Retold by S.E. Schlosser
Did you hear how come that old Sis Pig can see the wind? You never heard that? Well, maybe you have noticed, many and many a time, how unrestful, and distracted-like the pigs are, when the wind blows, and how they squeal, and run this way and that way? Well, sir, all that is going on because pigs can see the wind.
Once upon a time, Old Sis Pig, she had five little pigs, — four spotted and one pink. Now old Brer Wolf, he had a mighty good mouth for pig meat, and he went every night and walked round and round the pig’s house, but Sis Pig, she kept the door locked fast.
Finally, Brer Wolf dressed up just like he was a man. He put a tall hat on his head and shoes on his feet. Then he took a sack of corn, and he walked hard, and made a mighty fuss on the brick walk, right up to the door, and he knocked loud on the door – a-bang, a-bang, a-bang.
Sis Pig, she said: “Who’s there?”
And Brer Wolf said, loud and powerful: “I’m the sheriff, I am, and I’ve come to take away your little pigs.”
Sis Pig, she was mighty scared, but she wasn’t giving her children over to no one, no matter how fierce they yelled.
“You can’t have ‘em. Now get on with you. Go ‘way,” she told Brer Wolf. And Sis Pig held the door fast while Brer Wolf pounded and howled in fury. Finally, Brer Wolf gave up and stomped away, shouting all the while how he was going to get his revenge on Sis Pig and her five little pigs.
One night Brer Wolf was wandering up and down the woods, and he meet up with old Satan, and he asked Brer Wolf how he can help him. So Brer Wolf, he just tell Old Satan all bout Sis Pig and his frustrations.
Old Satan told Brer Wolf to lead him to Miss Pig’s house, and he would help him out. So, they went to Sis Pig’s house, and old Satan, he began to puff and blow, and puff and blow, till Brer Wolf was so scared that his hair fairly stood on end.
Sis Pig, when she heard the mighty wind and the house a-cracking around her, she fell on her knees and hugged her little pigs close to keep them safe. But old Satan, he kept puffing and blowing, and puffing and blowing until the house trembled and shook.
Old Satan called: “You hear my mighty wind, Sis Pig, but if you look this way, you can see it.”
And Sis Pig and her little pigs, they looked through the window and saw old Satan’s breath, like red smoke, blowing down the house. Sis Pig, she was so scared she prayed for the Almighty to save her family.
And jest when they thought Old Satan would blow their house down, the Almighty sent a powerful storm with crashing thunder and powerful lightning and swirling winds that sparkled like blue and white flames. The storm swirled around Sis Pig’s house until there was no more red smoke nowhere. Finally, that powerful storm picked up Old Satan and Brer Wolf and carried them so far away they never came back again.
Ever since that day, all pigs can see the wind.
Copyrighted content: This is a retold folklore story by S.E. Schlosser, who owns the copyright. This version of the story may not be reproduced, reprinted or used in any other way without the permission of the author. Teachers may link to or photocopy this story as part of their classwork.
Resource: The Journal of American Folklore October-December 1898: Vol 11 Iss 43
