The Thirteen Little Black Pigs

Name: The Thirteen Little Black Pigs
Author: Mary Louisa Molesworth

Two children, Max and Dolly, are recovering from a series of illnesses and spend their time looking out of their nursery windows. They become fascinated by a group of little black pigs in a nearby field, leading to a dispute over the number of pigs they see—Dolly insists there are thirteen, while Max argues there are only twelve. Their quarrel escalates during tea time, causing tension between them. Their mother, noticing their gloomy demeanor, encourages them to resolve their disagreement but suggests they wait until the next day to settle the matter. She promises them a walk to see the pigs, which excites the children. The following day, they keep their promise and do not look out the window, eager to see the pigs in person. On their walk, they encounter Farmer Wilder, who mentions that there are indeed twelve pigs. However, Dolly insists she saw thirteen, leading to further confusion. Their mother explains that both children were right and wrong, as a small black dog named Nigger had been with the pigs, contributing to the discrepancy in their counts. Ultimately, the children learn a valuable lesson about the silliness of quarreling, realizing that misunderstandings can arise from different perspectives. They return home with a newfound appreciation for harmony and the importance of resolving conflicts amicably.

By Mary Louisa Molesworth · First published 1894 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fiction, Family · 3 chapters · 4,871 words

First lines

The house stood on rising ground, and the nursery was at the top of the house -- except of course for the attics above -- so there was a good view from the two large windows. This was a great comfort to the children during the weeks they were busy getting better from a long, very long, illness, or illnesses. For they had been so unwise as to get measles, and scarlet fever, and something else -- I am not sure if it was whooping-cough or chicken-pox -- all mixed up together! Don't you think they might have been content with one at a time? Their mamma thought so, and the doctor thought so, and most of all, perhaps, nurse thought so.

What this Textopian page supports

The Thirteen Little Black Pigs is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mary Louisa Molesworth, dated 1894 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Mary Louisa Molesworth
Date: 1894 CE
Language: English
Genres: Children's Literature, Fiction, Family, Humor, Animal Fiction
Length: 4,871 words
Structure: 3 chapters, 102 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genres

Children's Literature — The book is primarily aimed at children, featuring young protagonists and themes relevant to childhood experiences.
Fiction — The narrative is a fictional story that explores the interactions and conflicts between siblings.
Family — The story revolves around family dynamics, particularly the relationship between siblings and their mother.
Humor — The dialogue and situations often contain humorous elements, particularly in the children's banter and misunderstandings.