[Illustration: Little Pig going to market.]
The Little Pig who Went to Market.
There was once a family of Five Little Pigs, and Mrs. Pig, their
mother, loved them all very dearly. Some of these little pigs were
very good, and took a great deal of trouble to please her. The eldest
pig was so active and useful that he was called Mr. Pig. One day he
went to market with his cart full of vegetables, but Rusty, the
donkey, began to show his bad temper before he had gone very far on
the road. All the coaxing and whipping would not make him move. So
Mr. Pig took him out of the shafts, and being very strong, drew the
cart to market himself. When he got there, all the other pigs began
to laugh. But they did not laugh so loudly when Mr. Pig told them
all his struggles on the road. Mr. Pig lost no time in selling
his vegetables, and very soon after Rusty came trotting into the
market-place, and as he now seemed willing to take his place in the
cart, Mr. Pig started for home without delay. When he got there, he
told Mrs. Pig his story, and she called him her best and most worthy
son.
[Illustration: Little Pig with mother.]
The Little Pig who Stayed at Home.
This little pig very much wanted to go with his brother, but as he
was so mischievous that he could not be trusted far away, his mother
made him stay at home, and told him to keep a good fire while she
went out to the miller's to buy some flour. But as soon as he was
alone, instead of learning his lessons, he began to tease the poor
cat. Then he got the bellows, and cut the leather with a knife, so as
to see where the wind came from: and when he could not find this out,
he began to cry. After this he broke all his brother's toys; he
forced the drum-stick through the drum, he tore off the tail from the
kite, and then pulled off the horse's head. And then he went to the
cupboard and ate the jam. When Mrs. Pig came home, she sat down by
the fire, and being very tired, she soon fell asleep. No sooner had
she done so, than this bad little pig got a long handkerchief and
tied her in her chair. But soon she awoke and found out all the
mischief that he had been doing. She saw at once the damage that he
had done to his brother's playthings. So she quickly brought out her
thickest and heaviest birch, and gave this naughty little pig such a
beating as he did not forget for a long time.
[Illustration: Little Pig tying mother to chair.]
[Illustration: Little Pig in Dunce cap.]
The Little Pig who had Roast Beef.
This little pig was a very good and careful fellow. He gave his
mother scarcely any trouble, and always took a pleasure in doing all
she bade him. Here you see him sitting down with clean hands and
face, to some nice roast beef, while his brother, the idle pig, who
is standing on a stool in the corner, with the dunce's cap on, has
none. He sat down and quietly learned his lesson, and asked his
mother to hear him repeat it. And this he did so well that Mrs. Pig
stroked him on the ears and forehead, and called him a good little
pig. After this he asked her to allow him to help her make tea.
He brought everything she wanted, and lifted off the kettle from
the fire, without spilling a drop either on his toes or the carpet.
By-and-bye he went out, after asking his mother's leave, to play with
his hoop. He had not gone far when he saw an old blind pig, who, with
his hat in his hand was crying at the loss of his dog; so he put his
hand in his pocket and found a halfpenny which he gave to the poor
old pig. It was for such thoughtful conduct as this that his mother
often gave this little pig roast beef. We now come to the little pig
who had none.
[Illustration: Little Pig eating roast beef.]
The Little Pig who had None.
This was a most obstinate and wilful little pig. His mother had set
him to learn his lesson, but no sooner had she gone out into the
garden, than he tore his book into pieces. When his mother came back
he ran off into the streets to play with other idle little pigs like
himself. After this he quarrelled with one of the pigs and got a
sound thrashing. Being afraid to go home, he stayed out till it was
quite dark and caught a severe cold. So he was taken home and put to
bed, and had to take a lot of nasty physic.
[Illustration: Little Pig running home.]
The Little Pig who Cried "Wee, wee," all the Way Home.
This little pig went fishing. Now he had been told not to go into
Farmer Grumpey's grounds, who did not allow any one to fish in his
part of the river. But in spite of what he had been told, this
foolish little pig went there. He soon caught a very large fish, and
while he was trying to carry it home, Farmer Grumpey came running
along with his great whip. He quickly dropped the fish, but the
farmer caught him, and as he laid his whip over his back for some
time, the little pig ran off, crying, "Wee, wee, wee," all the way
home.