HOW COME THE PIGS CAN SEE THE WIND
Did you done hear how come that old Sis Pig can see the wind? Well, to be sure, ain't you never hear that? Well, don't you take noticement, many and many a time, how unrestful, and distracted like, the pigs is, when the wind blows, and how they squeal, and run this here way and that here way, like they 's distracted ?
Well, sir, all that going on is along of the fact that they can see the wind.
One time the old sow, she have five little pigs, — four black and one white one.
Now old Brer Wolf, he have a mighty good mouth for pig meat, and he go every night and walk round and round Miss Pig's house, but Sis Pig, she have the door lock fast.
One night, he dress up just like he was a man, and he put a tall hat on he head, and shoes on he foots; he take a sack of corn, and he walk hard, and make a mighty fuss on the brick walk, right up to the door, and he knock loud on the door in a great haste, and Sis Pig, she say, "Who there?"
And Brer Wolf say up, loud and powerful, Brer Wolf did, "Quit your fooling, old woman, I is the master, come for to put my mark on the new pigs; turn 'em loose here lively."
And old Sis Pig, she mighty scared, but she feared not to turn 'em out; so she crack the door, and turn out the four black pigs, but the little white pig, he am her eyeballs, the little white pig was, and when he turn come, she just shut the door and hold it fast.
And Brer Wolf, he turn down the corn, and just pick up the four little pigs and tote 'em off home; but when they done gone, he mouth hone for the little pig, but Sis Pig, she keep him mighty close.
One night Brer Wolf was wandering up and down the woods, and he meet up with old Satan, and he ask Brer Wolf, old Satan did, can he help him, and Brer Wolf he just tell him what on he mind, and old Satan told him to lead on to Miss Pig's house, and he help him out.
So Brer Wolf he lead on, and directly there Sis Pig's house, and old Satan, he begin to puff and blow, and puff and blow, till Brer Wolf he that scared, Brer Wolf is, that he hair fairly stand on end; and Miss Pig she done hear the mighty wind, and the house a-cracking, and they hear her inside down on her knees, just calling on God Almighty for mercy; but old Satan, he puff and blow, and puff and blow, and the house crack and tremble, and he say, old Satan did, "You hear this here mighty wind, Sis Pig, but if you look this here way you can see it."
And Sis Pig, she that scared, she crack the door and look out, and there she see old Satan's breath, like red smoke, blowing on the house, and from that day the pigs can see the wind, and it look red, the wind look red, sir.
How we know that? I tell you how we know that, sir: if anybody miss a pig and take the milk, then they can see the wind, and they done tell it was red.
Story Title: How Come the Pigs Can See the Wind
Article Title: Animal Tales from North Carolina, in Journal of American Folklore v. 11
Author: Backus, Emma
Published: 1898
Rights: CC0 Public Domain
Online Source: Hathi Trust
Process: Eye-dialect removed, plus editing for paragraphing and punctuation.
