The Three Little Pigs

Once there was a mother pig with three little pigs. She had too little to support them all, so she sent them out into the world to seek their fortunes.

The first pig met a man carrying a bundle of straw and asked him for it so that he could build himself a house. The man agreed. Before long, the pig had a house of straw, and a wolf came knocking at its door.

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

The pig firmly refused.

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!”

The wolf blew until the house collapsed, and then he ate the pig.

The second pig met a man carrying a bundle of bush branches. He too asked for the material to build a house and was given it. Soon the wolf arrived at this house as well, asked to come inside and received another refusal. Once more he threatened to blow the house down. After much huffing and puffing, he succeeded and ate the second pig.

The third pig obtained bricks from a man and built his house with those. When the wolf demanded entry, he refused just as the other pigs had. The wolf huffed and puffed, but however hard he tried, he could not bring the house down.

At last he told the pig that he knew a field with some excellent turnips. He offered to call for him the following morning so they could collect some for dinner. The pig agreed, and they arranged to leave at six.

Instead of waiting, the pig got up at five, went to the field and returned with a potful of turnips. When the wolf arrived at about six and asked whether he was ready, the pig replied that he had already been there and back.

The wolf was angry, but he had not given up. He now mentioned an apple tree and proposed fetching the pig at five the next morning. This time, he added, the pig must not deceive him.

The pig got up at four, hoping to return before the wolf came. Unfortunately, the apple tree was further away, and climbing it took time. As he was coming down, he saw the wolf approaching and was badly frightened.

“So you’re here before me! Are they good apples?” the wolf asked.

“Very good,” said the pig. “I’ll throw you one.”

He threw it so far that the wolf went off to retrieve it. While the wolf was occupied, the pig jumped down and ran home.

The next day, the wolf suggested a visit to the fair that afternoon. They agreed on three o’clock, but the pig went ahead of him as usual. At the fair he bought a butter churn, a large round container used to make butter, and was carrying it home when he saw the wolf coming.

Unable to think what else to do, the pig climbed into the churn to hide. In doing so, he tipped it over, and it rolled down the hill with him inside. The wolf was so frightened by the round object rushing past that he ran home without ever reaching the fair.

Afterwards he visited the pig’s house and described his alarming encounter. The pig explained that he himself had been inside the object. He had bought a butter churn at the fair and hidden in it when he saw the wolf.

At this, the wolf became furious. He declared that he would eat the pig after all and would get into the house through the chimney.

Seeing what the wolf was about to do, the pig hung a pot full of water over a blazing fire. As the wolf came down the chimney, he removed the lid. In fell the wolf, and the pig replaced the lid in an instant. He boiled the wolf, ate him for supper and lived happily ever after.