"The three little pigs and the wolf" is a fable belonging to universal folklore that, in different versions, has been heard for centuries in different corners of the world, and that children also listen and read today. But there are also authors who have decided to turn around classical history and have versioned "The Three Little Pigs".
As we know, the story tells the situation of three brothers who have to be responsible and seek their own luck in the real world. Each pig has a different personality that is reflected in the way in which each of them decides to build their new house (bone, their future).
The decision to build the house is important, since it will protect them from dangers, such as that of the fierce wolf. The laziest and laziest will hurriedly build weak houses that are easily torn down by the wicked wolf, while the responsible brother acts as an example and savior by elaborating a solid house with effort.
The moral is clear, but history can be turned around, and thus versions have emerged in which the wolf is not as fierce as they painted it, the pigs are fierce, they leave the story or in which they are piglets . Let's see "The three little pigs" reinvented:
"The true story of the three little pigs"
Written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith, I discovered this story last Christmas in a storytelling session, and I loved. In this story, beautifully illustrated, it is pointed out that the "official story" that has come to us has nothing to do with the reality of what happened at that time.
It is the wolf who tells the true story that happened to him when he simply wanted to ask his neighbors for a cup of sugar. And it makes us ask ourselves many questions: don't we all have something fierce? Do we have to believe everything they tell us?
"The three little pigs"
Another version is starring females: "The Three Little Pigs" by Frédéric Stehr. I have not been able to read this story, but we do find some references that indicate that the story reproduces some sexist topics that I don't like. And that at first I thought: "how good, they are the protagonists!".
But in this case we have three little pigs who have grown up and leave their mother to find a husband (as if there were no other things to do). Then the wolf disguises himself to look like the ideal pig ...
As we see, try to warn, in the same way as other classic tales like "Little Red Riding Hood", of the dangers that girls face as they grow up and awaken the desire for the opposite sex.
"The three Little Pigs"
Although with the same title as the classic, "The Three Little Pigs" by David Wiesner It transgresses all the conventions of the story genre from a playful point of view, playing with the images that become protagonists.
What would happen if the little wolf that built the straw house, with the wolf's breath, starts to fly and leaves the story? Well, it is what we see in the pages of this book that adopts different narrative planes by having pigs "out of history."
In a traditional flat illustration the classic story is told, and in a three-dimensional illustration we see the little pigs that come out of that classic story and live different adventures in other worlds, in other stories, leaving the wolf alone.
No doubt this is the most transgressive version of "The Three Little Pigs", since it mixes different narrative planes. The illustrations are delicious.
"The three little wolves and the fierce pig"
Written by Eugene Trivizas and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, this story goes around the classic, the roles of the protagonists are exchanged and in it we see how a destructive pig makes life impossible for three good wolves.
As in the primitive version, the story begins at a crucial moment: the wolves have grown and have to leave the family home. His mother teaches them that there are moments in life when it is important to go out and explore the world, travel and build a house. But you have to be careful with the fierce pig ...
The wolves, of adventurous spirit, in their experiences always run into the fierce swearing pig, their natural enemy. The best thing is that in the end they manage to beat the pig in a very ingenious and not harmful way, softening his heart, so they end up being friends.
It is a good idea because Reflects on typecasts, topics and prejudices.
I find it exciting to know these reworkings as suitable for children as for adults, and we see that although some avoid some manicheisms and in some ways are more realistic and more in keeping with the times, others only reproduce topics.
You, With what version of "The Three Little Pigs" do you stay? I hope you liked this tour of the classics seen from another point of view, and happy reading!
