“Then good-bye,” says the smallest of the little pigs, and off he trotted home, leaving the ogre to climb down the tree again as he chose.
“And now, at least, you will go out into the woods no more,” says the cock, the speckled hen, the black drake, and the grey goose.
Oh, well, there was no telling what the three little pigs would do yet, they would have to wait and see.
One day it was the middle-sized little pig who would go out into the woods, for he also had a mind to taste the acorns there.
So out into the woods the middle-sized little pig went, and there he had all the acorns that he wanted.
But by and by the ogre came along. “Aha!” says he. “Now I have you for sure and certain.”
But the middle-sized little pig just stood and looked at a great rock just in front of him, with all of his might and main. “Sh-h-h-h-h-h!” says he, “I am not to be talked to or bothered now!”
Hoity-toity! Here was a pretty song, to be sure! And why was the middle-sized pig not to be talked to? That was what the ogre should like to know.
Oh, the middle-sized little pig was looking at what was going on under the great rock yonder, for he could see the little folk brewing more beer than thirty-seven men could drink.