the background, faintly, is a suggestion of their small village. Use a soft, warm color palette with muted greens, browns, and yellows, emphasizing the contrast of the golden egg against the rustic setting. The style should be reminiscent of classic children’s book illustrations.

The farmer and his wife were amazed! The hen laid a golden egg every day, and they sold them for lots of money. But then, greed crept into their hearts.

The farmer thought, ‘If she lays one golden egg every day, how many more must be inside her?’

He came up with a terrible plan. He killed the hen and cut it open, hoping to find many more golden eggs. But guess what? There were no more eggs inside!

The farmer and his wife were very, very sorry. They had killed their hen and lost all their golden eggs. They learned a valuable lesson that day.

A watercolor illustration of a heartbroken farmer and wife, their clothes now slightly more disheveled and dull in color than before (same color scheme as above), kneeling beside a lifeless hen, its feathers slightly ruffled and looking dull. Blood is subtly suggested, depicted with dark reddish-brown washes, rather than intensely realistic detail. The scene is somber and slightly muted in color. A scattering of brown feathers and the absence of a golden egg emphasizes their loss. The background shows a slightly darker, more somber representation of the village. Focus on conveying emotion through color and composition.

Lesson: Greed is bad. It’s always better to be happy with what you have.

←

The Honest Woodcutter

The Hat Seller and the Monkeys

→