a
reference to an ancient
fable of a goose that suddenly begins to
lay eggs of pure
gold. The farmer that owns the goose becomes impatient as the goose only lays one a
day. In his greed to become wealthy
right away, he cuts the goose
open to get all the eggs he thinks must be inside. The eggs, however, had not yet turned to
gold and his
efforts are spoiled-doubly so, in
fact, as the goose is
dead. Figuratively, to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs means to
destroy the
chief cause of one's
success or
profit through greed,
stupidity or neglect.