Foreword:
This fable represents the attraction of deceptiveness, and human tendency to believe in lies and trickery. It is wrongly attributed to Aesop, although there is no ancient source to substantiate such claim. Hence, it is not catalogued in the Perry Index. However, it remains a very popular fable and has been in circulation for a long time.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Once, there was a rich man, who suffered from boredom.
He had everything, that one could wish for, but he lacked entertainment.
"Now, that we have feasted, what is there for me to do?", he said one night, after dinner, "I've seen too many players, dancers, musicians, and I am sick of them all. We need something new!"
And so, he announced, "I shall give a fat reward to anyone, who can show me a new kind of entertainment!"
Next morning, the announcement was made public, seeking volunteers with exceptional talent who can amaze or make the rich man laugh.
By evening, a lesser known actor volunteered to accept the challenge, "Give me a stage and an audience, and I will do it!"
It was agreed, that he would perform the next evening to prove his worth.
And so, an open to all stage was set, and a large crowd soon gathered to watch the performance.
"He better not disappoint me, or the crowd!", thought the rich man.
Soon, the actor took to stage, "The sounds you are about to hear, have never before been heard, as coming from a man's throat. And, I have had some pork for lunch.", he declared, "Behold, in silence! Let's see if the pig in my stomach can talk!"
Then, he proceeded to make a pig's sound from his throat. The crowd was amazed, how he could squeal like a pig.
The actor took the act, a step further, and started pretending to speak with the 'pig in his stomach', and answered himself by squealing.
The crowd could not believe this unreal act, and started suspecting the actor was not fair.
One of them accused, "He has a pig hidden on him! This must be a trick!"
Others agreed, "He is not an actor. He is an imposter, with a hidden pig!"
"Search him! Search him!", shouted the crowd.
ADVERTISEMENTS
The rich man ordered his men to search and find the pig he is hiding. And, they stripped open his clothes to search the actor, and also searched the backstage. Yet, they found no trace of a real pig!
"If he can indeed squeal like a pig", concluded the rich man, "Then, he has a rare talent, indeed! He deserves a reward. Let him continue with his show."
The audience was explained and assured that he did not carry any pig in person.
And, he continued his act to the crowd's cheers and amazement.
To finish his act, the actor squealed like a dying pig, to indicate that he had finally digested the pork he ate in the afternoon.
It was a rare act that the crowd had witnessed, and they clapped and cheered at his act.
Everybody was very impressed, but for a farmer in the audience.
The farmer jumped onto the stage, and declared, "Do you call that a pig squeal? Come back tomorrow, and I will show you what a pig really sounds like!"
But, the crowd had already favoured the actor, and booed at the farmer to get off the stage.
The rich man, however, found it interesting. "We now have a contest!", he declared, "We will give this rude farmer a fair chance. Let us see what he can do tomorrow!"
The next evening, as anticipated, both the actor amd the farmer attended the contest.
And, a crowd, even larger than the evening before, had gathered to witness the contest, and to make fun of the farmer.
The audience was biased in favour of the actor, and when the actor stepped forward, he was greeted with cheers and applause.
"We must give the farmer a fair chance", he calmed the crowd, "Be patient. But first, I must show him, how a pig sounds."
And he mockingly squealed at the farmer to take the stage, an entertaining act that the crowd loved. Then, the farmer was greeted with jeers and boos, as he took the stage.
The rich man intervened to calm the crowd, and warned the farmer, "You have caused a large crowd to come here. You better make good of your boast!"
"Now, you will hear a pig really sounds", the farmer declared.
And, unseen by the crowd, he reached inside his cloak, where he had hidden a small pig, and twitched it.
The pig immediately squealed aloud.
He repeated the feat, but the crowd did not seem to like it.
It did not sound like a pig's squeal, they claimed. The farmer questioned them, "Not like a pig, eh? Have you ever heard a pig squeal before?"
And, he pulled out the little pig, he had been hiding all the time, and held it above for everyone to see.
"Now, carefully hear a real pig squeal!", he said, and made the pig squeal again.
The crowd fell silent in embarrassment, as the farmer continued, "You see yourself, what fine judges you make? You would rather be fooled by a clever actor, than believe the real thing!"
The rich man was impressed by the farmer's showmanship, and the manner he proved his point.
"You have amused me well, and taught all of us a lesson.", he said, handing over the reward to the farmer, "And, you have earned your reward!".
Moral:
Lies are often more attractive than truth.
Or,
Deception often attracts more people, while truth seems to have the support of only a few.
Summary:
A king, out of boredom, arranged for a contest amongst entertainers. An actor entertained the crowd by his acting skills, and one of his moves involved squealing like a pig, which was especially entertaining. A farmer, not impressed, took to the stage to squeal like a pig. The crowd jeered at him, and retorted that he did not sound like a pig. The farmer, then revealed a piglet hidden inside his clothes, and explained to the crowd that it was indeed the sound of the pig. He confirmed that it was how real pigs squealed, unlike the actor's imitation. The crowd realized that the imitation, although entertaining, was not even close to the actual squeal. And the king rewarded the farmer for the lesson along with some entertainment.