(1899–1900)
In writing of the foolish trust of the geese in their “gods,” the human race, Mark Twain evidently meant to suggest that man also was too trusting toward his own gods. He made the same point more directly in his Autobiographical Dictation of 25 June 1906: “It is to these celestial bandits that the naïve and confiding and illogical human rabbit looks for a Heaven of eternal bliss, which is to be his reward for patiently enduring the want and sufferings inflicted upon him here below.” The expectation of wise guidance from the cow in “Goose Fable” is a further instance of misplaced trust.
“Goose Fable” is written on a paper which Mark Twain used only in 1899 and 1900, most notably for the last part of “The Chronicle of Young Satan”1 and the essay “Dollis Hill House, London, 1900.” Paine dated the piece 1900.
The Wild Geese were flying northwards in a branching long procession shaped like a harrow. At the end of one of the lines was young Snowflake and her mother, and the mother was instructing her child about the godsⒶalteration in the MS.
“I have a presentiment that I am not long for this world, my daughter,” she said, “and I wish to impress upon you some solemn truthsⒶalteration in the MS for your guidance when I shall be no more. And first I will ask you the usual questions of the daily lesson, for it is not permitted to neglect this necessary office. Who created us and gave us all we have, my child?”
“The gods, mamma.”
“Who are the gods?”
“They are called the Human Race, mamma.”
“What is their character, my child?”
“They are righteous, good, perfect in all ways, and without spot or blemish.”
“And merciful?”
“Their mercy has no bounds.”
“All that they do is right?”
“All. The Human Race can do no wrong.”
“If acts of theirs shall seem wrong?”Ⓐemendation
[begin page 151]“We must not regard it—knowing that the act, however unjust it may seem to us in our blindness and ignorance, is done only for our good.”
“If the gods should seem cruel?”
“We must bear the pain, and still adore the hand that inflicts it, for we know that the hidden spirit of it is merciful.”
“What, then, is our duty toward the gods?”
“To accept what they give, whether of pain or pleasure, with humble and thankful hearts, loving them always, and worshiping them to the end.”
“It is well, my child. Do not forget the lesson, but carry it in your heart and study it every day, remembering, when I am gone, that it was your mother, who loves you so, that begged this of you.”
Snowflake was weeping, for her mother's words filled her with dread, but she promised. Then the mother continued—
“I will now speak of a matter which is near my heart. You are pure, and you are good, and have been trained from the egg in high and righteous ways; but you are very young, you are gentle, and winning, and innocent, and beautiful—ohⒶalteration in the MS, so beautiful! And so, you will be hedged about with temptations, and I not by to watch over you and save you. Remember my words, and be careful—do not trust all comers. The cow is our friend, and is old and wise; go to her in time of trouble and she will advise and help you.”Ⓐemendation
The manuscript is copy-text. There are no textual notes, and no ambiguous compound is hyphenated at the end of a line in the manuscript.