Pounce into the world of “The three little pigs”, where three little pigs must build houses to protect themselves from the Big Bad Wolf. But only the clever pig who builds his house out of bricks can stand up to the wolf’s huffing and puffing! It’s a fun, adventurous tale of bravery and clever thinking.

This classic story has been retold in many forms since it first became popular in the 19th century. In this article, we offer two versions: the full adventure and a simplified graded reader, perfect for younger English learners. With questions at the end to build comprehension and vocabulary, this tale is as fun as it is educational.

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Let’s leap into the world of “The three little pigs” and see how cleverness saves the day!

The story of “The three little pigs”

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs who left their mother’s house to build homes of their own. Each pig decided to build his house using different materials.

The first little pig, who was in a hurry to finish quickly, built his house out of straw. It didn’t take long to put together, and soon enough, he was done and ready to relax.

The second little pig, who wanted to finish quickly but build something a bit stronger, built his house out of sticks. His house took a little more effort, but before long, he too was finished.

The third little pig, who was determined to build a strong and sturdy home, worked hard to build his house out of bricks. It took much longer and was much harder work, but he knew his brick house would be strong and safe.

The Big Bad Wolf arrives

One day, a Big Bad Wolf came to the first little pig’s house, smelling dinner. He knocked on the door and said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in!”

But the little pig replied, “No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin chin, I won’t let you in!”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” the wolf threatened. And with one big breath, the wolf blew the straw house down! The first little pig squealed and ran to his brother’s house made of sticks.

The wolf followed and knocked on the second little pig’s door. “Little pig, little pig, let me come in!”

The second little pig replied, “No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin chin, I won’t let you in!”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” And with two big breaths, the wolf blew the stick house down. Both little pigs squealed and ran to their brother’s brick house.

The brick house stands strong

The wolf, now very hungry, followed the two pigs to the third little pig’s brick house. He knocked on the door and said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in!”

But the third little pig replied, “No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin chin, I won’t let you in!”

“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!” the wolf roared. The wolf huffed and puffed with all his might, but no matter how hard he tried, the brick house stood strong.

The wolf, determined to get inside, came up with another plan. He climbed onto the roof of the brick house and tried to sneak in through the chimney. But the third little pig, who was clever, had a pot of boiling water ready in the fireplace. As the wolf came down the chimney, he fell right into the pot!

Yelping in pain, the wolf leaped out of the pot and ran away, never to bother the three little pigs again. The pigs celebrated their victory, knowing that their hard work and cleverness had saved them.

The moral of “The three little pigs”

Hard work and planning ahead lead to success.
The third little pig took the time and effort to build a sturdy brick house, and his careful planning paid off. This story teaches us that shortcuts might seem easier, but they don’t always work in the long run. Patience and hard work often lead to the best results.

Questions about “The three little pigs”

1. What did the first little pig use to build his house?
2. How did the Big Bad Wolf destroy the first and second pigs’ houses?
3. What material did the third little pig use to build his house?
4. How did the third little pig defeat the wolf when he came down the chimney?
5. What lesson can we learn from The Three Little Pigs?

Answers

1. The first little pig built his house out of straw.
2. The Big Bad Wolf blew the first and second pigs’ houses down.
3. The third little pig built his house out of bricks.
4. The third little pig defeated the wolf by trapping him in a pot of boiling water when he tried to come down the chimney.
5. The story teaches us that hard work and planning ahead can protect us from trouble, while shortcuts often lead to failure.

Words to learn

• Straw: Dry, thin stalks of plants, often used for animal bedding. The first little pig built his house out of straw.
• Sticks: Small branches or pieces of wood. The second little pig built his house out of sticks.
• Bricks: Hard, rectangular blocks used for building strong structures. The third little pig built his house out of bricks.
• Huff: To blow air out strongly. The wolf threatened to huff and puff to blow the houses down.
• Chimney: A vertical pipe that allows smoke to escape from a fireplace. The wolf tried to sneak into the third pig’s house through the chimney.

What type of story is “The three little pigs”?

The Three Little Pigs is a fairy tale, a traditional story that often involves talking animals and teaches an important lesson.

Who wrote “The three little pigs”?

The Three Little Pigs is a traditional folk tale, and its earliest versions have been passed down through generations. The most famous written version comes from Joseph Jacobs, an English writer who collected traditional tales. Learn more about him here.

When was “The three little pigs” written?

The most well-known version of The Three Little Pigs was published in 1890 by Joseph Jacobs, though the story itself has been told for hundreds of years.

Who are the main characters in “The three little pigs”?

The main characters are the three little pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.

What lesson can we learn from “The three little pigs”?

We learn that hard work and planning ahead are important for success. The third little pig’s brick house stood strong because he took the time to build it properly, while the first two pigs took shortcuts and ended up in danger.

”The three little pigs” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)

Once there were three little pigs. They lived with their mother.

One day, their mother said, “You are big now. You must build your own houses.”

The first little pig was lazy. He built his house quickly with straw.

The second little pig was a bit lazy too. He built his house with sticks.

The third little pig worked hard. He built his house with bricks.

One day, a big bad wolf came. He was very hungry.

He went to the first pig’s house. “Little pig, little pig, let me in!” he said.

“No, no! Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!” said the pig.

“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!” said the wolf.

The wolf blew hard. The straw house fell down!

The first little pig ran to the second pig’s house.

The wolf followed. He huffed and puffed again.

The stick house fell down too!

Both pigs ran to the third pig’s house.

The wolf came to the brick house. He huffed and he puffed.

But the house did not fall down.

The wolf was angry. He tried to go down the chimney.

But the third little pig had a pot of hot water in the fireplace.

The wolf fell into the hot water. “Ouch!” he cried.

He ran away and never came back.

The three little pigs were safe in the brick house.

They learned that hard work pays off.

The end.

Fun fact!

Did you know? The phrase “I’ll huff and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in” is often used today to describe someone threatening to destroy something with brute force—just like the Big Bad Wolf!