Once upon a time, there were three piglettes who lived in the woods. They had never met before, but were about to become the best of friends.

They had all had run-ins with wolves before, and while some of their encounters had been good, others had not been as pleasant. Unfortunately, you never know what you’ll get with a wolf knocking at your door, as they were all about to find out.

The first lived in a small house made of straw. One day she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find a wolf. She was hesitant, for she knew that she could be in danger, but did not want to be rude.

“Good afternoon, I seem to be lost in these woods,” lamented the wolf, “while I most certainly do not need directions, is there a chance I could come in for a bite to eat?”

Realizing that this wolf could easily overpower her, she replied, “I’m sorry, you can’t, I have guests coming over.” While it wasn’t actually true, she hoped that this would get the wolf to leave.

She tried to shut the door, but the wolf blocked it with his paw.

“If you could just let me come in for one minute and feed me, I promise it’ll be no trouble.”

The first piglette was starting to get annoyed. She had flat out said “no” to wolves before, and let’s just say…well, she was determined to not let this straw house get blown down, too. She made a mental note to go to the hardware store tomorrow and see if she could find a sturdier material for her home.

But for now, she had a wolf to take care of. Her mother had always said that to keep wolves from misbehaving, piglettes should travel together. What she needed was a friend, and unfortunately, none were actually coming to her home.

“You’re absolutely right!” She lied to the wolf, “let me just tidy up for a moment and I’ll let you right in.”

Upon promising this speedy return, the first piglette closed the front door and slipped out the back door to find someone who could help. She came upon a small house made of sticks. She knocked on the door and asked the piglette who answered if she could seek refuge there. The tenant agreed, happy to help, albeit somewhat frightened.

The wolf, having realized that the first piglette had fled and feeling he was owed an explanation, followed the first piglette to this stick house.

He knocked on the door and the second piglette answered. Before she even opened her mouth to greet the wolf, the wolf said, “I saw the first piglette come here and I wanted to come ask her what her problem is as she clearly doesn’t have anyone coming for dinner. Also, I wanted to explain to her the structural integrity of straw. I don’t think she understands how to properly build a house. Now, I’ve never built a house before, but I’m sure that that’s not the right way to go about it.”

And the second piglette stood with a smile on her face (in the doorway of her sturdy house of sticks) to humor the wolf as he dove into a long monologue about house construction.

“I could come in and inspect your home too, if you would like. Not all wolves are like the ones you’ve met, you know.”

The second piglette, exhausted from keeping the fake smile plastered on her face started shaking her head a little more quickly than necessary for a polite no.

“Thank you anyway,” she said, trying to appease the wolf, “but I really don’t need any help.” The second piglette half slammed the door in the wolf’s face, she closed it so fast.

“We have to get out of here!” She said to the first piglette, now questioning the house that she had lived in for several years without incident and had never questioned previously.

And while they did not know where they were going, they slipped out the back door and into the woods. The wolf followed, determined to get the piglettes to acquiesce to giving him the good meal he was due (even though he knew that he could probably find food elsewhere).

The piglettes arrived at a house made of bricks and knocked frantically on the door. When the third piglette opened the door, she ushered the ladies inside and listened intently to their story.

The third piglette was none too wary of wolves. She had had her run-ins before, and she knew how to take care of such a problem.

When he finally knocked on her door, she didn’t even answer, but instead stuck her head out of a window. She looked at the wolf like she was not having it.

“What a nice house you have!” commented the still-hungry wolf, who thought he would try a different approach (and was clearly a building connoisseur).

“It is lovely, isn’t it?” The third piglette agreed with a beaming smile.

“Woah,” said the wolf, taken aback, “let’s not be so full of ourselves, shall we? I’m sure that there’s something that could be improved upon. Let’s not be too hasty.”

Both of the other piglettes popped their heads out of the window as well, thinking the third piglette might be onto something.

“It’s truly divine!”

“Perfect in every way!”

The wolf scoffed, “I have never met such conceited piglettes in my life. I would rather starve than have dinner with you, much less have you for dinner!”

And with that, the wolf stalked away in a huff, muttering to himself about how much better he deserved than the company of such swine.

The three piglettes smiled at each other, feeling empowered by their shared victory.

“But what should we do now?” the second piglette said, still worried about the trek back home and being alone in her house of sticks.

“You can stay with me!” exclaimed the third piglette, who had really always wanted sisters. They all agreed that this shared house could easily become their home.

“Honestly,” said the first piglette, “houses of bricks are probably stronger than houses of straw or sticks anyway.”

And they all lived happily ever after in their nice, lovely, divine, and now perfect brick home.