The Pig and the Pearl

Name: The Pig and the Pearl
Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Pig and the Pearl is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, first published in 1890. The story follows a pig who finds a pearl in the mud and becomes obsessed with it, neglecting his own well-being and happiness in the process. The pig's obsession with the pearl serves as a metaphor for the dangers of materialism and the importance of prioritizing one's own needs and desires.

By Charlotte Perkins Gilman · First published 1892 · Genre: Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy · 491 words

First lines

Said the Pig to the Pearl, "Oh, fie! / Tasteless, and hard, and dry- / Get out of my sty! / Glittering, smooth, and clean, / You only seek to be seen! / I am dirty and big! / A virtuous, valuable pig. / For me all things are sweet / That I can possibly eat; / But you-how can you be good / Without being fit for food? / Not even food for me, / Who can eat all this you see, / No matter how foul and sour; / I revel from hour to hour / In refuse of great and small; / But you are no good at all, / And if I should gulp you, quick, / It would probably make me sick! " / Said the Pig to the Pearl, "Oh, fie! " / And she rooted her out of the sty. / A Philosopher chancing to pass / Saw the Pearl in the grass, / And laid hands on the same in a trice, / For the Pearl was a Pearl of Great Price. / Said he, "Madame Pig, if you knew / What a fool thing you do, / It would grieve even you! / Grant that pearls are not just to your taste, / Must you let them run waste? / You care only for hogwash, I know, / For your litter and you. Even so, / This tasteless hard thing which you scorn / Would buy acres of corn; / And apples, and pumpkins, and pease, / By the ton, if you please! / By the wealth which this pearl represents, / You could grow so immense- / You, and every last one of your young- / That your fame would be sung / As the takers of every first prize, / For your flavor and size! / From even a Pig's point of view / The Pearl was worth millions to you. / Be a Pig-and a fool-(you must be them) / But try to know Pearls when you see them! "

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The Pig and the Pearl is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dated 1892 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Date: 1892 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy
Length: 491 words
Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

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Similar titles

Genres

Fiction — Based on the author's body of work, this book is presumably not based on true stories or real people, leading to a classification of 'Fiction'.
Children's Literature — Given the title 'THE PIG AND THE PEARL', it can be inferred that the book is likely a simple and imaginative work suitable for young audiences, fitting the 'Children's Literature' genre.
Fantasy — Given that a pig and a pearl are both unlikely protagonists in a real-world context, one can assume that this story involves imaginative and fantastical elements, landing it in the 'Fantasy' genre.