85 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
85 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
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Once upon a time . . . there were three little pigs, who left their mummy
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and daddy to see the world.
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All summer long, they roamed through the woods and over the plains,playing
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games and having fun. None were happier than the three little pigs, and they
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easily made friends with everyone. Wherever they went, they were given a warm
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welcome, but as summer drew to a close, they realized that folk were drifting
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back to their usual jobs, and preparing for winter. Autumn came and it began
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to rain. The three little pigs started to feel they needed a real home. Sadly
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they knew that the fun was over now and they must set to work like the others,
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or they'd be left in the cold and rain, with no roof over their heads. They
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talked about what to do, but each decided for himself. The laziest little pig
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said he'd build a straw hut.
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"It wlll only take a day,' he said. The others disagreed.
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"It's too fragile," they said disapprovingly, but he refused to listen. Not
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quite so lazy, the second little pig went in search of planks of seasoned
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wood.
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"Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!" It took him two days to nail them together. But the
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third little pig did not like the wooden house.
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"That's not the way to build a house!" he said. "It takes time, patience
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and hard work to buiid a house that is strong enough to stand up to wind,
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rain, and snow, and most of all, protect us from the wolf!"
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The days went by, and the wisest little pig's house took shape, brick by
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brick. From time to time, his brothers visited him, saying with a chuckle:
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"Why are you working so hard? Why don't you come and play?" But the
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stubborn bricklayer pig just said "no".
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"I shall finish my house first. It must be solid and sturdy. And then I'll
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come and play!" he said. "I shall not be foolish like you! For he who laughs
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last, laughs longest!"
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It was the wisest little pig that found the tracks of a big wolf in the
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neighbourhood.
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The little pigs rushed home in alarm. Along came the wolf, scowling
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fiercely at the laziest pig's straw hut.
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"Come out!" ordered the wolf, his mouth watering. I want to speak to you!"
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"I'd rather stay where I am!" replied the little pig in a tiny voice.
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"I'll make you come out!" growled the wolf angrily, and puffing out his
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chest, he took a very deep breath. Then he blew wlth all his might, right onto
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the house. And all the straw the silly pig had heaped against some thin poles,
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fell down in the great blast. Excited by his own cleverness, the wolf did not
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notice that the little pig had slithered out from underneath the heap of
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straw, and was dashing towards his brother's wooden house. When he realized
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that the little pig was escaping, the wolf grew wild with rage.
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"Come back!" he roared, trying to catch the pig as he ran into the wooden
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house. The other little pig greeted his brother, shaking like a leaf.
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"I hope this house won't fall down! Let's lean against the door so he can't
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break in!"
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Outside, the wolf could hear the little pigs' words. Starving as he was, at
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the idea of a two-course meal, he rained blows on the door.
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"Open up! Open up! I only want to speak to you!"
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Inside, the two brothers wept in fear and did their best to hold the door
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fast against the blows. Then the furious wolf braced himself a new effort: he
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drew in a really enormous breath, and went ... WHOOOOO! The wooden house
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collapsed like a pack of cards.
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Luckily, the wisest little pig had been watching the scene from the window
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of his own brick house, and he rapidly opened the door to his fleeing
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brothers. And not a moment too soon, for the wolf was already hammering
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furiously on the door. This time, the wolf had grave doubts. This house had a
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much more solid air than the others. He blew once, he blew again and then for
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a third time. But all was in vain. For the house did not budge an lnch. The
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three little pigs watched him and their fear began to fade. Quite exhausted by
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his efforts, the wolf decided to try one of his tricks. He scrambled up a
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nearby ladder, on to the roof to have a look at the chimney. However, the
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wisest little pig had seen thls ploy, and he quickly said:
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"Quick! Light the fire!" With his long legs thrust down the chimney, the
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wolf was not sure if he should slide down the black hole. It wouldn'tbe easy
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to get in, but the sound of the little pigs' voices below only made him feel
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hungrier.
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"I'm dying of hunger! I'm goin to try and get down." And he let himself
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drop. But landing was rather hot, too hot! The wolf landed in the fire, stunned
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by his fall.
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The flames licked his hairy coat and his tail became a flaring torch.
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"Never again! Never again will I go down a chimneyl" he squealed, as he
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tried to put out the flames in his tail. Then he ran away as fast as he could.
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The three happy little pigs, dancing round and round the yard, began to
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sing:
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"Tra-la-la! Tra-la-la! The wicked black wolf will never come back...!"
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From that terrible day on, the wisest little pig's brothers set to work
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with a will. In less than no time, up went the two new brick houses. The wolf
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did return once to roam in the neighbourhood, but when he caught sight of
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three chimneys, he remembered the terrible pain of a burnt tail, and he left
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for good.
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Now safe and happy, the wisest little pig called to his brothers:
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"No more work! Come on, let's go and play!"
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