Jataka Golden Goose

tale:jataka_golden_goose

A man reborn as a golden goose provides for his former wife and daughters by letting them pluck one golden feather at a time. Growing greedy, the wife seizes the goose and plucks out every feather at once; but the feathers, torn against the bird's will, turn to plain plumage, and the goose flies off, leaving them poor. Moral: grasp for all at once and you lose even what was freely given. — Jataka tale