The Three Little Pigs
1. The Little Pigs Leave Their Mother
A mother pig and her three little pigs lived together in a forest.
They lived very happily all through the long summertime, but towards autumn the mother pig called her little ones to her and said, “My three dear little pigs, the time has come for you to go out into the world and seek your own fortunes. You will each want to build a little house to live in, but do not build them of straw or leaves. straws are brittle and leaves are frail. Build your houses of bricks, for then you will always have a safe place to live in. You can go in and lock the door, and nothing can harm you.”
She then kissed the little pigs farewell, and away they ran out into the world to make their fortunes.
2. The First Pig Builds A House Of Straw
The first little pig had not gone far when he met a man with a load of straw. The straw looked so warm, and smelled so good that the little pig quite forgot what his mother had told him.
“Please, Mr. Man,” said the little pig, “give me enough straw to build a house to keep me warm through the long winter.”
The man did not say no. He gave the little pig all the straw he wanted, and then he drove on.
The little pig built himself a house of straw, and it was so warm and cosy that he was quite delighted with it. “So much better,” said the pig “than a house of cold hard bricks.”
So he lay there snug and warm.
3. The Wolf And The House Of Straw
And then the old wolf knocked at the door.
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” cried the old wolf.
“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin,” answered the pig.
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
The little pig laughed aloud, for he felt very safe in his snug straw house.
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in!” he cried.
Well, the old wolf did huff and puff, and he did blow the house in, for it was only made of straw. And then the wolf ate up the pig.
4. The Second Pig Builds A House Of Leaves
The second little pig when he left the forest ran along and ran along and then he met a man with a great load of leaves.
“Oh, kind Mr. Man, please give me some leaves to build me a little house for the winter time,” cried the piggy.
The man was willing to do this. He gave the pig all the leaves he wanted, and then he went on his way.
The pig built himself a house of leaves and it was snug and warm. “How silly my mother was,” said the pig, “to tell me to build a brick house. What could be warm and cozier and safer than this.” And he snuggled down among the leaves and was very happy.
5. The Wolf And The House Of Leaves
Then along came the great wolf, and he stopped and knocked at the door.
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in!” he cried.
“I won’t, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
The little pig laughed when he heard that, for the walls were thick, and he felt secure.
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in.”
So the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he did blow the house in, and he ate up the little pig that was inside of it.
6. The Third Pig Builds A House Of Brick
Now the third little pig was the smallest pig of all, but he was a very wise little pig, and he meant to do exactly as his mother had told him to do.
After he left the forest he met a man driving a wagon-load of straw, but he did not ask for any of it. He met the man with the load of leaves, but he did not ask for any of it. He met a man with a load of bricks, and then he stopped and begged so prettily for enough bricks to build himself a little house that the man could not refuse him.
The pig took the bricks and built himself a little red house, and it was not an easy task either. When it was done it was not so soft as the little straw house, and it was not so warm as the little leaf house, but it was a very safe little house.
7. The Wolf And The House Of Brick
Then the old wolf came along and knocked at the door—rat-tat-tat!
“Piggy-wig, piggy-wig, let me in,” he called.
“I won’t, by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin.”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
“Well, then huff, and then puff, and then blow my house in,” answered the pig.
So the old wolf huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and he huffed, and he HUFFED AND HE PUFFED till he almost split his sides. And he just couldn’t blow the house in, and the little pig laughed to himself as he sat safe and comfortable inside there.
The old wolf saw there was nothing to be done by blowing, so he sat down and thought and thought.
8. The Wolf and The Turnip Field
Then he said, “Piggy-wig, I know where there is a field of fine turnips.”
“Where?” asked the little pig.
“Open the door and I will tell you.”
No, the little pig could hear just fine with the door closed.
“It is just up the road three fields away,” said the wolf, “and if you would like to have some I will come for you at six o’clock tomorrow morning, and we will go and dig them up together.”
“At six o’clock!” said the little pig. “Very well.”
Then the old wolf trotted off to his home, licking his lips, and smiling. For he thought he would have that pig for breakfast the next day.
But the next morning the little pig was awake by five o’clock. Off he trotted to the turnip field and gathered a whole bagful of turnips. And he arrived home again before six o’clock, when the wolf was to arrive.
At six o’clock the old wolf knocked at the door.
“Are you ready to go for the turnips, Piggy?” the wolf asked.
“Ready!” answered the pig. “In fact, I was up and off to the field an hour ago and I have all the turnips I want, and I’m boiling them for breakfast.”
“You did what?” said the wolf. “But we where supposed to go together!”
9. The Wolf And The Apple Tree
And then the wolf thought a bit. And he had another idea. “Piggy, do you like fine ripe apples?” he asked.
“Yes.” said the pig, for he was very fond of apples.
“Then I can tell you where to find some.” said the wolf.
“Where?” asked the pig.
“Over beyond the hill in the squire’s orchard, and if you don’t play a trick on me, I will come for you at five o’clock tomorrow. And we will go together, and gather some.”
“Very well. I will be ready.” said the clever pig.
So the wolf trotted off home, and this time he was very sure that he would have a nice fat little piggy for breakfast the next morning.
The little pig knew that the wolf would come at five o’clock. So he got up at four o’clock the next day. And off he started for the squire’s orchard. He went as fast as his four little feet would carry him.
But the way was long, and the apple tree was hard to climb. And while he was still up among the branches gathering apples the old wolf came trotting into the orchard.
10. A Pig In An Apple Tree
The little pig was very frightened, but he kept very still and hoped, up among the leaves, that the wolf would not see him.
The wolf looked about, first up one tree and then up another. And finally he saw the piggy up among the branches.
“Why did you not wait for me?” asked the wolf.
“Oh, I knew you would be along soon enough.” said the pig.
“Are you coming down soon?” asked the wolf.
“When I have picked a few more apples.” said the pig.
The old wolf sat down at the foot of the tree. Meanwhile, the pig sat in the branches of the tree, crunching apples and smacking his lips.
“Are they good?” asked the wolf looking up. his mouth began to water.
Yes, they were very good.
“Could you throw one down to me?”
“Yes,” said the pig.
He picked the biggest, reddest apple he could, and then he threw it. But he threw it far off, and in such a way that it went bounding and rolling down the hill.
The wolf bounded down the hill after it, and while he was catching it, the little pig climbed down the tree and ran safely home with his basket full of apples.
11. The Wolf And The Fair
When the old wolf found the pig had tricked him again he was very angry. He was more determined than ever that he would catch the little pig. He trotted off to the little red house and knocked at the door.
“Did you get all the apples you wanted?” asked the wolf.
“Yes, all I wanted,” said the clever pig, “thank you for telling me about the apple tree.”
“Listen, Piggy, there will be a fine fair over in the town tomorrow,” said the wolf. “Wouldn’t you like to go to the fair?”
“Yes, of course!” said the little pig.
“Very well,” said the wolf. “Then I will come for you at half-past three tomorrow, and we will go together.”
“Very well,” said the little pig.
But long before half-past three the next day, piggy was off to the fair by himself. And he took four bright silver coins with him, for he wanted to buy himself a butter-churn, so that he could make butter.
He was not at the fair long when he found a butter-churn for sale, and he bought it with his silver coins. Then he started for home again, carrying it on his back.
But the wolf had learned a thing or two about the little pig’s tricks. He, too, started off to the fair long before half-past three.
The little pig was not even half-way home, and had just reached the top of a high hill, when he saw the wolf come trotting up the hill directly toward him!
12. A Pig In A Butter Churn
The little pig was terrified. He looked all around but he could not see any place to hide. He decided the best thing he could do was to get inside the churn. So he put it down and crept inside it.
But the hill was very steep, and just as the piggy got inside the churn, it began to roll down the hill. bumpety-bumpety-bump, over rocks and stones, leaping and bounding like a live thing.
The little pig did not know what was happening to him. He began to squeal at the top of his voice.
The old wolf was half-way up the hill when he heard the noise. He looked up, and there was a great round thing coming bounding over the rocks straight at him, and squeaking and squeaking as it came.
The wolf’s hair bristled with fear. And he turned tail and ran home as fast as he could with a howl. He never stopped till he was safe inside his house. And he shut and locked the door behind him.
There in his house he crouched, trembling with fear and wondering what would happen. But nothing happened, and all was quiet, so after awhile the wolf carefully ventured out the door and ran over to the pig’s house.
“Piggy, Piggy! Are you in there?” asked the wolf.
“Yes,” said the little pig, “I’m sitting by the fire roasting apples.”
“Then, listen while I tell you what happened to me on the way to the fair.” Then the wolf put his nose close to the crack of the door, and told the little pig all about the great round squealing thing that had chased him down the hill.
The little pig laughed and laughed. “And I can tell you exactly what the great squealing thing was; it was a churn I had bought at the fair, and I was inside it.”
When the old wolf heard this he was so furious that he determined to eat the little pig no matter what. Even if he had to climb up on the pig’s roof and down the chimney to get him.
12. The Wolf In The Chimney
He stuck his sharp nails in between the bricks of the house and climbed right up the side of it and onto the roof. Then he climbed up on the chimney and slid down it into the fire-place.
But the little pig had heard what the wolf was doing, and was ready for him. He had a great pot of boiling water on the fire, and when he heard the wolf slipping and scrabbling down the chimney he took the lid off the kettle, and plump! the old wolf fell right into the boiling water. Then the little pig clapped the lid tight down over him, and that was the end of the wolf.
But the little pig lived on in peace and plenty forever after.