The Three Little Pigs – Joseph Jacobs

The Three Little Pigs story is thought to be very, very old. However, the first printed versions date back to the early 1850s. In the first version of The 3 Little Pigs story, the three little pigs were actually 3 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 3 little pigs survives the wolf’s attacks. You can download the traditional Three Little Pigs PDF story with pictures here to share with your kids.

The Three Little Pigs Story – PDF Download

You can download your free copy of The 3 Little Pigs story which is printable PDF 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 3 Little Pigs 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 3 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.

The Three Little Pigs Story Q&A

Why Did The Old Sow Make The 3 Little Pigs Leave?

In the story, we are told that the Old Sow didn’t have enough, so she couldn’t afford to let the 3 little pigs 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 Three Little Pigs: Moral Of The Story

In the 3 Little Pigs story, we see how the first 2 little 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 3rd Little 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 3rd Little Pig was able to defeat the wolf easily.

The moral of The Three Little Pigs 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 Three Little Pigs 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 3 Little Pigs 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 3 Little Pigs 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 little pig 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 of The Three Little Pigs story. 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)

Silly Symphony | The Three Little Pigs

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:
Winnie The Pooh
Little Red Riding Hood
My Father’s Dragon
The Wind In The Willows
Alice In Wonderland
The Velveteen Rabbit