Once upon a time there were three little pigs and the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes.
Before they left, their mother told them, “Whatever you do, do it the best that you can because that’s the way to get along in the world.[1]”
So three little pigs left their mother to find homes for themselves.
The first pig met a man with the bundle of straw. “Please, man,” said the pig, “will you let me have that bundle of straw to build my house?” “Yes, here, take it,” said the kind man. The little pig was very pleased and at once built his house out of straw[2] because it was the easiest thing to do.
The second little pig said goodbye to his mother and set out.[3] Before long[4] he met a man with the bundle of sticks. “Please, man,” he said, “will you let me have that bundle of sticks to build my house?” “Yes, you can have it, here it is,” said the kind man. So the second little pig was very pleased and built his house out of sticks.[5] This was a little bit stronger[6] than a straw house. Then last of all the third little pig set out and met a man with load of bricks. “Please, man,” he said, “will you let me have that load of bricks to build my house?”
“Yes, here they are, all for you,” said the kind man. The third little pig was very pleased and built his house out of bricks.[7]
One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his new house of straw. The wolf knocked on the door, and said, “Let me in, let me in, little pig or I’ll huff and I’ll puff[8] and I’ll blow your house in![9]”
“No, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin,[10] I’ll not let you in!” said the little pig.
“Now I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down,” cried the wolf.
And of course[11] the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig.
The wolf then came to the house of sticks and knocked at the door. “Little pig, little pig,” he said, “open up your door and let me in!”
Now the second little pig remembered what his mother had told him, so he too said, “No, not by the hair on my chinny chin chin, I’ll not let you in.”