Goose Defeats Border Collie

Click image to watch this 1941 classic via Google Video.

So last week I encountered an immovable goose here, and vowed to return.

Yesterday, I did return—with Jane and our new friend Kim, along with Kim's border collie mix, Riley. Superior firepower to be sure. Or so I thought.

I anticipated that mother goose would hop right off that nest as soon as she caught sight of Riley. But quite to the contrary, she just laid low in her nest and stared him down. I had a sinking feeling, as I clamored down the embankment to fetch my pail of water, that we were not going to succeed.

Jane approached first with the umbrella, and then Riley was brought forward. But the goose stood her ground. I think Riley was more afraid of her, bless his gentle soul.

Ultimately, Jane succeeded in using her umbrella to create a paper-thin shield between mother and nest, just long enough for me to snatch one egg for testing. It bobbed and floated right to the surface, so I put it back and we retreated—humbled by one tough old bird. My hat's off to her. Especially as she was all alone in this encounter. Papa was nowhere to be seen.

But I guess that's what's so cool about nature, and in a sense encouraging for all the underdogs of the world. Sometimes the tortoise beats the hare.