- In the story,
The Ox Who Never Envied the Pig, two oxen spend all day working and carrying the farmer's load. In exchange, they are fed hay and other simple foods. The pig that lives on the farm is fed rich, good food every day, because he is being fattened up as the main course for a wedding. One of the oxen tells the other that it isn't fair that the pig gets fed so much better when it's the oxen who does all the work. The other oxen says that they shouldn't be jealous, the pig is eating the food of death. In the end, the pig is slaughtered and the two oxen are happy with their crap food, because unlike the pig, they will have a long life.
- I want to tell the story from the pig's point of view. Perhaps the pig is equally happy with his own lot in life. He might look at the oxen, slaving away all day and living on dead grass, and think that he has the better end of the bargain. Yes, his life will be cut short, but he actually gets to enjoy the life that he has. Is it better to live 100 miserable years of nothing but toil and bad food, or 20 good years of enjoyment and pleasure? After all, death comes for all of us in the end, the when is irrelevant.
Bibliography:
The Jatakas Tales of India by Ellen Babbitt.
Web Source.
Hi, Nancy!
ReplyDeleteI really like your take on this story by telling it in pig’s perspective. The two oxens was complaining how the pig get fed very well while they had to do hard works all the time and get fed badly. They realized that the pig was only get fed well because he will eventually be served as a dish for a wedding. I am glad that you’re telling it in pig’s perspective so that the readers can know how pig feels about his life and the life of the oxens.