The Three Little Pigs story is thought to be very, very old with the first printed versions dating back to the early 1850s!
In the first version of the story, the three little pigs were actually three little pixies, and a fox was the villain of the story!
The Three Little Pigs story, as we know it, appeared in its most well-known, traditional form in English Fairy Tales, which was a book written by Joseph Jacobs and published in 1890.
Since then, there have been many adaptations, including one where the younger of the little pigs survives the wolf’s attacks.
Here you can download the original Three Little Pigs PDF story with pictures to share with your kids in printable format. You can also read it online if you would prefer to.
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The Three Little Pigs Story – PDF Download
You can download your free printable copy of the story by clicking the button below. Depending on your device, the PDF book will either open in a new tab or download to your device. From here it is easy to print if you would like to!
If you would like to download a copy of the story to your device, you can right-click the button and choose “Save As”.
Is The Three Little Pigs PDF Free To Download?
Yes, it is! The Three Little Pigs story is very old and it has been in the public domain for a long time. This is the traditional version of The Three Little Pigs story with pictures – illustrated by Leonard Leslie Brooke.
Read The Three Little Pigs online
Don’t want to download? No problem! Below, you can flip through the pages of this classic kid’s story, zoom in and out, and enjoy the original illustrations. Simply use the navigation buttons to turn the pages and start reading!
The Three Little Pigs Animation
Walt Disney created a really fun animated version of The Three Little Pigs story which you can watch right here!
Looking for more kid’s bedtime stories? Why not try these: Winnie The Pooh, My Father’s Dragon, The Wind In The Willows, The Three Little Pigs,
Alice In Wonderland, The Velveteen Rabbit
The Three Little Pigs Story Q&A
Why Did The Old Sow Make The Little Pigs Leave?
In the story, we are told that the Old Sow didn’t have enough, so she couldn’t afford to let her children stay at home. She sent them out into the world to go and make their own lives.
Once upon a time there was an old Sow with three little Pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune.
The Story Of The Three Little Pigs
Is The Three Little Pigs A Fable Or Fairytale?
In general, fables are stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. Usually, each of these stories has some type of lesson to teach and there is usually a good moral to the story. Fairy tales on the other hand are stories that are specifically for children and they often involve magical creatures both good and evil.
The main difference between fable and fairy tale is that the fable usually has a moral lesson at the end whereas the fairy tale is essentially for entertainment.
Pediaa | Difference Between Fable and Fairy Tale
From this description, The Three Little Pigs story would be considered a Fable.
The Moral Of The Story
In the story, we see how the first two pigs didn’t make much effort to build strong and safe houses for themselves. They took the easiest options available to them and didn’t plan well.
The third pig on the other hand builds a strong, sturdy house made from brick and mortar which the wolf wasn’t able to blow down. We also see how with a little planning and forethought the third pig was able to defeat the wolf easily.
The moral of story:
- Don’t take shortcuts or rely on quick fixes
- Don’t be lazy
- Hard work, planning, and patience always pay off
- Be prepared in case hardships do come your way
- A good foundation is always worth hard work and sacrifice. Don’t build with sticks or straw when you could build with bricks. Just like you shouldn’t build on the sand when you could build on the rock.
What Did The Second Little Pig Build His House Out Of?
In the traditional story, which you can download here, we are told that the second little pig built his house out of furze. Furze is a dense, spiny evergreen shrub that is common in Western Europe. It is sometimes also called gorse, whin, or ulex. So basically, as in the modern retelling of the story, the second little pig built his house out of sticks.
Why Did The First Little Pig Build His House Out Of Straw?
In the original story, we aren’t particularly told why the first little pig built his house out of straw. However, in other versions, we are told that the first piglet was a bit lazy and wanted to build his house as quickly and as easily as possible.
Once upon a time there was a mother pig with three little pigs. When it was time for the little pigs to live on their own, their mother told them, “Whatever you do, do the best you can!”
The first little pig built a house out of straw. It wasn’t very strong, but it was quick to build and the little pig could spend more time playing, so he was happy. The second little pig built a house out of sticks. It also wasn’t very strong, but it was quick to build and the little pig could spend more time playing, so he was also happy. The third little pig built his house out of bricks. He remembered his mother’s words and worked hard to build the best house he could. The brick house was strong and sturdy and the third little pig was very pleased.
Sudbury Massachusetts Library | The Three Little Pigs
Is There A Three Little Pigs Movie?
There are many different movies with one of the earliest was released by Walt Disney and it won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1933.
In 1994, it was voted #11 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field. In 2007, Three Little Pigs was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Wikipedia | Three Little Pigs (Film)
Conclusion
The Three Little Pigs story has been told as a children’s bedtime story for generations, teaching kids the value of hard work and planning. You can download a copy of The Three Little Pigs PDF printable book here to share with your children.
Also, don’t forget to check out our Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale Collection for more fairy tales and short stories to share with your children!
More Children’s Bedtime Story PDF eBooks:
Little Red Riding Hood
My Father’s Dragon
The Wind In The Willows
Alice In Wonderland
The Velveteen Rabbit