The Old Woman and Her Pig

An old woman found a small silver coin while she was sweeping her house.“I will go to market and buy myself a little pig,” she said happily.She bought a plump little pig, but on the way home, it would not jump over a stile.

She found a dog and said, “Dog, bite the pig! It will not jump over the stile.” But the dog would not.She found a stick and said, “Stick, hit the dog! It will not bite the pig.” But the stick would not.She found a fire and said, “Fire, burn the stick! It will not hit the dog.” But the fire would not.

She found some water and said, “Water, put out the fire! It will not burn the stick.” But the water would not.She found an ox and said, “Ox, drink the water! It will not put out the fire.” But the ox would not.She found a butcher and said, “Butcher, stop the ox! It will not drink the water.” But the butcher would not.

She found a rope and said, “Rope, tie up the butcher! He will not stop the ox.” But the rope would not.She found a rat and said, “Rat, chew the rope! It will not tie up the butcher.” But the rat would not.At last she found a cat and said, “Cat, catch the rat! It will not chew the rope.”

“First bring me a bowl of milk from that cow, and then I will catch the rat,” said the cat.The cow said, “First bring me some hay from that haystack,” so the old woman carried the hay to the cow.As soon as the cow had her hay, she happily gave the old woman a bowl of milk for the cat.

The cat drank the milk and began to catch the rat, the rat began to chew the rope, the rope began to tie up the butcher, the butcher began to stop the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to put out the fire, and the fire began to burn the stick.The stick began to hit the dog, the dog began to bark at the pig, and the frightened little pig jumped straight over the stile — so the old woman got home safe and sound with her pig at last.