Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. They were brothers, and when they were old enough, their mother said it was time for them to go out into the world and seek their fortunes.

"Build yourselves good strong houses," she told them, "and watch out for the wolf."

The first little pig was in a hurry. He met a man carrying a bundle of straw and said, "Please, may I have that straw? I want to build a house." And quickly, he built a house of straw. It looked nice enough, but it wasn't very strong.

The second little pig was also in a bit of a rush. He met a man carrying a bundle of sticks and said, "Please, may I have those sticks? I want to build a house." And he built a house of sticks. It was a little better than straw, but not by much.

The third little pig took her time. She met a man with a cart full of bricks and said, "Please, may I buy those bricks? I want to build a proper house." She laid each brick carefully, mixed the mortar just right, and built a strong house of bricks. It took much longer, but she didn't mind.

Before long, the Big Bad Wolf came prowling. He came to the house of straw, and he knocked on the door.

"Little pig, little pig, let me come in!"

"Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!" said the first little pig.

"Then I'll huff... and I'll puff... and I'll BLOW your house in!"

And the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house right down. The straw went flying everywhere, and the first little pig ran squealing to his brother's house of sticks.

The wolf followed. He knocked on the door of the stick house.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!"

"Not by the hair on our chinny chin chins!"

"Then I'll huff... and I'll puff... and I'll BLOW your house in!"

And the wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and down came the house of sticks. The two little pigs ran squealing all the way to their sister's brick house.

The wolf followed. He knocked on the door of the brick house.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!"

"Not by the hair on our chinny chin chins!"

"Then I'll huff... and I'll puff... and I'll BLOW your house in!"

And the wolf huffed. And he puffed. And he huffed and he puffed. And he puffed and he huffed. But the house of bricks did not budge. Not one bit.

The wolf tried again and again until he was completely out of breath. Then he had an idea. He climbed up onto the roof and began to squeeze down the chimney.

But the third little pig was clever. She had a big pot of water boiling over the fire. The wolf came sliding down the chimney and — SPLASH — right into the pot.

And that was the end of the Big Bad Wolf.

The three little pigs lived together in the strong brick house, happy and safe. And whenever they passed a pile of straw or a bundle of sticks, they smiled at each other and kept right on walking.