The case discussed in this story was not really presented to Sherlock Holmes as a case but rather just a hat and goose discovered left behind on Goodge Street after a "row" broke out and the figure that left the items behind accidentally broke a store window while defending himself and fled. The hat was brought to Holmes by Peterson, who had kept the goose for himself and his family so that it might not go to waste. Holmes examined the hat and profiled the owner using only the appearance of and other characteristics of it, most likely in hopes to return it. This case didn't become important until Peterson returned with a jewel that had been found inside the goose while preparing it for a meal. This jewel was none other than the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle. Holmes stated that he had read about the robbery of this stone in the paper but did not believe the man that they were accusing was guilty of the crime. After the discovery of this stone, the next task was to find Henry Baker, the man who was the owner of the goose in the first place and see were he obtained it from.

Characters

Sherlock Holmes- Detective, intelligent,

Watson- Holmes's sidekick and companion

Peterson- hotel doorman, brought the items to Holmes after seeing the incident

Henry Baker- Man suspected to be owner of the hat and goose

James Ryder- hotel manager; blamed the plumber for the crime of the Blue Carbuncle

Countess of Morcar- Woman whose jewel was stolen

It all started with a hat, and finding who the owner who had lost it. Then the jewel came along and the case now became important. The jewel was previously stolen and the man accused of the robbery was convicted but the jewel was never found. Sherlock's next step was to talk to Henry Baker, the man whose hat was lost and who the goose with the jewel inside came from. Henry Baker then told Holmes that he got it from a man who was the landlord of the Alpha. That man then went onto explain he got the geese from a salesman named Breckinridge in Covent Garden. They went and spoke to the man and asked where he had gotten the geese from and he denied them any information until finally doing it by showing them a list and then got a address. While going off to that address to learn more, a man shouted to them about the jewel. his name was James Ryder, he had a high interest in the jewel, claiming he wanted to be like Holmes. It was later discoverd that James is the one who turned in the plumber for the robbery. When in fact he was the one who stole the jewel and attempted to hide it using a goose and had taken the wrong one home and the good had already been sold when he returned for it.

Quotes

“Never trust to general impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details.(I think this quote can be reworded as "don't judge a book by its cover" It is important to get to know someone or something before putting a label on it and judging it in any way.)

"I suppose that I am commuting a felony. but it is just possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to jail now, and you make him a jail-bird for life." (Holmes gave this man a second chance in the story, he chose not to turn him in for the assumption that he would do it again. He saw how terrified he was and knew that he would not try this again, unless they sent him off and made him a jailbird for life.)

Vocab

Counterclaim- one example of this being used it with the salesman, he said he did not have to tell him where he got the geese from.

Foil-James Ryder had prevented anyone from knowing he stole the stone by blaming the plumber.

Quiz

1.) Who showed up at Breckenridge Covents Garden after Sherlock? (a.)Peterson (b.)Mrs.Oakshott (c.)James Ryder (d.)The Police

2.) Peterson showed up at Holmes house with the Countess' ________?

3.) Explain why Sherlock Holmes let Ryder go when he should have turned him into the Police?

4.)How did Holmes get Breckenridge to tell him the truth? (a.)Threatened him (b.)Bet (c.)Fought (d.)None

5.) Why did Ryder hide the blue carbuncle in a goose?

6.) What was the name of the man that broke the store window and then fled the scene; leaving his hat and goose behind.

7.) Who was the man that accused the Plumber of stealing?

8.) Did you suspect that the plumber was innocent in the beginning, why?

9.) How is it that Ryder mixed up the geese?

10.) When the stone was first brought to Holmes, he called it what?