The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, three little pigs lived with their mother in a snug cottage beside a green wood. One bright morning, their mother said, “You are ready to build homes of your own. Take care with your work, and remember that you can always help one another.” The three pigs hugged her goodbye and set off together.

Before long, the first little pig met a farmer carrying a bundle of golden straw. “Please may I have some straw for my house?” asked the pig. The farmer shared it gladly. The first pig tied the straw into neat bundles and soon had a light, cosy house with a little round door.

Farther along the lane, the second little pig met a woodcutter carrying straight sticks. “Please may I have some sticks for my house?” asked the pig. The woodcutter shared them gladly. The second pig stacked the sticks carefully and soon had a tidy house with two square windows.

At the edge of the village, the third little pig met a builder with a cart of bricks. “Please may I have some bricks for my house?” asked the pig. The builder shared them gladly. The third pig worked slowly, laying every brick in place, until a strong red house stood beneath an old apple tree.

That evening, a hungry wolf came padding through the wood. He saw the straw house and knocked on its round door. “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” The first pig peeped through the window and answered, “No, no. This is my home.”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down!” cried the wolf. He huffed and puffed. Straw whirled through the air like golden feathers. The first pig darted safely out of the back door and hurried to the stick house.

Soon the wolf reached the stick house. He knocked on the square door. “Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in.” The two pigs looked at one another and answered, “No, no. This is our home.”

The wolf huffed and puffed again. The sticks rattled, wobbled, and tumbled into a harmless heap. The two pigs slipped safely out of the back door and ran all the way to their brother’s brick house.

The third pig welcomed them inside. Together they closed the sturdy door, checked the windows, and put the kettle on for tea. The wolf arrived and knocked once more. “Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in.” All three answered, “No, no. This is our home.”

The wolf took the biggest breath he could. He huffed. He puffed. He huffed and puffed until his cheeks were round and his ears flapped—but the brick house did not move at all. Not one brick shook loose.

The wolf prowled around the walls and looked up at the chimney. “I will climb down from the roof,” he muttered. Inside, the pigs heard his paws scrabbling on the tiles. They moved away from the fireplace and placed an empty tin wash tub beneath the chimney.

Down slid the wolf—whoosh!—and landed with a clang in the cold, empty tub. He was not hurt, but the noise startled him so much that he sprang out, dashed through the open door, and ran back into the wood. He never bothered the three little pigs again.

The next morning, the pigs gathered the scattered straw and sticks. This time they worked side by side. They built two strong little cottages beside the brick house, each with firm walls, safe doors, and cheerful windows.

Their mother came to visit and smiled when she saw the three homes standing together. The pigs shared warm apple slices and told her how they had helped one another. From then on, whenever a job was difficult, the three little pigs worked as a team.

And so they learned: careful work can keep us safe, and helping one another makes us stronger.