Collect all five Sassy Pants LEARNS stories!
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First a bit about
Farmer White's Farm and What Happened Before These Stories An interesting thing happened every spring on a woodsy little farm backed right up to the state forest, tucked away in the hills, not very far from the old Mississippi River. Most of the state of Iowa is flat like a pancake, but this farm was in the one spot the glacier missed when it slid off the North Pole and flattened everything in its way. Here, it left behind hills, valleys, little creeks, and rivers. A peaceful, quiet place where animals with frazzled nerves came to heal. Farmer White said the farm would have been much larger if it was not standing on end! Even the animals were different on Farmer White's farm. Sometimes, they seemed almost human. Each spring all |
Sassy Pants LEARNS
the new ones gathered around the water hole where the clearest, coolest water bubbled up from an underground spring.the new ones gathered around the water hole where the clearest, coolest water bubbled up from an underground spring. New little pigs, sheep, kittens, chickens, ducks, and so on, as well as any new grownup animals that Farmer White brought to the farm. There was lots of talk, and lots of stories.
There was an old sheep (from the Merino wool family) who kept things in order by telling stories about all the young ones. Some were good, and some not-so-good. Smart young animals could learn how to avoid trouble by listening to her lessons.
Sassy Pants hoped she was one of the smart ones, but she wasn't sure, yet. Miss Merino had already told a lot of stories about her. Some good and some not-so-good. The good ones made Sassy Pants smile, and feel “proud as a pig,” all over. But the not-so-good ones made her frown and say, “Oh, hooey!”
Then she would try to find something better to do for next time. There was a lot of excitement over a Sassy Pants story, because you could learn something from it, either way. And she was always up to something unexpected.
Miss Merino taught a lot of manners and rules of the farm, that way. But—since she was the best storytelling sheep in Waukon County—nobody minded. And since she always gave a little tease about the next story on the tail of the last one, everybody wanted to hear what happened next before they even got started.
“Are we ready?” She pushed her glasses a little higher on her nose.
A chorus of voices sang out, “Yes! Yes!”
There was an old sheep (from the Merino wool family) who kept things in order by telling stories about all the young ones. Some were good, and some not-so-good. Smart young animals could learn how to avoid trouble by listening to her lessons.
Sassy Pants hoped she was one of the smart ones, but she wasn't sure, yet. Miss Merino had already told a lot of stories about her. Some good and some not-so-good. The good ones made Sassy Pants smile, and feel “proud as a pig,” all over. But the not-so-good ones made her frown and say, “Oh, hooey!”
Then she would try to find something better to do for next time. There was a lot of excitement over a Sassy Pants story, because you could learn something from it, either way. And she was always up to something unexpected.
Miss Merino taught a lot of manners and rules of the farm, that way. But—since she was the best storytelling sheep in Waukon County—nobody minded. And since she always gave a little tease about the next story on the tail of the last one, everybody wanted to hear what happened next before they even got started.
“Are we ready?” She pushed her glasses a little higher on her nose.
A chorus of voices sang out, “Yes! Yes!”
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Book 1...
Here's where it all started. When Farmer White brings a little runty pig home for his children to raise, she begins to think she's a people, not a pig! So, when it's time to return to the pig pen, Sassy Pants is determined to get back into the Big House... one way or the other!
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To anyone walking by, Sassy Pants was an ordinary pig. She rooted with her snout and rolled in the mud. She smacked as she ate smelly things from the trough—pig soup, Farmer White called it. He poured whey or soured milk from the creamery in a big barrel, added three-days-old potato and carrot peelings, table scraps (that Mrs. White saved for a week), rotten cabbage, and onions that died in the cellar before spring.
It even had old corn covered with mildew, and leftover oats. Then he stirred it all up and poured it in the trough. Farmer White’s “soup” is the most favorite food in the pigpen. These days, Sassy Pants smacks it down like all the other pigs. But it was not always that way. She did not start out an ordinary pig.
If you were to ask Mrs. White, the farmer’s wife, she would tell you Sassy Pants was no ordinary pig! She was trouble! She was so much trouble that Mrs. White wanted to shorten her tail—right up next to her ears! Mrs. White had her reasons.
It all began when Sassy Pants was a little oinker. She had a sandy patch of hair on top of her head—was smallish in size—and had a pink curly tail. She was the smallest in a litter of nineteen piglets. Being the smallest of the lot, she had a difficult time getting enough to eat.
The problem was that Mrs. Pig had nineteen piggies but only eighteen place settings! There was not enough to go around. The larger piglets hogged it all and pushed little Sassy Pants into a corner. But Sassy Pants did not take that lying down. No siree! She squealed; she pushed, and she shoved. She even climbed on top of the others to steal their plates. She made a ruckus! She was determined to get what was hers. At least what she thought was hers.
Farmer White heard the noise in the pig barn and came right over. Immediately he saw what the problem was. Scooping up the hungry little pig, he brought her to the house for Mrs. White to feed.
That's when all the trouble started.
It even had old corn covered with mildew, and leftover oats. Then he stirred it all up and poured it in the trough. Farmer White’s “soup” is the most favorite food in the pigpen. These days, Sassy Pants smacks it down like all the other pigs. But it was not always that way. She did not start out an ordinary pig.
If you were to ask Mrs. White, the farmer’s wife, she would tell you Sassy Pants was no ordinary pig! She was trouble! She was so much trouble that Mrs. White wanted to shorten her tail—right up next to her ears! Mrs. White had her reasons.
It all began when Sassy Pants was a little oinker. She had a sandy patch of hair on top of her head—was smallish in size—and had a pink curly tail. She was the smallest in a litter of nineteen piglets. Being the smallest of the lot, she had a difficult time getting enough to eat.
The problem was that Mrs. Pig had nineteen piggies but only eighteen place settings! There was not enough to go around. The larger piglets hogged it all and pushed little Sassy Pants into a corner. But Sassy Pants did not take that lying down. No siree! She squealed; she pushed, and she shoved. She even climbed on top of the others to steal their plates. She made a ruckus! She was determined to get what was hers. At least what she thought was hers.
Farmer White heard the noise in the pig barn and came right over. Immediately he saw what the problem was. Scooping up the hungry little pig, he brought her to the house for Mrs. White to feed.
That's when all the trouble started.
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Book 2... Sassy Pants has lots of amends to make now that she has decided to behave. But since she was mean to everybody, nobody wants to be her friend. How do you fix a friendship when you were the one who broke it? Chapter One Sassy Pants Has A Problem |
A horse the size of a bus was slowly grazing under the walnut trees. Old Clyde was Farmer White’s almost-retired, big, old Clydesdale workhorse. He was carefully nipping off new clover tops, being careful to not bite into bitter walnut shucks left from last fall.
The breeze blew a sound his way and then blew it the other way. With head down, he couldn’t tell for sure where it was coming from, but every now and then he could hear a faint sound. What was that? He decided to find out.
The closer he came, the clearer the sound became. Someone in the pigpen was crying, sobbing big, huge sobs all the way from the tail to the snout! Finally he saw her. There, in a muddy little ditch where last night’s rain ran downhill, in between little dams of twigs and rocks and dead leaves, down in the bottom of the ditch, sat Sassy Pants, all alone.
She was weeping and wailing, her eyes all red and puffy. Clyde knew she had been crying for some time—there were clean lines on her face where little rivers of tears had washed the dirt away.
Old Clyde made enough noise so that Sassy Pants knew he was there. Gently, he said, “I’m sorry, Sassy Pants. What seems to be the problem?”
Hearing the kindness in his voice, Sassy Pants only cried harder, so hard she snorted! No matter how much the warm, happy sun tried, it was not able to dry her salty tears. Old Clyde waited and let her cry. Finally, she tried to speak.
“Old Clyde, nobody will play with me or talk to me. Nobody wants to be my friend!” Sassy Pants began to sob again. “No-nobody t-t-trusts me!” She sobbed a big sob.
“Oh, I see. Did someone say that they do not trust you, or is that how you feel?”
“Y-yes, they said so! Porketta and my other brothers and sisters said they don’t trust me and don’t want to listen to me. Big brother Bruno told me to grow up. He was sick of me. My mamma told me to go find something to do. It is all she can do just to take care of this year’s babies! She doesn’t have time to take care of me, as well. Does she think I’m still a baby?” Sassy Pants wailed.
Then she stopped a minute to snort before she went on talking. “Kitty Cat and Beatrice Hen told me they don’t want me around. Molly and the other lambs run away when they see me. The kid goats told me to butt out, and Darlene and Dominic Duck fly away when I come near. The geese won’t speak to me. Nobody will be my friend.” Sassy Pants wailed, and sobbed, and snorted some more.
“Hmmm,” said Old Clyde. “Sounds to me like you have some fence mending to do, like you need to make some amends.” The walnut trees bowed and nodded in the wind as it blew through with a woosh, as if the wind and the trees agreed with Old Clyde.
Still sitting in the muddy little ditch, Sassy Pants sniffled. “What is fence mending? What is amends?”
“Well,” said Clyde, sizing her up, “it is a way to fix a broken friendship when you are the one who broke it. But you have to really want to fix it. You have to care enough about the friend you hurt that you will do what you have to do in order to earn their trust. It is a lot of hard work.” Clyde started to walk away as if he was going back to grazing in that yummy patch of new clover he had found.
“Wait, Clyde, wait!” Sassy Pants grunted and scrambled up out of the ditch, slipping and sliding in the wet mud, making rocks, twigs, and dead leaves fly. “Old Clyde, tell me how to amend a fence! Please tell me. All winter long I have had no one to talk to, no one to play with. I don’t want to be without a friend any more. Tell me how to fix what I broke. I know I hurt just about everyone’s feelings. I was mean and rude to some very nice folks. I had all winter to think about it. I had very poor manners. I didn’t notice, and I didn’t care. Now, I do. How can I fix that? I want the others to like me and trust me. I want friends, but I don’t know how to fix it!”
Sassy Pants started to sob again—great big sobs from her tail to her snout. Last fall the shock from the electric fence broke the stone that was forming on her heart. She began to notice. She even cared, but now it was too late. It didn’t make any difference!
Old Clyde stopped and turned around. He looked long and hard into Sassy Pants’s eyes. “Okay, Sassy Pants.” Old Clyde leaned over the fence and spoke softly into Sassy Pants’s ear. “This is what you need to do...”
Then, when he finished telling her what to do, he said, “And you can ask me questions, any time, or just come to talk.”
Sassy Pants’s head was full of thoughts, and she made no response. She stood there blinking at Old Clyde, who slowly clomped away and went back to grazing in that clover patch.
The breeze blew a sound his way and then blew it the other way. With head down, he couldn’t tell for sure where it was coming from, but every now and then he could hear a faint sound. What was that? He decided to find out.
The closer he came, the clearer the sound became. Someone in the pigpen was crying, sobbing big, huge sobs all the way from the tail to the snout! Finally he saw her. There, in a muddy little ditch where last night’s rain ran downhill, in between little dams of twigs and rocks and dead leaves, down in the bottom of the ditch, sat Sassy Pants, all alone.
She was weeping and wailing, her eyes all red and puffy. Clyde knew she had been crying for some time—there were clean lines on her face where little rivers of tears had washed the dirt away.
Old Clyde made enough noise so that Sassy Pants knew he was there. Gently, he said, “I’m sorry, Sassy Pants. What seems to be the problem?”
Hearing the kindness in his voice, Sassy Pants only cried harder, so hard she snorted! No matter how much the warm, happy sun tried, it was not able to dry her salty tears. Old Clyde waited and let her cry. Finally, she tried to speak.
“Old Clyde, nobody will play with me or talk to me. Nobody wants to be my friend!” Sassy Pants began to sob again. “No-nobody t-t-trusts me!” She sobbed a big sob.
“Oh, I see. Did someone say that they do not trust you, or is that how you feel?”
“Y-yes, they said so! Porketta and my other brothers and sisters said they don’t trust me and don’t want to listen to me. Big brother Bruno told me to grow up. He was sick of me. My mamma told me to go find something to do. It is all she can do just to take care of this year’s babies! She doesn’t have time to take care of me, as well. Does she think I’m still a baby?” Sassy Pants wailed.
Then she stopped a minute to snort before she went on talking. “Kitty Cat and Beatrice Hen told me they don’t want me around. Molly and the other lambs run away when they see me. The kid goats told me to butt out, and Darlene and Dominic Duck fly away when I come near. The geese won’t speak to me. Nobody will be my friend.” Sassy Pants wailed, and sobbed, and snorted some more.
“Hmmm,” said Old Clyde. “Sounds to me like you have some fence mending to do, like you need to make some amends.” The walnut trees bowed and nodded in the wind as it blew through with a woosh, as if the wind and the trees agreed with Old Clyde.
Still sitting in the muddy little ditch, Sassy Pants sniffled. “What is fence mending? What is amends?”
“Well,” said Clyde, sizing her up, “it is a way to fix a broken friendship when you are the one who broke it. But you have to really want to fix it. You have to care enough about the friend you hurt that you will do what you have to do in order to earn their trust. It is a lot of hard work.” Clyde started to walk away as if he was going back to grazing in that yummy patch of new clover he had found.
“Wait, Clyde, wait!” Sassy Pants grunted and scrambled up out of the ditch, slipping and sliding in the wet mud, making rocks, twigs, and dead leaves fly. “Old Clyde, tell me how to amend a fence! Please tell me. All winter long I have had no one to talk to, no one to play with. I don’t want to be without a friend any more. Tell me how to fix what I broke. I know I hurt just about everyone’s feelings. I was mean and rude to some very nice folks. I had all winter to think about it. I had very poor manners. I didn’t notice, and I didn’t care. Now, I do. How can I fix that? I want the others to like me and trust me. I want friends, but I don’t know how to fix it!”
Sassy Pants started to sob again—great big sobs from her tail to her snout. Last fall the shock from the electric fence broke the stone that was forming on her heart. She began to notice. She even cared, but now it was too late. It didn’t make any difference!
Old Clyde stopped and turned around. He looked long and hard into Sassy Pants’s eyes. “Okay, Sassy Pants.” Old Clyde leaned over the fence and spoke softly into Sassy Pants’s ear. “This is what you need to do...”
Then, when he finished telling her what to do, he said, “And you can ask me questions, any time, or just come to talk.”
Sassy Pants’s head was full of thoughts, and she made no response. She stood there blinking at Old Clyde, who slowly clomped away and went back to grazing in that clover patch.
Book 3...
There are a lot of strange creatures on the farm and some of them are scary! When Sassy pants wanders into places she doesn't belong, she must learn how to tell the difference between dangerous, and different.
Chapter One
Bad News
Sassy Pants was hiding. She squeezed under the big blackberry bush at the very end of the lowest pasture on the farm. The bush was so big it lived on both sides of the fence at the same time. Sassy Pants lay in the soft black dirt beneath a covering of prickly vines, and tried to be very still and quiet. Because she was waiting for the big Boss Hog to pass by. But being very still wasn't easy.
Every time she laid her snout down to wait, she could smell something good and delicious under the ground somewhere. So delicious, her nose—which was just right for digging—began to root and turn over the soil, looking for whatever that delicious thing was. She couldn't help it. Sassy Pants loved to dig. She even dreamed about digging. There was only one thing she liked better, and that was eating. So, finding something delicious to eat while she was digging was the most wonderful thing of all.
So wonderful that it wasn't long before she forgot all about hiding and Boss Hog, and began to make happy snorting sounds every time she dug up another delicious blackberry root to munch on. That's why she almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a giant snort somewhere very close to her. Oh, no!
The big Boss Hog was here!
Sassy Pants froze like a statue and tried not to move. Not even when a tickling clump of dirt toppled off her nose. She stayed very still and quiet, peeking out from under the blackberry leaves as he went by. The Boss Hog was the biggest pig on the farm. He had huge fangs— called tusks—that curled up from his lower jaw. Sassy Pants had heard that he once tossed a wild stranger-dog high up into the air with those scary things, when he had sneaked in through a hole in the fence. He was the boss of all the pigs on the farm. He was the one who decided which pigs got to stay, and which ones had to go, when Farmer White came to separate their herd. There were a lot of pigs on the farm, and Boss Hog was everybody's dad.
Sassy Pants did not know him very well, though, because she was the smallest pig in her litter. With too many brothers and sisters for one mom to feed, she had been taken to the Big House, where Farmer White's children had fed her, and spoiled her, and played with her like she was a people. Just like them. For a long time, Sassy Pants thought she was a people. Not a pig. And that's what started all the trouble.
Sassy Pants had caused a lot of trouble on Farmer White's farm, and that's why they named her Sassy Pants. Most of those troubles got straightened out (along with her tail!) but she had to learn the hard way. Then she had to spend a lot of time trying to fix all the friendships she broke, and it was hard work. Because when you break something as special as a friendship, it isn't enough just to say you are sorry. Sometimes you have to make amends. Which is a fancy word she learned from a horse named, Old Clyde, that means doing more than just paying for the trouble you caused. It is making what is important to the one you hurt, important to you. It helps their heart trust you again. Now, she had made amends with almost everybody.
Except her mama and the Boss Hog.
What if he didn't accept her apology? Or, what if he already decided she was too much trouble and would have to be separated from the herd? What if he took one look at her, remembered all the bad things she did, and just tossed her up into the air the way he'd tossed that stranger-dog? Halfway to Waukon county (according to Sir Reggie, the father of all the lambs). Sassy Pants did not know where Waukon county was but she was pretty sure she didn't want to go there. So, she didn't say one word when the big Boss Hog passed by. Not even hello. Even though she knew better. In fact, she did not want to dig in his favorite pasture anymore, either.
Instead, she decided to go dig in the pasture next to the walnut trees. One of the lambs had said something about little patches of late strawberries growing along the fence, over there. Sassy Pants loved strawberries so much; she ate the whole plant—the leaves and the roots, and everything. Besides that, only Old Clyde was over there right now, and he was friends with everybody. Even little runty pigs like Sassy Pants. He usually made her feel better when she felt bad. She knew she should have talked to Boss Hog but could not make herself do it!
So, as soon as the Boss Hog was far enough away to care more about where he was going than where he had been, she took off at a trot in the opposite direction. She hurried along the fence line, making quick little furrows in the dirt whenever she smelled something delicious under the ground. Sometimes she found something good to munch on, and sometimes she didn't. Soon, she was making happy snorting sounds, again, and forgot all about her apologies to the big Boss Hog.
Every time she laid her snout down to wait, she could smell something good and delicious under the ground somewhere. So delicious, her nose—which was just right for digging—began to root and turn over the soil, looking for whatever that delicious thing was. She couldn't help it. Sassy Pants loved to dig. She even dreamed about digging. There was only one thing she liked better, and that was eating. So, finding something delicious to eat while she was digging was the most wonderful thing of all.
So wonderful that it wasn't long before she forgot all about hiding and Boss Hog, and began to make happy snorting sounds every time she dug up another delicious blackberry root to munch on. That's why she almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a giant snort somewhere very close to her. Oh, no!
The big Boss Hog was here!
Sassy Pants froze like a statue and tried not to move. Not even when a tickling clump of dirt toppled off her nose. She stayed very still and quiet, peeking out from under the blackberry leaves as he went by. The Boss Hog was the biggest pig on the farm. He had huge fangs— called tusks—that curled up from his lower jaw. Sassy Pants had heard that he once tossed a wild stranger-dog high up into the air with those scary things, when he had sneaked in through a hole in the fence. He was the boss of all the pigs on the farm. He was the one who decided which pigs got to stay, and which ones had to go, when Farmer White came to separate their herd. There were a lot of pigs on the farm, and Boss Hog was everybody's dad.
Sassy Pants did not know him very well, though, because she was the smallest pig in her litter. With too many brothers and sisters for one mom to feed, she had been taken to the Big House, where Farmer White's children had fed her, and spoiled her, and played with her like she was a people. Just like them. For a long time, Sassy Pants thought she was a people. Not a pig. And that's what started all the trouble.
Sassy Pants had caused a lot of trouble on Farmer White's farm, and that's why they named her Sassy Pants. Most of those troubles got straightened out (along with her tail!) but she had to learn the hard way. Then she had to spend a lot of time trying to fix all the friendships she broke, and it was hard work. Because when you break something as special as a friendship, it isn't enough just to say you are sorry. Sometimes you have to make amends. Which is a fancy word she learned from a horse named, Old Clyde, that means doing more than just paying for the trouble you caused. It is making what is important to the one you hurt, important to you. It helps their heart trust you again. Now, she had made amends with almost everybody.
Except her mama and the Boss Hog.
What if he didn't accept her apology? Or, what if he already decided she was too much trouble and would have to be separated from the herd? What if he took one look at her, remembered all the bad things she did, and just tossed her up into the air the way he'd tossed that stranger-dog? Halfway to Waukon county (according to Sir Reggie, the father of all the lambs). Sassy Pants did not know where Waukon county was but she was pretty sure she didn't want to go there. So, she didn't say one word when the big Boss Hog passed by. Not even hello. Even though she knew better. In fact, she did not want to dig in his favorite pasture anymore, either.
Instead, she decided to go dig in the pasture next to the walnut trees. One of the lambs had said something about little patches of late strawberries growing along the fence, over there. Sassy Pants loved strawberries so much; she ate the whole plant—the leaves and the roots, and everything. Besides that, only Old Clyde was over there right now, and he was friends with everybody. Even little runty pigs like Sassy Pants. He usually made her feel better when she felt bad. She knew she should have talked to Boss Hog but could not make herself do it!
So, as soon as the Boss Hog was far enough away to care more about where he was going than where he had been, she took off at a trot in the opposite direction. She hurried along the fence line, making quick little furrows in the dirt whenever she smelled something delicious under the ground. Sometimes she found something good to munch on, and sometimes she didn't. Soon, she was making happy snorting sounds, again, and forgot all about her apologies to the big Boss Hog.
She did not forget about the Great Separation, though. She thought about that all the time. Because being separated meant she would have to leave the pigpen and go somewhere else. Somewhere far away from Farmer White's farm. She didn't want to leave the pigpen, now. No, she did not! But every morning that passed with the pigs being let out into the pastures to forage, instead of herded into the waiting pens that were specially made for separation day, she knew it would not be that day.
That's how she knew the Great Separation was not today.
So, there would be plenty of time to eat delicious strawberries. But she better hurry or someone else would find them first. She thought about all these things as she moved along the outer fence at a fast trot, hardly stopping anywhere in-between.
“Sassy Pants,” said a deep voice from very high up. She froze like a statue. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
That's how she knew the Great Separation was not today.
So, there would be plenty of time to eat delicious strawberries. But she better hurry or someone else would find them first. She thought about all these things as she moved along the outer fence at a fast trot, hardly stopping anywhere in-between.
“Sassy Pants,” said a deep voice from very high up. She froze like a statue. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
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Book 4...
Sassy Pants forgot to do something very important. She had been so busy trying to find something valuable to contribute to the farm, it had slipped out of her mind. She didn't know how valuable it was. Or, even if it was valuable, at all. She only knew she had to do what was right...and she had to do it, right now! Chapter One Walking the Fence |
Sassy Pants was practicing. Ever since her good friend Winchester (a bulldog with only three legs) had taught her to march around the fence line on patrol every day, she started doing it all by herself. And ever since that night when she squealed so loud everybody on the whole farm woke up (because she saw a dangerous creature slip into the barnyard through a hole in the fence), she wanted to help keep everyone safe.
Of course, she was only half-grown—not big enough, yet, to do much about it— but she could at least alert somebody bigger to take care of it. Most of the time, she walked the fence line on her patrol because it was fun. She liked to see if anything had changed since the last time she was there, and look for tasty roots or squirrel nuts she could dig up that she hadn't found before.
Most of all, she was trying to be a more valuable pig. That's what Sassy Pants wanted more than anything. Because it seemed every animal on Farmer White's farm had something valuable to contribute except her. That's why she was practicing to do hard things. Like walking the fence all by herself, looking for new holes or weak spots in places that the Boss Hog was too big to look into. That's what she was doing on this day before she heard a loud BOINNNNG!!! and knew just what it was.
In a hurry, she raced to a part of the fence where she knew there was a loose spot. There in a ditch where rain had washed the dirt away from the bottom, stood three of this years' new piggies who were too little to be in the pig pasture, or go squeezing through holes in the pigpen.
“What are you piggies up to?” Sassy Pants asked as if she didn’t know.
Surprised that they were caught in the act, the three little pigs stood wide-eyed but said nothing.
“Wouldn’t be thinking about escaping, now, would we?”
They shook their heads—no—that was not what they were doing.
Sassy Pants remembered how tempting it was to squeeze through holes in the fence when she was little, and really couldn't blame them too much. “Okay, then. Just a word to the wise—you see that small wire there on the bottom?”
All three looked and then shook their head, yes, they saw it.
“Do you know what that is?”
Heads shook, no.
“That’s an electric fence wire. Do not touch it. It might look like it’s just little, but it can turn into something big real quick! See my tail?” She turned a bit to the side so they could get a good look. “It used to have a curl, just like yours. And the hairs on the end used to be as sandy colored as the rest of me.”
The piggies came closer for a better look and the middle one finally spoke up. “It's her!” He whispered to the others, “It's Sassy Pants! The pig Miss Merino said had to learn the hard way. The one she tells stories about!”
“Yep,” Sassy Pants agreed. “I had to learn the hard way not to touch that wire. When I was just about your size, too. Back then I wanted to get out more than anything. I felt penned in and held back. So, I pushed on it with my snout and—electricity went all through me—and right out my tail!”
“ Wow!” The piggy on the right shook his head like he could hardly imagine. “It blew out your tail?”
“It blew the curl right out of it and burnt the end black.”
“That had to hurt!” The piggy on the left sounded sorry for Sassy Pants.
“It hurt so much I saw stars and sparkles. I couldn’t even walk straight for a while. It changed the way I thought about being in the pigpen, too. So, I would not touch it if I were you.” Then she gave a short, sudden snort and they all scampered back through the hole where they belonged, careful to hop over the wire the rain had uncovered as they passed.
When they were gone, she pushed fresh dirt over the wire with her strong snout (made especially for digging) and covered it up, again. Tonight, she would show it to one of Farmer White's children, who still came out to play with her, now and again, or scratch her back with a stick until she felt good all over. The way they used to when she lived up in the big house.
Sassy Pants missed living there sometimes but she was way too big to be taken care of, now, and felt more at home outside. Especially since she had grown up enough to be let out into the big pig pasture, every day, to dig for tasty roots, nuts, and berries that grew wild along the fence line.
No, she did not miss the big house so much anymore.
Seeing the piggies had made her remember how naughty she had been, last year, when she was their size. She did not think very much about it, though, because she was not that way, now. She had better things to do than get in trouble. It was never as fun as she thought it would be, and a lot harder to get out of than getting into. It took a long time to get out of all that trouble she caused. She had made amends (that's more than saying sorry) with almost everyone she had hurt or been mean to. Almost to the Boss Hog, himself (but not quite).
That's when it suddenly came to Sassy Pants that she had forgotten to make any amends to someone she had been the naughtiest of all. Someone whose feelings she hurt many times, who had not said one bad thing back to her in return. A very special somebody that she couldn't wait another moment to find. So, she took off at a run—lickety-split—hoping it wasn't too late.
Of course, she was only half-grown—not big enough, yet, to do much about it— but she could at least alert somebody bigger to take care of it. Most of the time, she walked the fence line on her patrol because it was fun. She liked to see if anything had changed since the last time she was there, and look for tasty roots or squirrel nuts she could dig up that she hadn't found before.
Most of all, she was trying to be a more valuable pig. That's what Sassy Pants wanted more than anything. Because it seemed every animal on Farmer White's farm had something valuable to contribute except her. That's why she was practicing to do hard things. Like walking the fence all by herself, looking for new holes or weak spots in places that the Boss Hog was too big to look into. That's what she was doing on this day before she heard a loud BOINNNNG!!! and knew just what it was.
In a hurry, she raced to a part of the fence where she knew there was a loose spot. There in a ditch where rain had washed the dirt away from the bottom, stood three of this years' new piggies who were too little to be in the pig pasture, or go squeezing through holes in the pigpen.
“What are you piggies up to?” Sassy Pants asked as if she didn’t know.
Surprised that they were caught in the act, the three little pigs stood wide-eyed but said nothing.
“Wouldn’t be thinking about escaping, now, would we?”
They shook their heads—no—that was not what they were doing.
Sassy Pants remembered how tempting it was to squeeze through holes in the fence when she was little, and really couldn't blame them too much. “Okay, then. Just a word to the wise—you see that small wire there on the bottom?”
All three looked and then shook their head, yes, they saw it.
“Do you know what that is?”
Heads shook, no.
“That’s an electric fence wire. Do not touch it. It might look like it’s just little, but it can turn into something big real quick! See my tail?” She turned a bit to the side so they could get a good look. “It used to have a curl, just like yours. And the hairs on the end used to be as sandy colored as the rest of me.”
The piggies came closer for a better look and the middle one finally spoke up. “It's her!” He whispered to the others, “It's Sassy Pants! The pig Miss Merino said had to learn the hard way. The one she tells stories about!”
“Yep,” Sassy Pants agreed. “I had to learn the hard way not to touch that wire. When I was just about your size, too. Back then I wanted to get out more than anything. I felt penned in and held back. So, I pushed on it with my snout and—electricity went all through me—and right out my tail!”
“ Wow!” The piggy on the right shook his head like he could hardly imagine. “It blew out your tail?”
“It blew the curl right out of it and burnt the end black.”
“That had to hurt!” The piggy on the left sounded sorry for Sassy Pants.
“It hurt so much I saw stars and sparkles. I couldn’t even walk straight for a while. It changed the way I thought about being in the pigpen, too. So, I would not touch it if I were you.” Then she gave a short, sudden snort and they all scampered back through the hole where they belonged, careful to hop over the wire the rain had uncovered as they passed.
When they were gone, she pushed fresh dirt over the wire with her strong snout (made especially for digging) and covered it up, again. Tonight, she would show it to one of Farmer White's children, who still came out to play with her, now and again, or scratch her back with a stick until she felt good all over. The way they used to when she lived up in the big house.
Sassy Pants missed living there sometimes but she was way too big to be taken care of, now, and felt more at home outside. Especially since she had grown up enough to be let out into the big pig pasture, every day, to dig for tasty roots, nuts, and berries that grew wild along the fence line.
No, she did not miss the big house so much anymore.
Seeing the piggies had made her remember how naughty she had been, last year, when she was their size. She did not think very much about it, though, because she was not that way, now. She had better things to do than get in trouble. It was never as fun as she thought it would be, and a lot harder to get out of than getting into. It took a long time to get out of all that trouble she caused. She had made amends (that's more than saying sorry) with almost everyone she had hurt or been mean to. Almost to the Boss Hog, himself (but not quite).
That's when it suddenly came to Sassy Pants that she had forgotten to make any amends to someone she had been the naughtiest of all. Someone whose feelings she hurt many times, who had not said one bad thing back to her in return. A very special somebody that she couldn't wait another moment to find. So, she took off at a run—lickety-split—hoping it wasn't too late.
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Book 5...
By the time Sassy Pants was almost grown up, she had tried everything. Being naughty had not worked out (her tail got burnt to crisp forever). So, she said, “ Sorry!” And made amends for all the friendships she broke. She was even friendly to strange creatures (as long as they weren't dangerous). She had been helpful to her parents, too. What else could a pig (with a name like Sassy Pants) do? Boy, was she in for a surprise! Chapter One
The Last Amend |
Sassy Pants tippy-toed closer to the big Boss Hog. He was sleeping. “Dad?”
No response.
So she spoke a little louder. “Dad?”
Still no response.
What if he woke up grouchy? Her tummy did a flip-flop and she felt a little shaky at that thought. But then she remembered all the nice things he said about her at her award ceremony, last summer. Thinking about that always gave her a happy place in her mind that she could scoot into whenever she felt sad or afraid. Right now, it helped her pull up her courage from her hoof tops, (because she sort of dropped it), and loudly said, “Dad!”
Boss Hog snorted and woke up. He heaved his big self over so he was lying on his tummy and looked at Sassy Pants, eyeball to eyeball.
“What is it, Sassy Pants?” He asked in a deep growly voice, but it wasn't a mean voice. Sassy Pants realized that his voice was just deep and growly all by itself. He didn’t make it that way to scare anyone. It was naturally that way! Then she noticed his eyes, almost hidden with deep wrinkles and folds of skin. They looked kind.
“Dad, I want to apologize for the way I behaved last summer. I was rude. I had my head full of sausages, as my friend Winchester, the bull dog, would say. I wanted to go back to the Big House and couldn’t think of anything else. I behaved badly. I disrespected you and I caused a lot of trouble. Will you forgive me and let me make amends? I want what is important to you to be important to me, too.”
“There's more to making amends than just saying you're sorry, Sassy Pants.”
“That's just what Old Clyde—Farmer White's big plow horse—told me! He said that was how you fix a friendship when you are the one who broke it.”
“Old Clyde is the oldest and wisest animal on the farm,” said Boss Hog. Taking his advise is a smart thing to do.”
Sassy Pants gave a snort of surprise. She never thought of herself as smart before! In fact, she thought she was pretty dumb since she was always running around asking everybody questions all the time.
Still, it seemed to be taking him a long time to decide if he would forgive her, or not. Probably to see if she really was sorry and not just saying the words. So, she stood there with her ears down; her head down, and her straight tail all hanging down. Yes, she really did feel sorry for all the trouble she had caused!
Finally she heard her father’s growly voice say, “Yes, Sassy Pants, I forgive you. Not just because you have said the right words, but because I've noticed how you have gone out of your way to do something kind for everyone you caused trouble for, last year. You did something important to each one, instead of just something you wanted to do, yourself. Being willing to help others is what true friendship is all about. It shows me you have definitely learned to take responsibility for your own actions. It shows me you are finally growing up.”
Sassy Pants felt her ears perk back up and even her tail gave a wiggle. Her dad had noticed her good behavior! Her dad had noticed all those special things she had done and she didn't even know he was watching!
“There are a couple things that are important to me. One of them is your mother. You caused her a lot of grief last summer. When she is unhappy, I am unhappy. But you already took care of that, last summer, and blessed all the other moms in our pen while you were doing it. You did a good job and I’m proud of you.”
Her dad was proud of her! Another happy snort escaped Sassy Pants and, this time, she couldn't help dancing around in a little circle she felt so good.
“As for amends to me… well, there is something I would like you to do. I would like you to walk the fence line with me this afternoon. You see, I check the entire fence, every day, and report any holes to Farmer White. After he is done with his chores he always stops by to see how my day went. We talk.”
Sassy Pants jaw dropped. “Is that why it got harder and harder for me to find a way out of the pen, last summer? Because you kept telling Farmer White where all the new holes and loose places were?”
“Yes, that's why. After your first few trips through Mrs. White’s garden, Farmer White asked me to find where you were getting out. It took a few days, but I found it.”
“And he fixed it!” exclaimed Sassy Pants.
“And he fixed it. Now, go play with your friends while I finish my nap. When you come back later this afternoon, we will walk all the way around the pasture, together. After that, I will show you the secrets of the fence.”
No response.
So she spoke a little louder. “Dad?”
Still no response.
What if he woke up grouchy? Her tummy did a flip-flop and she felt a little shaky at that thought. But then she remembered all the nice things he said about her at her award ceremony, last summer. Thinking about that always gave her a happy place in her mind that she could scoot into whenever she felt sad or afraid. Right now, it helped her pull up her courage from her hoof tops, (because she sort of dropped it), and loudly said, “Dad!”
Boss Hog snorted and woke up. He heaved his big self over so he was lying on his tummy and looked at Sassy Pants, eyeball to eyeball.
“What is it, Sassy Pants?” He asked in a deep growly voice, but it wasn't a mean voice. Sassy Pants realized that his voice was just deep and growly all by itself. He didn’t make it that way to scare anyone. It was naturally that way! Then she noticed his eyes, almost hidden with deep wrinkles and folds of skin. They looked kind.
“Dad, I want to apologize for the way I behaved last summer. I was rude. I had my head full of sausages, as my friend Winchester, the bull dog, would say. I wanted to go back to the Big House and couldn’t think of anything else. I behaved badly. I disrespected you and I caused a lot of trouble. Will you forgive me and let me make amends? I want what is important to you to be important to me, too.”
“There's more to making amends than just saying you're sorry, Sassy Pants.”
“That's just what Old Clyde—Farmer White's big plow horse—told me! He said that was how you fix a friendship when you are the one who broke it.”
“Old Clyde is the oldest and wisest animal on the farm,” said Boss Hog. Taking his advise is a smart thing to do.”
Sassy Pants gave a snort of surprise. She never thought of herself as smart before! In fact, she thought she was pretty dumb since she was always running around asking everybody questions all the time.
Still, it seemed to be taking him a long time to decide if he would forgive her, or not. Probably to see if she really was sorry and not just saying the words. So, she stood there with her ears down; her head down, and her straight tail all hanging down. Yes, she really did feel sorry for all the trouble she had caused!
Finally she heard her father’s growly voice say, “Yes, Sassy Pants, I forgive you. Not just because you have said the right words, but because I've noticed how you have gone out of your way to do something kind for everyone you caused trouble for, last year. You did something important to each one, instead of just something you wanted to do, yourself. Being willing to help others is what true friendship is all about. It shows me you have definitely learned to take responsibility for your own actions. It shows me you are finally growing up.”
Sassy Pants felt her ears perk back up and even her tail gave a wiggle. Her dad had noticed her good behavior! Her dad had noticed all those special things she had done and she didn't even know he was watching!
“There are a couple things that are important to me. One of them is your mother. You caused her a lot of grief last summer. When she is unhappy, I am unhappy. But you already took care of that, last summer, and blessed all the other moms in our pen while you were doing it. You did a good job and I’m proud of you.”
Her dad was proud of her! Another happy snort escaped Sassy Pants and, this time, she couldn't help dancing around in a little circle she felt so good.
“As for amends to me… well, there is something I would like you to do. I would like you to walk the fence line with me this afternoon. You see, I check the entire fence, every day, and report any holes to Farmer White. After he is done with his chores he always stops by to see how my day went. We talk.”
Sassy Pants jaw dropped. “Is that why it got harder and harder for me to find a way out of the pen, last summer? Because you kept telling Farmer White where all the new holes and loose places were?”
“Yes, that's why. After your first few trips through Mrs. White’s garden, Farmer White asked me to find where you were getting out. It took a few days, but I found it.”
“And he fixed it!” exclaimed Sassy Pants.
“And he fixed it. Now, go play with your friends while I finish my nap. When you come back later this afternoon, we will walk all the way around the pasture, together. After that, I will show you the secrets of the fence.”
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