Pigs bring home the bacon. That is to say, pigs grow fast, eat anything, and can be sold by farmers for quick money. Every farmer liked to have a few pigs around in case of emergencies.

In the really olden days of the Middle Ages, farmers had pigs because they weren't allowed to eat the meat of any other animal. But a pig is a big animal, so the farmers had to learn how to preserve the meat. They didn't have refrigerators back then, of course. As a result, we still eat Polish sausages, honey ham, cured bacon, pickled pigs feet, and smoked ham hocks, all preserved with one or more of the following: spices, salt, sugar, and drying. What is a baby pig called? Piglet (Remember, to find the secret answer, move your mouse pointer over the question mark slowly to the right until the print cursor appears. Then depress and hold down the left mouse button, and move it to the right. Presto!) When the sow had a litter of pigs, the farmer knew that he would soon be taking the pigs to market. After the piglets were weaned, he would find a poke (bag) to put the small pigs in. At the market he would sell the pig in a poke for a nice profit. Which is smarter: the dog, the cat, or the pig? They're all about the same. But there were also unscrupulous farmers, who had no pigs. So they would grab a cat, and put it in the poke to take it to market. They would tell the buyer that it was a piglet. And then when the buyer got home, he would let the cat out of the bag. And that is where the expressions "buying a pig in a poke" and "letting the cat out of the bag" come from. Although we think of pigs as dirty animals, because they wallow in the mud, pigs actually prefer to remain clean. But pigs have skin like the hippopotamus and rhinoceros - very sensitive to sun and insects. And that is why they have to keep a protective layer of mud or dirt on their backs. It keeps the insects from biting and the sun from giving them a sunburn. Pigs are also quite intelligent. Many farmers have had pigs as pets, and they are able to house-train them as easily as a dog. And those farmers who keep pigs as pets claim that they are as affectionate as dogs and cats. But pigs can also be quite fierce, so it is probably best to keep a safe distance until you find out whether or not a pig is tame. "Better safe than sorry" is a good rule for all animals. Return to the Barn. Outstanding Kids' Magazines ↓  For Your Favorite Little Animal Lover  ↓ Home Animal Research Library About AmericaZoo Lesley Fountain  ♦  P. O. Box 215, Fortuna, CA 95540  ♦  Voicemail 1-214-292-9404 email-us @ americazoo.com