The Fourth Little Pig
Once upon a time the three little pigs left their mother to seek their fortune.
The fourth little pig saw them leaving and tried to join them, but the eldest pig said, 'You cannot go with us.'
When the fourth little pig asked his eldest brother why he could not go with them, his brother replied, 'Because you are a foolish little pig. You shall be eaten by a wolf.'
The fourth little pig squeeled. He did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
One of the little pigs built a house of straw. Another little pig built a house of wood. The oldest little pig built a house of brick.
The day came where a wolf passed by the window of the pig who lived in the house of straw. 'Little pig,' Asked the wolf, 'Why did you build your house out of straw?'
'Because even a pile of grass can keep an army of wolves away.' The pig laughed and laughed.
The wolf stood looking at the pig through his window. Eventually he started breathing in a lot of air. Then he huffed and puffed and blew the pig's straw house down. Then he ate the pig who lived in the straw house.
The next day two of the pigs met together with their mother to weep over the loss of their brother. 'Where is the littlest pig? Why isn't he here to weep with us? Does he not know what happened to his brother?'
'He is not here because he is a fool.' Said the eldest pig.
The next day a wolf wandered by the home of the pig who lived in his house of wood. 'Why do you live in a house of wood?' Asked the wolf.
'At least I have a house to live in, you bum!' Said the pig.
The wolf stood looking at the pig through his window. Eventually he started breathing in a lot of air. Then he huffed and puffed and blew the pig's wood house down. Then he ate the pig who lived in the house made of wood.
The next day the eldest pig met with his mother to mourn the loss of his brother. The fourth little pig came by. 'Why didn't you weep with us the other day after your first brother was eaten?'
'Oh, on that day?' Said the fourth little pig. 'I was going through the forest looking for pinecones, sticks, and nuts. Why are you both here now?' Asked the fourth little pig.
'Leave us,' Said the eldest pig, 'You are clearly foolish and will soon be eaten by wolves. No one will weep for you when you are gone!'
The fourth little pig squeeled because he did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
The next day, the wolf came by the house of the pig who lived in the house of brick who was reading the newspaper. 'Why do you live in a house of brick?' Asked the wolf.
The pig pretended not to hear the wolf, but instead raised his chin and continued reading the newspaper.
'This pig,' Said the wolf, 'This pig has insulted me more than all his brothers. I long for the day when heaven looks upon the scorn I have suffered and sends an earthquake to destroy this brick house and the pig who lives in it.'
As the wolf was walking away from the house brick he came across the fourth little pig who seemed to be making something out of pinecones, leaves, and sticks.
'These pigs are always building things,' Remarked the wolf to himself. 'Why are you building a home out of pinecones, sticks, and leaves?' Asked the wolf.
'The wolf!' Yelped the pig. 'I have learned about you, that you would be the end of me. So I made this little pinecone wolf out of nuts, leaves, and pinecones.'
The wolf saw that one of the sticks looked as if it was in the shape of a mouth, and it appeared to be smiling.
'I thought I should give you something to remember me by, so you would think to yourself that someone did care about you, even though he was a fool.'
When the wolf saw that the fourth little pig had grown more foolish than his brothers, that he had become foolish in the foolishness which is wisdom, he said, 'Ah! There is nothing left for me to do!' And he retired that very day.
Everytime the fourth little pig wandered by the brick house, his brother would call out, 'You are a foolish little pig, and you will surely be eaten by wolves!'
The fourth little pig would squeel because he did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
The eldest pig said this because all his life he feared being eaten by a wolf. He rarely left his house, always locked his doors, and always kept an eye out the window.
But the fourth little pig spent much time with the wolf who had retired from being a wolf, and they became friends.
The fourth little pig saw them leaving and tried to join them, but the eldest pig said, 'You cannot go with us.'
When the fourth little pig asked his eldest brother why he could not go with them, his brother replied, 'Because you are a foolish little pig. You shall be eaten by a wolf.'
The fourth little pig squeeled. He did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
One of the little pigs built a house of straw. Another little pig built a house of wood. The oldest little pig built a house of brick.
The day came where a wolf passed by the window of the pig who lived in the house of straw. 'Little pig,' Asked the wolf, 'Why did you build your house out of straw?'
'Because even a pile of grass can keep an army of wolves away.' The pig laughed and laughed.
The wolf stood looking at the pig through his window. Eventually he started breathing in a lot of air. Then he huffed and puffed and blew the pig's straw house down. Then he ate the pig who lived in the straw house.
The next day two of the pigs met together with their mother to weep over the loss of their brother. 'Where is the littlest pig? Why isn't he here to weep with us? Does he not know what happened to his brother?'
'He is not here because he is a fool.' Said the eldest pig.
The next day a wolf wandered by the home of the pig who lived in his house of wood. 'Why do you live in a house of wood?' Asked the wolf.
'At least I have a house to live in, you bum!' Said the pig.
The wolf stood looking at the pig through his window. Eventually he started breathing in a lot of air. Then he huffed and puffed and blew the pig's wood house down. Then he ate the pig who lived in the house made of wood.
The next day the eldest pig met with his mother to mourn the loss of his brother. The fourth little pig came by. 'Why didn't you weep with us the other day after your first brother was eaten?'
'Oh, on that day?' Said the fourth little pig. 'I was going through the forest looking for pinecones, sticks, and nuts. Why are you both here now?' Asked the fourth little pig.
'Leave us,' Said the eldest pig, 'You are clearly foolish and will soon be eaten by wolves. No one will weep for you when you are gone!'
The fourth little pig squeeled because he did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
The next day, the wolf came by the house of the pig who lived in the house of brick who was reading the newspaper. 'Why do you live in a house of brick?' Asked the wolf.
The pig pretended not to hear the wolf, but instead raised his chin and continued reading the newspaper.
'This pig,' Said the wolf, 'This pig has insulted me more than all his brothers. I long for the day when heaven looks upon the scorn I have suffered and sends an earthquake to destroy this brick house and the pig who lives in it.'
As the wolf was walking away from the house brick he came across the fourth little pig who seemed to be making something out of pinecones, leaves, and sticks.
'These pigs are always building things,' Remarked the wolf to himself. 'Why are you building a home out of pinecones, sticks, and leaves?' Asked the wolf.
'The wolf!' Yelped the pig. 'I have learned about you, that you would be the end of me. So I made this little pinecone wolf out of nuts, leaves, and pinecones.'
The wolf saw that one of the sticks looked as if it was in the shape of a mouth, and it appeared to be smiling.
'I thought I should give you something to remember me by, so you would think to yourself that someone did care about you, even though he was a fool.'
When the wolf saw that the fourth little pig had grown more foolish than his brothers, that he had become foolish in the foolishness which is wisdom, he said, 'Ah! There is nothing left for me to do!' And he retired that very day.
Everytime the fourth little pig wandered by the brick house, his brother would call out, 'You are a foolish little pig, and you will surely be eaten by wolves!'
The fourth little pig would squeel because he did not want to be eaten by a wolf.
The eldest pig said this because all his life he feared being eaten by a wolf. He rarely left his house, always locked his doors, and always kept an eye out the window.
But the fourth little pig spent much time with the wolf who had retired from being a wolf, and they became friends.
9 Comments:
Your short stories are always a pleasure to read. I like how they are about animals, and use a simplistic story (in this case a spin on a well-known fairytale) to reflect on a higher truth.
The writing style is very smooth and easygoing, which suits the type of story and is a cause of much envy. I like the idea of a blog that alternates between serious reflections and simple fables. If I were a better fiction writer, it is what I'd do on a regular basis. Well done!
Hi BB,
I like your writing style to but I like the moral of the story better.
I don't know about wolves in sheeps clothing though. I've never seen one quit being a wolf but I suppose it does happen. I know there is a time to quit squeeling to those you love to beware and simply turn them over to God and trusting Him with the outcome. I tend to squeel much too long because really, I want to blow the big bad wolf's house down but that isn't my job. Thanks for reminding me.
Pam
I always stand humbled by your talent and writing prowess to mold our thinking and views away from the simple standard thought patterns and uncover a depth that leaves the reader stunned from suddenly realizing the story is about themselves.
The Beast
Thanks for the encouragment Tim, Pam, and Beastly.
I often hear (especially during these election months) that style is just on the surface and substance (i.e. formula) is the real depth. Really though, I think my formulas are what make me a superficial writer, and that they are lacking in style.
I'm not sure the 'wolves-in-sheeps-clothing's, in the Bible sense, really quit being wolves, (certainly it isn't just common practice to "retire" from evil). I would like to believe that all things are possible with God. Was I writing about wolves in sheeps clothing? Perhaps ... I think it would be hard to nail down exactly what each thing in this story represents. Something would probably be lost in the process.
Mister Beastly uncovered the truth: that I was writing about myself. Anyone who is able to see themselves in this story (or any story really) is bold, certainly. As for my 'talents', they are dubious, but when the Living God is inside you, that is real.
God bless you all. I'm glad God is able to take a bunch of words -which mean nothing on their own- and use them to speak meaning into people's lives.
Words are often like clouds. One person looks and sees sailing ships and another dragons, depending upon the cares of each. I'll come back on a less careful day and see if I can't be more objective. :0)
Pam
Hi Pam,
I like the cloud analogy. I apologize if I appeared to encourage you to find a more objective answer. If you see dragons, maybe that is what God is trying to talk with you about.
Better to be a Don Quixote who faces His struggles than a modern hero who conquers the foes of the crowd.
LOL! How did your momma raise you to be so smart!;-}
Pam
p.s. Donna Quixote is battle weary and tired of fighting dragons today or I know, you said they are only windmills! Now I undrstand, I really don't need to fight those dragons they're only powered by wind and will eventually die down when God takes their wind away. Thanks for clearing that up for me!
This crusader is laying her sword down before she dies by it.
I like the way you have clearly communicated that all we have to do is be polite and pleasing to al-Qaeda, Taliban, and all extremist muslim terrorists, and they will lay down their suicide belts, step out of American Airliners and all will be just fine.
My whole world view has now spun into perfect clarity. How could I have overlooked all this for so long?
Though I'm not sure how muslims and pigs fit into this harmony. (?)
dad
Pam sees Jehovah's Witnesses in the clouds and Dad sees Al Qaeda...
I do not deny that terrorists should be prosecuted by the authorities of earth and of heaven, but I myself am no authority, nor am I responsible for their actions. Everyone who wishes to enter life must consider the treasures they are storing up.
The Day is coming when all crimes shall be judged. Big and small, seen and unseen, intentional and careless, all will be brought before a Judge who does not err. The folly of the wicked will be exposed, and the evil will receive their full measure.
On that Day it will be too late to love one's enemies. No one will be able to travel back to their earlier days and show mercy to their neighbors, but those who have learned to love their enemies will be consoled.
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