Week 13 Story: An Orwellian Farm

    "Hey. Hey you!" Little Red was hunched behind the pig pen, and his cramping limbs were happy to finally see the Pig. He'd been waiting to talk with him for most of the day. 

    The Pig started and peered cautiously around the corner. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out plowing?" he asked haughtily. 

    Little Red tried not to let the Pig's demeanor get to him. "I'm here to help you, you fool. I have a warning."

    The Pig continued to look cautious, but some of his aloof stance was replaced by one of curiosity. 

    "All of that fancy food you have been eating- its to fatten you for slaughter! The farmer's wife is getting married, and you are to be the main course." continued Little Red. 

    "Ha. There are words of caution coming out of your mouth, but all I hear is jealousy. I see you across the farm, working from dusk 'til dawn and only getting a meager ration of hay in return. Don't try to come here and convince me that I am the one actually getting the short end of the stick." scoffed the Pig. 

    "I'm not going to pretend like my life is perfect, but listen here, pal - I'm sticking my neck out for you here. My dad, Big Red, was too scared to come and tell you himself - didn't want to get caught by the farmer, ya see? Don't believe me? Fine. Just ask yourself what happened to all of your pals after they got all nice and fat. Really believe, I mean deep down believe, that they were sent off to some nicer farm to frolic around? Come on. Stop kidding yourself. That's a children's story." 

    Little Red started to turn around and leave, when suddenly the Pig pipped up, fear lacing his every word. 

"Ok! Ok. You've got me listening. What's the plan?"

(The next story to read. Source: Flickr)

Bibliography: Babbitt Jataka Tales. Story: The Ox Who Envied the Pig

Author's Note: I thought that the moral of this story might have been more sinister than the original story let on. The original seemed to suggest that one ought to not envy those around us who have more because they are destined for disaster. I thought, however that the moral was that, in the system set up by the farm, there really was not winning. Either you get to live a long life but toil and get no real rewards, or you get to live high and mightily, but only for a time. The only one who really "won" in the story was the farmer who got the oxen to work for him and got to eat the pig. It seems like the only sensible thing for the animals to do is to rise up and revolt....