Week4

        "Pigs Is Pigs" is a story written by Ellis Parker Butler. First published as a short story in American Illustrated Magazine in September 1905, "Pigs Is Pigs" went on to dozens of printings as a book and in anthologies over the next several decades.

Plot

          Railway agent Mike Flannery wants to charge the livestock rate for a shipment of two guinea pigs and refuses to accept the lower pet rate, saying "pigs is pigs". Flannery believes that the "guinea" is an indication of the pigs' national origin. He argues that they should bear the higher freight charge of 30¢ for livestock, rather than the lower 25¢ for domestic pets. In support of this, he submits that if they were "dago pigs" or "paddy pigs", there would be no question of the animals' status.

Because the customer refuses to accept delivery, Flannery is forced to feed and house what he now calls the "dago pigs" in his office, until he receives permission from his superiors to return the pigs to the company warehouse. By this time, the guinea pigs have reproduced exponentially in Flannery's station house. After returning all the descendants, Flannery resolves to charge the lower rate for any future livestock.

          At last, he got an urgent telegram from the main office:  "Send the pigs to the main office of the company at Franklin."  Flannery did so.  Soon, came another telegram.  "Stop sending pigs.  Warehouse full."  But he kept sending them.

       "Pigs is Pigs" was written by Ellis Parker Butler.  It was adapted for Special English by Harold Berman.  The storyteller was Shep O'Neal.  The producer was Lawan Davis.I'm Shirley Griffith.  

Pigs is Pigs cover when published in 1905 by Railway Appliances Company (Chicago) without permission, most copies were destroyed.