The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

FINNISH TALE: THE ROOSTER, CAT, DOG, AND A PIG

ONCE UPON THE TIME THERE WAS A ROOSTER AND A CAT TOGETHER IN THE
YARD. THE AUTUMN COMES. THE CAT SAYS, "SHOULD WE BUILD A HOUSE?"
THE HEN SAYS, "WELL, WE COULD BUILD A SMALL ONE." SO THEY GATHER
ALL KINDS OF THRASHING AND SLOWLY BUT SURELY THEY GOT THEIR HOUSE
BUILT.
THE DOG COMES AND SAYS, "LET ME COME IN." "WE MIGHT AS WELL
BECAUSE YOU ARE SO SMALL," THEY SAY. AND THEY TAKE HIM IN.
THE PIG CAME AND SAYS, "LET ME COME IN." "WE MIGHT AS WELL
BECAUSE YOU ARE SO SMALL," THEY SAY. THE PIG SAYS, "I'M AFRAID
OF COLD AND I WILL HEAT UP YOUR HOUSE." AND THEY LET HIM IN.
THE NIGHT COMES. WOLVES ARE RUNNING IN THE FORESTS AND TRY TO
GET INTO THE HOUSE. THE HEN AND THE CAT ARE AFRAID. THE PIG
SAYS, "DON'T BE AFRAID, WAIT TILL THEY SEE ME." ONE WOLF GOES,
LISTENS IN THE YARD AND TELLS TO THE OTHERS, "OH, WHAT AN
AWFUL THING THERE IS IN THE BACK OF THE FIREPLACE." THE PIG
SAYS, "NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT." THE
WOLVES FLED. THEY FLED AND FLED AND THUS LEFT THE HOUSE
UNDISTURBED AND THE ROOSTER, CAT, DOG, AND PIG WERE NOT EATEN.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; FINLAND

Date learned: 11-00-1968