The Fairy Goose
(O?FLAHERTY, LIAM)
ABSTRACT ? O?FLAHERTY, LIAM - THE FAIRY GOOSE. In O?Conner, Frank ? CLASSIC IRISH SHORT STORIES 1957 Oxford University Press. A friendly neighbour presents strange allegorical fable with a strong anti-religious perspective, An Irish woman, Mary Wiggins, with three goose eggs. Mary gets an old hen to roost over the eggs as if they were her own, but the hen dies with the eggs now close to hatching. Mary improvises in the house to keep it warm. One egg hatches, producing an ugly crippled gosling, which can?t fly, and struggles even to walk. Mary initially wants to kill it but her husband refuses to let her do it. The goose survives, and the miracle leads the close community to consider it a miracle ? Everyone loves the goose and it knows nothing but friendship. Mary herself becomes a local wise woman, providing medical support and advice to all. The situation goes well until word of the miraculous fairie pagan goose reaches the ears of the priests. A priest travels to see the goose for himself, and kicks it. The goose is now suddenly afraid of people for the first time. The priest destroys the shrine like nesting box used by the goose, and tears away its fancy ribbons and garlands. The people of the village are torn between affection for Mary and for the authority of the Catholic Church. More and more people shun Mary, blaming her witchcraft for every misfortune. Even her husband turns against her. A mob eventually chases after the goose and stones it to death. Shocked by their own actions, the people of Mary?s village then blame each other for their part in the matter and the village never knows a moment of peace again. An easy read of great emotion and power in describing the ease with which people give in to superstition and schism.
Resumos Relacionados
- Dicionário De Filosofia Portuguesa
- Grumman G-21/ Jrf Goose
- Night Mary
- Mistery Garden
- The Complete Idiots Guide To The Gnostic Gospels
|
|
