One day an old woman was sweeping her home when she found some money that she had forgotten about. She was so happy that she danced around singing.

“Look at this,” she said holding the money up in the air. “Now what shall I do with it? I know! I will go to the market and buy a pig.”

So the next day, she went to the market and bought a nice little pig. She put a collar on the pig, tied a string on the collar and began to walk home with it. On the way, they came across a low wooden fence.

The old woman said, “Please, Pig, get over the fence.” But the pig would not get over the fence. No matter how she pleaded, the pig would not move.

Just then a dog came trotting up and the old woman said to him, “Dog, Dog! Come here. Please chase this pig. He won’t get over the fence and I won’t get home tonight.”

But the dog would not chase the pig.

So the old woman fetched a bucket of water that was standing just a little way along the fence. “Water, please splash this dog. The dog won’t chase the pig. The pig won’t get over the fence and I won’t get home tonight.”

But the water would not splash the dog.

The old woman saw an ox in the distance. When it came closer, she called, “Ox, Ox, please drink the water. The water won’t splash the dog. The dog won’t chase the pig. The pig won’t get over the fence and it is getting dark. It is time the pig and I were at home.”

But the ox would not drink the water.

Just then a butcher walked by.

She stopped him and begged, “Butcher, Butcher, please take this ox with you. The ox won’t drink the water. The water won’t splash the dog. The dog won’t chase the pig. The pig won’t get over the fence. I can see the moon rising. The pig and I should have been home an hour and a half ago.”

But the butcher would not take the ox…

By now the old woman was getting angry – no one would help her! So she took a rope out of her pocket and said, “Rope, Rope, please tie up the butcher. The butcher won’t take the ox away. The ox won’t drink the water. The water won’t splash the dog. The dog won’t chase the pig. The pig won’t get over the fence, and I see the moonlight. The pig and I should have been home hours ago!”

But the rope would not tie up the butcher.

Just then a mouse ran across the field, and the old woman called, “Mouse, Mouse, please chew the rope. The rope won’t tie up the butcher. The butcher won’t take the ox. The ox won’t drink the water. The water won’t splash the dog. The dog won’t chase the pig. The pig won’t get over the fence and the moon is already high in the sky. The pig and I should be getting ready for bed by now.”

The mouse stopped. He looked at the old woman. “Yes,” said the mouse, “I will chew the rope, if you will give me some cheese.”

So the old woman put her hand deep into her pocket, felt around a bit and then pulled out a tiny piece of cheese which she gave to the mouse. And when the mouse had eaten the cheese, it began to nibble at the rope; the rope began to tie up the butcher; the butcher began to lead the ox; the ox began to drink the water; the water began to splash the dog; the dog began to chase the pig and … the pig jumped over the fence.

The old woman gave a big sigh and walked home. “At last,” she said.

What time did she and her pig get home? Nobody knows. But if this old woman lives near you and you do know, please tell us.