This little piggy went to market, This little piggy stayed home, This little piggy had roast beef, This little piggy had none, This little piggy cried “Wee! Wee! Wee!” all the way home.
I surely was not the only child whose toes transformed into little pigs going mundane places and doing mundane things. Fortunately, the pigs that featured in historical newspapers generally had more exciting places to go than the market.
Do pigs think? Pigs can fire a gun with such precision as would become a seasoned marksman, fight in realistic fashion a Dempsey-Tunney battle royal, and act with high intelligence their clever and deliriously funny impersonations.
Incredible in writing, but perfect truth in fact is the aptitude of Freckles, Pork Chops and other famous pigs, skillfully trained by Miss Marjorie Van Camp, without doubt the world’s greatest trainer of pigs. . . Thousands, it is claimed, have been enthralled by this clever combination of pig performers in Pig-a-Dilly Circus, featuring Freckles, “the pig with a personality.”
A warning to any big bad wolves looking to blow down houses: Freckles, Pork Chops and their friends have had combat training and aren’t afraid to use it.
A Moor had charge of 500 pigs belonging to a Tetuan Spaniard. When the Spanish troops arrived and entrenched themselves the Moor got frightened and drove the pigs to another place in the night.
The pigs, not liking the new place, returned to where the troops were posted. Their position being surrounded by cork wood, the pigs made a great noise.
The Spaniards thought the Anjera had come to attack. The troops began firing and the artillery came into action.
The pigs immediately bolted, and the Spanish commander, thinking he had gained a glorious victory, sent a special courier to inform the Spanish Consul that he had had a great success and had killed six of the Anjera. The Spanish Consul informed the other Consuls and the people of the Spanish “victory.”
The Consul to-day had to deny the report he had spread and to admit that the Spanish commander, like a modern Ajax, had spent his strength and courage in dreadful war with swine.
Alas, I could find no stories about pigs eating roast beef. Since that’s borderline cannibalism anyway, let’s skip ahead in the nursery rhyme.
This little piggy cried “Wee! Wee! Wee!” all the way home.
A private from one of the companies secured one of many pigs that were running loose near the camp, placed it on his back, and started through camp. Every few steps the pig would utter a terrible squeal. Nearly the entire camp assembled and watched the spectacle.
Some time afterwards the pig, with a tremendous effort, stuck his hind feet into the mouth and eyes of his tormentor. He was dropped, and with a triumphant squeal disappeared in the distance.
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Disclaimer: The modern era is far from the first to grapple with rampant “fake news.” As I am neither a historian nor journalist, I make no claims about the accuracy or lack thereof of the above sources. I assert only that they make for a good story.
Welcome to Second Glance History! This blog seeks to uncover the people and the stories forgotten by history and give them another read through a modern lens. Join me every week as we examine the differences that divide and the common threads that connect the then to the now.
“….and this little piggy wound up on a Pink Floyd album cover!”
I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your Hall of Fame down! 💨