The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, three little pigs decided they were old enough to build homes of their own. Their mother wished them well and reminded them to choose carefully. 'A good house,' she said, 'should keep you warm and safe, even when the weather turns rough.'

The first pig liked finishing things quickly. He met a farmer carrying bundles of golden straw and bought enough to build a small house before lunchtime. The walls smelled sweet, and the pig was delighted.

He spent the afternoon resting in the sun. The second pig preferred something stronger, but he did not want to spend too long building. He gathered straight sticks, tied them together, and made a neat wooden house.

By evening he was sitting beside a warm cup of tea, pleased with his work. The third pig thought carefully about the wind that whistled through the valley each winter. She carried bricks, mixed mortar, and built strong walls with a chimney and a sturdy front door.

It took many days. Her brothers teased her for working so slowly, but she kept going until the roof was secure. Not long afterwards, a hungry wolf wandered into the valley.

He smelled breakfast cooking in the first pig's straw house and knocked on the door. 'Little pig, little pig, let me come in!' 'No, no!' cried the first pig.

'I do not know you, and this is my home.' 'Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!' shouted the wolf. He took a huge breath and blew.

The straw scattered across the grass. The first pig ran as fast as his little legs would carry him to his brother's wooden house. The wolf followed and knocked again.

The two pigs refused to open the door. So the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and after several mighty breaths, the sticks rattled apart. The brothers raced to their sister's brick house, where she welcomed them inside.

The wolf arrived at the brick house and tried his familiar rhyme. 'Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!' 'No, thank you,' called the pigs together.

'We are safe in here.' The wolf huffed. He puffed.

He blew until his cheeks turned pink. The brick walls did not move. He tried again, louder than before, but the house stood firm.

At last the wolf noticed the chimney. 'Perhaps I can sneak inside from above,' he muttered, climbing onto the roof. The third pig heard footsteps overhead and guessed his plan.

She quickly covered the hearth with a strong iron lid and set a kettle to whistle. When the wolf peered down the chimney, the sudden steam and loud whistle startled him so badly that he scrambled backwards, slid down the roof, and landed in a soft pile of leaves. 'Enough!' he spluttered.

'I am going somewhere else for breakfast.' He hurried away, and the pigs never saw him again. That evening the three pigs shared soup and warm bread in the brick house.

The first pig said, 'I should have spent more time planning.' The second nodded. 'And I should have chosen stronger materials.'

Their sister smiled. 'You both helped today by staying calm and listening. Tomorrow we can build together.'

So the three pigs worked side by side, making two more strong homes. Their village became a safer, happier place, and whenever the wind rose over the hills, they were glad they had learned to prepare carefully and help each other.