This is a very common saying indeed, and is used to denote the extreme of stupidity, and as regards geese in general it is near enough to the truth.

But all geese are not stupid. History tells us that the cackling of geese once saved the city of Rome, and we find in a Scotch newspaper the following instance of sagacity and reasoning on the part of a persecuted goose:

"A haughty and tyrannical chanticleer, which considered itself the monarch of a certain farm-yard, took a particular antipathy to a fine goose, the guardian of a numerous brood, and accordingly, wheresoever and whenever they met, chanticleer immediately set upon his antagonist. The goose, which had little chance with the nimble and sharp heels of his opponent, and which had accordingly suffered severely in various rencontres, got so exasperated against his assailant that one day, during a severe combat, he grasped the neck of his foe with his bill, and dragging him along by main force, he plunged him into an adjoining pond, keeping his head, in spite of every effort, under water, and where chanticleer would have been drowned had he not been rescued by a servant who witnessed the proceeding. From that day forward the goose received no further trouble from his enemy."

Another writer gives the following incident, which he says was witnessed in the north of England:

"One morning, during very cold weather, the geese on a large farm were, as usual, let out of their roosting-place, and, according to their custom, went directly to the pond on the common. They were observed by the family to come back immediately, but you may guess their astonishment when in a few minutes the geese were seen to return to the pond, each of the five with a woman's patten in its mouth. The women, to rescue so useful a part of their dress from the possession of the invaders of their property, immediately made an attack, but the waddling banditti presented such a stout resistance that it was not till some male allies were called in that a victory could be obtained."

It would have been interesting had the geese been let alone, as we shall never know what they intended doing with those pattens. Who knows but they might have devoted them to some purpose that would have won geese a reputation for wisdom for all time?

So much for the saying, "As stupid as a goose."