Ang mga gansa ay may hawig sa ng mga pato ngunit sila ay may mahahabang mga leeg. Subalit noon ang mga gansa ay kahawig na kahawig ng mga pato. Ang kanilang mga leeg ay maliliit din. Ito ang kuwento kung paano nakuha ng gansa ang kaniyang mahabang leeg.
May isang gansa ang bagong kasal. Ang dalawang mag-asawa ay nagpasya na itayo ang kanilang pugad sa malapit sa ilog upang sa gayon, paglabas ng kanilang mga bibe ay maturuan agad ang mga ito na lumangoy.
Masayang-masaya sa napiling lugar ang mag-asawa. Tago ito upang hindi agad mahanap ng mga maaaring kumain ng kanilang itlog. Isa pa, ,ababait ang kanilang mga kapit-bahay. Agad na nakahanap ang lalaking gansa ng kaibigan. Ito ay ang isa pang lalaking gansa, isang pato at isang maingay na palaka. Tuwing gabi sila ay nagsasama-sama upang mag-usap usap tungkol sa nangyayari sa paligid hanggang sa mag-sawa ang lahat at wala nang maikwento.
Minsan, nang magkita ang magbabarkada, masayang ikunuwento ng lalaking gansa na nangitlog na nga ang kanyang asawa at ano mang araw malapit na rin siyang maging tatay. Binati nila ang kaibigan at sinabi sa kanya na mababawasan na kung gayon ang kanyang paglabas-labas sa gabi. Siyempre, ani nila, kinakailangan niyang tulunganng bantayan ang kanilang mga itlog. Ngayon lang naisip ng lalaking gansa na kinakailangan nga rin naman niyang bantayan ang mga itlog. Umuwi siya na iyon pa rin ang nasa isipan.
Isang gabi, nakita ng lalaking gansa ang kanyang asawa na pagod at inaantok na. Buong maghapon itong nakaupo at nakalimlim sa mga itlog upang masigurong naiinitan ang mga ito ng pantay-pantay. Naawa ng lalaki at sinabi sa asawa na pwede na itong mag-pahinga ngayong gabi. Siya daw muna ang bahalang mag-babantay at maglilimlim sa mga itlog. Natutuwang pumayag ang babae. Dali-daling tumayo ang babae mula sa pugad. Maganda daw ang naisip ng asawa at namamanhid na ang kanyang puwetan.
Naupo na nga ang lalaking gansa at nang unang oras ay masaya pang naglilimlim sa kanilang pugad. Ngunit bigla siyang may narinig mga boses na kilalang-kilala niya. Iyon nga ang boses ng kanyang mga kaibigan na malakas na nagkukuwentuhan at nagtatawanan. Biglang naiingit ang lalaking gansa. Naisip niya na sana ay kasama siya dun na nakikipagkuwentuhan
Ninais nitong makisalamuha o kahit man lang ay marinig ang mga pinagkukuwentuhan ng mga kaibigan. Muntik na itong napatayo mula sa pugad ngunit naalala niya ang mga itlog. Kung kaya’t iniunat na lamang nito ang kanyang munting leeg upang makita ang barkada. Dahil sa mataas ang talahib kung saan natago ang pugad, hindi pa rin niya nagawang makita ang mga maiingay na nagkukuwentuhan.
Hindi pa rin sumuko ang lalaking gansa. Iniunat niya ng iniunat ang kanyang munting leeg hanggang sa nakita niya ang ulo ng mga kaibigan. Subalit tapos ng mag-usap ang mga ito at papauwi na sa kanilang mga bahay. Pilit niyang binaba ang kanyang ulo subalit napansin nitong hindi na maibalik sa dati ang anyo ng kanyang leeg.
Kinaumagahan ng bumalik ang babaeng gansa upang humalili sa asawa, nakita niya ang munting leeg ng asawa na humaba sa kaka-unat nito upang makinig sa usapan ng kanyang mga kaibigan. Simula noon ay naging mahaba na ang leeg ng mga gansa.
A goose may bear a striking resemblance to a duck except for one thing – they have longer necks. But that wasn’t always the case, the geese used to look like the ducks and their necks were also small. Do you want to know why the goose’s neck became longer?
Once there was a goose couple who was newly wed. The couple decided to put their nest near the riverbank so that once their goslings hatched from their eggs, they could teach them right then and there. It sounds convenient right? After all, they’d be spending most of their lives in the riverbanks so they’d better learn to swim or wade as quickly as they can!
The couple looked around for a suitable nesting place and found one that delighted them to no end. It was hidden carefully so that no predator could find the little eggs. Some nasty animals liked goose eggs for breakfast and it was wise for the couple to find a safe place. They also chose the spot where they’d know that the neighbors are kind and respectful.
The male goose was quickly able to find some friends. They were an odd bunch: another male goose, a duck and a very noisy frog. Every night they came together and happily chatted about what’s happening in the neighborhood. They enjoyed each other’s company and went home when they’ve talked all that they could.
One day, when the friends came together, the male goose happily recounted that his wife finally laid some eggs. They’re going to hatch anytime soon. He was happy to know that he was going to be a father really, really soon. He also sadly told them that he won’t be able to hang out with his buddies as much as he would like to since he’d have to take care of his family and watch over their eggs. It was also at this time that he remembered that he has to take care of his eggs! So he rushed home.
One night, the father goose saw that the mother goose was really tired and sleepy. After all, which goose wouldn’t be tired after sitting on all those eggs day in and day out. A mother goose is entitled to a little rest right?
The father goose told the momma goose that she could rest for the night and that he would be the one to sit on the eggs. The mommy goose was very elated and relieved specially since her bottom was getting numb from all the sitting!
The father goose then happily sat on the eggs for an hour or so. But then he heard some familiar voices. It was his friends. They were boisterous and happily joking around. The father goose suddenly felt that he wanted to be with his friends and was envious because he can’t. He wanted to know what was going on and felt that he really wanted to go. He almost stood up from his nest but then remembered the eggs. So he tried to stand up with his short little legs to try and see and hear what his friends were up to. But the tall grass made it impossible for him to see anything. What he did instead was try to stretch his neck way out so that he could see them. He stretched and he stretched his neck just so he could hear his friends. Finally, he could see their smiling faces and hear their conversation.
When his friends were finished talking, they finally left. The father goose then tried to stretch his neck back down. He can’t!
In the morning when his wife came home to see how he was doing, she found that his neck was now very long. And that’s how the goose’s neck became very long.
Translated and Formatted by Daniel Andrei Garcia
