The Old Woman and the Piglet

Once upon a time, an old woman was sweeping her room and found a slightly bent sixpence.

"What could I buy with this?" thought the old woman. "I’ll go to the market and buy a little piglet."

No sooner said than done. So the old woman led the piglet home, but along the way, they came across a fence. The piglet dug in its heels—it wouldn’t climb over the fence—and the old woman went on alone.

She walked and walked until she saw a dog.

"Dog, dog, bite the piglet!" begged the old woman. "The piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the dog didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a stick.

"Stick, stick, beat the dog!" begged the old woman. "The dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the stick didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a fire.

"Fire, fire, burn the stick!" begged the old woman. "The stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the fire didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw some water.

"Water, water, quench the fire!" begged the old woman. "The fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the water didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw an ox.

"Ox, ox, drink the water!" begged the old woman. "The water won’t quench the fire, the fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the ox didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a butcher.

"Butcher, butcher, kill the ox!" begged the old woman. "The ox won’t drink the water, the water won’t quench the fire, the fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the butcher didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a rope.

"Rope, rope, hang the butcher!" begged the old woman. "The butcher won’t kill the ox, the ox won’t drink the water, the water won’t quench the fire, the fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the rope didn’t listen.

The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a mouse.

"Mouse, mouse, gnaw the rope!" begged the old woman. "The rope won’t hang the butcher, the butcher won’t kill the ox, the ox won’t drink the water, the water won’t quench the fire, the fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the mouse didn’t listen. The old woman walked on. She walked and walked until she saw a cat.

"Cat, cat, eat the mouse!" begged the old woman. "The mouse won’t gnaw the rope, the rope won’t hang the butcher, the butcher won’t kill the ox, the ox won’t drink the water, the water won’t quench the fire, the fire won’t burn the stick, the stick won’t beat the dog, the dog won’t bite the piglet, the piglet won’t climb over the fence, and I won’t make it home before dark."

But the cat replied:

"Go to that cow and bring me a saucer of milk, and then I’ll eat the mouse."

So the old woman went to the cow. But the cow said to her:

"Go to that haystack and bring me a bundle of hay, and then I’ll give you milk."

The old woman went to the haystack and brought the cow some hay.

The cow ate the hay and gave the old woman some milk. The old woman poured the milk into a saucer and went back to the cat.

The cat lapped up the milk and began to chase the mouse, the mouse began to gnaw the rope, the rope began to hang the butcher, the butcher began to kill the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to quench the fire, the fire began to burn the stick, the stick began to beat the dog, the dog began to bite the piglet, and the piglet, in fright, scrambled over the fence.

And the old woman made it home before dark.

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The Old Woman and the Piglet

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