A man saw a wild goose flying in the sky. Fitting an arrow to his bow, he said, “If I can bring it down, we will stew it.”
“No, it would be better to roast it,” said his younger brother.
Their argument reached a deadlock. Finally they went to a senior member of their clan who settled the matter by suggesting a half-and-half treatment. But when they came out to look for the wild goose again, it was nowhere to be seen.
Allegorical Meaning
This minimalist fable dissects the self-defeating nature of theoretical disputes over immediate action. In the story, two brothers arguing whether to roast or boil a goose they haven’t even caught yet. Their quarrel allows the goose to escape.
Premature Conflict = Lost Opportunities
The brothers’ theoretical debate over cooking methods while the goose is still flying mirrors how people waste energy on hypothetical conflicts before securing tangible benefits.
Division Overcomes Shared Goals
Their inability to prioritize (first catch then decide) demonstrates how internal strife sabotages collective success — a critique of factionalism in families or governance.
Irony of Empty Theorizing
The story mocks rigid scholars prone to abstract arguments while neglecting practical steps.
The escaped goose symbolizes vanished opportunities due to endless deliberation — a warning against letting empty talks, paralysis of perfectionism, or disputes override action.
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