As Rewritten by R. W. Duncan

Once upon a time, there was a businessman who happened upon a failing business. He

knew that this business could be profitable and add luster to the place where he lived.

So, he approached the manager of the surrounding business and said, “How about you

purchasing this failing business? It will produce golden eggs and make everything you

dream of come true!” and the manager said, “Yes, I shall purchase this failing business

but I must get my shareholders to agree.” Whereupon the businessman said, “I’ll

purchase it for you and keep it safe until you get your shareholders agreement.” They

shook hands with the one believing that the business indeed would produce golden

eggs for his shareholders and the other knowing he had protected the place where he

lived.

Unfortunately the manager found that some of his shareholders didn’t believe in golden

eggs from a failed business. It followed then that the manager had to convince a large

number of shareholders that the golden eggs were real and could be found from this

failed business. The story continues and the ending has yet to be written.

The moral of the story is: Those who have plenty want more and so lose all they have.

There are no golden eggs.

(Illustration from The Rand McNally Book of Favorite Nursery Classics, 1978)