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"Little pig , little pig! Please let me in!"

It had been more than a decade since the third little pig had first heard those words and even years since he was ever referred to either as little or pig. Almost everyone nowadays used the moniker huge hog instead. Nevertheless, the clever hog had become somewhat famous after saving his siblings from the fox. That same fame exploded throughout the territories when the wolf had come. That time Black's siblings Brown and White had not reached his house outside of a predator's belly. The press loves a good tragedy more than a hero but a hero who runs into tragedy is a journalistic goldmine and occasionally an admirer would show up at his doorway for one reason or another. Still, it was not without suspicion that Black checked the peephole of his front door, his weight making the reinforced wood groan as he vied for a good look of his caller. Yet it was raining and water blurred the light coming through.

"If you're here to make trouble I swear by the hair on my chin," the hog called out.

"Not a bit! Not a bit!" came a voice from outside, "I was hoping to purchase some fowl for a pie! You are a butcher, now, are you not?"

Indeed Black had turned his fortunes and become a trader in meats. There were few others who catered the meat he craved, as one well knows that pigs and hogs are omnivorous, and his clever thinking to get in the meat market before it got him had made him very successful. Yet he still held distrust for the voice outside.

"Who are you?" he questioned, "It is a late hour to be shopping!"

"I am a fox, I'll make no denial! But surely one as large as you would not fear one as small as I!" answered the voice before continuing, "I came to town to retrieve something precious and I'm afraid I could not have come earlier!"

A fox!

Black felt ice in his veins at the thought of a strange fox. But as butcher he had less customers than he liked and several foxes were among them. He could not afford to turn all carnivores away by rote.

Besides, the hog reminded himself, I am larger than any fox now.

Black opened the door and welcomed the fox with a forced grin and wiped a hand, greasy from handling meat all day, upon his apron before extending it to the fox. The fox, though a bit tall, was still much smaller than the hog. Any fear of being carried off disappeared as Black felt the weakness in the fox's wet handshake and his smile became genuine.

"Stay here and dry," said the swine still cautious in mind, "I'll not have you track water throughout this house. I shall go and fetch a bird for your pie."

The hog locked the door with a key and left the fox dripping, behind and praised himself for cleverness.

Should the fox move, Black thought, he shall leave a trail of water and I shall know it.

Black went back to his storage room and plucked a pigeon from his waiting tables and brought it back to the fox.

"No, no," spoke the fox with a shake of his head, "this bird could not feed the dead! Go back and find a larger bird! I can pay whatever price it may be."

With a grunt and a huff Black turned back to his storage room to find another bird and returned after selecting a chicken he found suitable.

"No, no!" cried the fox, "this will not do. I need the largest bird of you! A pie not just for me but old friends and family."

Miffed and disgruntled the hog turned once more to find an even larger bird than before. He dug in his storage for a bird of the right size and selected an ostrich he found suitable.

"No, no" the fox said with a sad little sigh, "Size yes, but the meat does not qualify."

"Now listen," raged Black, "I've done you a task to find you a bird this size at last! I will have no more of this foolish condition take the bird or leave."

The fox was not done, "I promise a price quite worthy of such sacrifice."

With a small little flair the fox reached inside a small little bag he kept by his hip. With one paw inside he flashed black a grin and pulled out a ruby the size of an apple. Black ogled the gem and reached out a hand but the fox snatched back the ruby and raised up a finger.

"For this ruby," he said, "I require the best! I am now dry so grant me this wish, to go and select my prize for my own."

Unlike Brown and White all those years ago, Black had never been gluttonous or lazy and had always been clever but grew up to be a greedy old hog. A ruby that size could buy many things and with so great a temptation, Black relented to the fox's request. He lead the way of the fox to the storage and let his customer search through his stores.

The fox searched high and low and flitted about from one selection to the next. He looked at short birds and tall birds, both fat and thin but each time he shook his head and moved to the next. As time passed the hog grew restless and cold and thought he felt a breeze blow. Yet he would not leave the fox so deep in his home and would not call off in hope for the red stone.

"What is the matter?" The hog said at last, "You've passed every bird from first to the last."

"I needed the time," said the fox with glee, "for my friend to sneak in behind me."

It was over in seconds. The wolf slew the hog that had avoided his grasp and turned to the fox who had likewise been spurned. It had taken years for the fox to free the wolf from his prison so quietly. Together they knew a way to complete the task they had failed once upon a time. The fox had stalled till he was dry and slipped open a window letting the wolf inside. Hunters do not always hunt alone.

The rest of the night was spent in great triumph. The fox reclaimed his pride to out-fox the pig and the wolf his dish with interest added. The next day would rise with customers aplenty but nary would a trace of hog be seen. Instead a new pair of residents waited a fox who baked and a wolf fat and sated.