The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs who left home to seek their fortune.

The first little pig built his house of straw. It was quick and easy. "Done by lunch!" he said, and went off to play.

The second little pig built his house of sticks. It took a bit longer but was still pretty fast. "Done by dinner!" he said, and went off to play.

The third little pig built his house of bricks. It took days. His brothers laughed at him. But he laid every brick carefully, with mortar in between, and built a chimney on top.

Then along came a big bad wolf. He went to the straw house first.

"Little pig, little pig, let me come in!"

"Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!"

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!"

And he did. The straw house blew apart and the first little pig ran to his brother's stick house.

The wolf followed. "Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!"

"Not by the hair on our chinny chin chins!"

So the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the stick house down too. Both pigs ran to their brother's brick house.

The wolf followed. He huffed. He puffed. He huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed. But the brick house didn't move. Not one brick.

The wolf tried climbing down the chimney. But the third little pig had put a pot of boiling water in the fireplace. The wolf fell in, yelped, and ran away, never to be seen again.

And the three little pigs lived happily ever after in the strong brick house. Because sometimes the hard work takes longer — but it's the work that lasts.