Several weeks ago, as I was writing about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, I made a point about the wicked queen eating the heart of a pig, instead of the heart of Snow White. Making the pig a symbol of all things gentile, un-kosher and non-Isrealite, or unclean, started me thinking about – The Three Little Pigs. I had just recently viewed all the Shelly Duval Faerie Tale Theater videos. Most I liked and some I thought silly. However, I did like “The Three Little Pigs” with Billy Crystal. He was delightful as the confident, cheerful youngest pig of three pig siblings. If you don’t remember the story, it’s very simple. It goes like this.
Once upon a time, there were three pigs who set off from home to make their fortune in the world. As they traveled along, a man came by with a wheelbarrow of straw. The eldest pig thought the straw would make a great house. The stuff was cheap and it wouldn’t take long to build the thing. He buys the straw and off he goes to make his home.
The next two pigs continue on their way. Along comes a man with a cart full of sticks. The second eldest pig thinks the sticks are better than the straw and will make sturdier house. It’s a bit more expensive, but that’s OK. He buys the sticks and goes off to make his house.
The youngest pig had a big dream. He wanted a house of brick. He knew it would be expensive and take a while to build, but he also knew it would be sturdy and keep him safe and snug and warm. Finally, he came to a brick maker. It took a while to build his house, but when it was done, it was a beauty.
In that same country was a big, bad wolf. And he was hungry. He smelled out the first pig who lived in the hut of straw. We all know the little taunt wolf yelled out to his victims. “Little Pig, little pig, let me come in!” “Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!” “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!” And the wolf huffed and puffed and blew in the house of straw. He does the same to the house of sticks.
OK, let’s just go that far. First of all we have our number three, that recurring number that means, cleansing. Of the three pigs, it’s the youngest that holds out for a brick house. Quite frankly, the two older pigs think the younger pig is being foolish for spending so much time and money on a house. After all, the house of straw and the house of stick will keep the rain off just fine, thank you very much.
We’ve already talked about the foolish youth in the Twelve Dancing Princesses. And in the Book of Mormon, in Lehi’s dream after he partook of the white fruit that made him feel so wonderful, he saw the great and spacious building with boatloads of people mocking all those who had partaken of the fruit. In the world today, those who choose to be followers of Christ and keep his “binding, restricting” commandments, are considered foolish.
I’d like to think this story of The Three Little Pigs goes right back to the parable of the foolish man and the wise man.
Matt. 7: 24-25
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luke 6: 48
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
But in our story, the hero is a pig. He’s unclean. And that takes me to the New Testament, the Book of Acts, Chapter Ten. Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, a gentile, and considered unclean by the Jews, has learned of Jesus Christ and believes in him, but is concerned because he is not a Jew. An angel comes to him and instructs him to find Peter, the chief Apostle of Christ who is residing at the moment in Jaffa, at the house of Simon, the Tanner. So, Cornelius sends messengers to find Peter.
9 ¶ On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Peter marvels over the love of God, that his salvation is extended unto all who will believe on Christ and keep His commandments. Cornelius and all those with him are baptized and the Gospel of Jesus Christ literally goes to all the world. Wherever a ship can take a man, that is where the Apostles traveled to.
And who is the wolf. I hope you can see the obvious. It’s Satan, of course, who, with his wiles (wily wolf) will trick mankind into taking the easy way out, be indolent and self gratifying. And what does the wolf want to do? He wants to devour the pig. What does Satan want to do? He wants to devour mankind and destroy the work of God.
Now, in our modern sensibilities, since we have handed these stories over to children, we have the first two pigs managing to run away and join their younger brother in his house of bricks. But the older versions of the story are not so nice. Once the straw house and the stick house are blown down, the wolf is free to chase after the pigs and eat them up. Which he does.
When he comes to the youngest pig in his house of bricks, he huffs and he puffs, but he cannot manage to blow down this well founded, solid house. So the wolf tries to get in through the chimney, but ends up as stew for his efforts. And the youngest pig lives happily ever after in his solid house.
This is not only a valuable story about hard work and high aspirations, it’s a story about salvation. It’s a story that tells you it doesn’t matter what race, color, creed or nationality you are, you are a child of God, and anyone, - anyone – who enters into a covenant with God, keeps his commandments, builds their life on the Rock and foundation of Jesus Christ – can be saved in the Celestial Kingdom of heaven and enjoy the priesthood and privileges found there.
Remember those three degrees of glory? I think we can add to them.
Telestial – Stars – Straw
Terrestrial – Moon – Sticks
Celestial – Sun – Bricks
So, whether of Israel, or not, whether pig or wicked queen, sleeping beauty, or young foolish Hero, the atonement of Jesus Christ covers us all, everyone, if we but learn to repent, call on His name, keep His commandments and do His works.
Well, that about wraps it up for fairy tales. At least for now.
Next Week; The most important legends in English traditions - Arthur
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