Kill the goose that laid the golden egg

Origin of: Kill the goose that laid the golden egg

Kill the goose that laid the golden egg

The Goose with the Golden Eggs is one of the most popular fables by Aesop c. 550 BC. This expression has become idiomatic for any unprofitable action motivated by greed. In the fable, the farmer stupidly kills the goose believing there is more gold inside it.