Have you ever heard the story of the Red Goose? It's kind of like The Ugly Duckling, but with a different slant.

See, according to legend, there once lived a goose who noticed a cardinal dotting the air with its sanguine plumage. The goose admired the bright redness of its peer and wished one day that its own feathers would turn red. But when the wish was granted, the other geese made fun of the Red Goose, calling its new feathers ridiculous until the Red Goose was suddenly ashamed of its own appearance. And then came a fairy Godmother who admitted to granting the wish and celebrated the individuality that made her goose wish it was red.

This is the tale that still appears on the Buster Brown Shoes website. And it has been used to market Red Goose shoes since the early 1930s. Several premiums were enlisted to promote the Red Goose line of children's shoes, including Reddy Goose comic books, coin premiums and window ads.

Apparently, the marketing of individuality and self-confidence has staying power. Red Goose shoes are still on the market, even today.

Do you have a fond childhood memory of Red Goose Shoes or Reddy Goose comics? Send us your anecdotes.