One day, a lad meets a peddler, who offers him three beautiful eggs, but the lad refuses to exchange them for a plain egg. The peddler tells the lad that once he exchanges these eggs, he will not be able to return them. The lad takes one of the shiny eggs and wishes earnestly, and soon after, the egg starts to crack. A beautiful golden bird flies out of the golden egg, delighted by the lad's first wish. Soon after, people start to notice the lad and flock around him. He holds his last shiny egg, before anxiously demanding his last wish. A magnificent bird emerges from the crack of the last egg and flies right into the lad. He bathes in all of his wealth, fame, and power. He starts to realize that all the words he speaks in front of his eyes never blink or trail his steps. He crosses paths with the plain egg, and the peddler asks the lad if he knows what the plain bird represents. He answers sadly that peace of mind is often taken for granted, and that the more one possesses, the less one has it.