Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow at the edge of a quiet wood, there lived a kind old mother pig and her three little piglets. The piglets were growing bigger every day, and soon there was not quite enough food for everyone. So, with a gentle nuzzle and a loving goodbye, Mother Pig told her three little ones, “It’s time for you to go out into the world and find your own adventures. Remember to be polite and clever, and always look out for each other.”
The three little pigs hugged their mother and set off down the winding path, each with a happy heart and a curious mind.
The first little pig, who loved sunshine and soft things, soon met a friendly farmer carrying a bundle of golden straw. The little pig trotted up and asked politely, “Excuse me, sir, may I please have some straw to build my house?” The farmer smiled at the piglet’s good manners and handed over the straw. The little pig worked happily, weaving and stacking until he had built a cozy straw house. He settled inside, feeling proud and safe.
But one day, a wolf with a long nose and sharp eyes wandered by. He sniffed the air and smelled the little pig inside the straw house. The wolf knocked on the door and called out, “Little pig, little pig, let me in!” The little pig peeked through the keyhole and saw the wolf’s big paws. “No, no, no! Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!” he replied bravely.
The wolf frowned and said, “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” He took a deep breath and blew with all his might. The straw house tumbled down, and the frightened little pig ran as fast as he could, all the way to his brother’s house.
The second little pig, who liked things prickly and strong, had met a farmer carrying a bundle of sticks. He asked politely, “Excuse me, sir, may I please have some sticks to build my house?” The farmer, pleased with the piglet’s manners, gave him the sticks. The little pig built a sturdy house of sticks, and soon his brother arrived, out of breath and worried. The two little pigs hugged and hid inside the stick house.
But the wolf was not far behind. He knocked on the door and called, “Little pigs, little pigs, let me in!” The pigs peeked through the keyhole and saw the wolf’s big ears. “No, no, no! Not by the hair of our chinny chin chins!” they replied together.
The wolf showed his teeth and said, “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” He huffed and puffed, and with a great whoosh, the stick house tumbled down. The two little pigs squealed and ran as fast as their little legs could carry them, all the way to their brother’s house.
The third little pig, who was clever and careful, had met a builder carrying a heavy load of bricks. He asked politely, “Excuse me, sir, may I please have some bricks to build my house?” The builder, impressed by the piglet’s good manners, gave him the bricks. The little pig worked hard, stacking and fitting the bricks together until he had built a strong, safe house. When his two brothers arrived, he welcomed them inside, and together they felt safe and warm.
Soon, the wolf arrived at the brick house. He knocked on the door and called, “Little pigs, little pigs, let me in!” The pigs peeked through the keyhole and saw the wolf’s big eyes. “No, no, no! Not by the hair of our chinny chin chins!” they replied.
The wolf growled, “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” He huffed and puffed, and puffed and huffed, but the brick house stood strong. The wolf tried again and again, but he could not blow the house down. At last, he was so tired he had to sit down and catch his breath.
But the wolf was clever, too. He called out, “Little pigs, I know where there’s a lovely field of turnips. If you come with me tomorrow morning, we can pick some for dinner.” The third little pig thanked the wolf for his idea, but he was not so easily fooled. He woke up early the next morning, went to the field, picked the turnips, and was home eating breakfast when the wolf arrived.
The wolf tried again, suggesting they go together to pick apples from a tree in Merry Gardens. The little pig agreed, but once more, he woke up extra early and was already picking apples when the wolf arrived. The wolf tried to catch him, but the clever pig tossed an apple far away, and while the wolf chased after it, the pig hurried home with his basket of apples.
Still, the wolf did not give up. He invited the little pig to the fair, promising a special treat. The pig agreed, but went early, enjoyed the fair, and bought himself a butter-churn as a present. On his way home, he saw the wolf coming up the hill. With no place to hide, the pig climbed into the butter-churn, which started to roll down the hill—bumpety, bumpety, bump! The wolf was so startled by the rolling, squealing churn that he ran away in fright.
The next day, the wolf returned, pretending to be friendly, but the little pig told him about the butter-churn. The wolf grew angry and decided he would come down the chimney to get the pigs once and for all.
But the clever third pig had a plan. He put a big pot of water on the fire to boil. When the wolf climbed onto the roof and started to come down the chimney, the little pig quickly took off the lid. The wolf slid down and—splash!—landed right in the hot water! With a yelp, the wolf jumped right back up the chimney, his tail singed and his paws smarting. He ran away from the brick house and never bothered the three little pigs again.
The three little pigs hugged each other and knew they were safe at last, in their strong brick house, where they could live happily and peacefully, always remembering to be clever, kind, and brave.