Here they are,—­three prime favourites of proved standing.

THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS[1]

[Footnote 1:  Adapted from Joseph Jacobs’s English Fairy Tales (David Nutt, 57-59 Long Acre, W.C. 6s.).]

Once upon a time there were three little pigs, who went from home to seek their fortune.  The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him:—­

“Good man, give me that straw to build me a house.”

The man gave the straw, and the little pig built his house with it.  Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said:—­

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

But the pig answered:—­

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”

So the wolf said:—­

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze, and said:—­

“Good man, give me that furze to build me a house.”

The man gave the furze, and the pig built his house.  Then once more came the wolf, and said: 

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”

“Then I’ll puff, and I’ll huff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and he huffed, and at last he blew the house in, and ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said:—­

“Good man, give me those bricks to build me a house with.”

The man gave the bricks, and he built his house with them.  Again the wolf came, and said:—­

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”

“No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could not get the house down.  Finding that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said:—­

“Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips.”

“Where?” said the little pig.

“Oh, in Mr Smith’s field, and if you will be ready to-morrow morning we will go together, and get some for dinner.”

“Very well,” said the little pig.  “What time do you mean to go?”

“Oh, at six o’clock.”

So the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came crying:—­

“Little pig, are you ready?”

The little pig said:  “Ready!  I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner.”

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be a match for the little pig somehow or other, so he said:—­

“Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree.”