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England once there lived a big And wonderfully clever pig…

“England once there lived a big And wonderfully clever pig. To everybody it was plain That Piggy had a massive brain. He worked out sums inside his head, There was no book he hadn't read. He knew what made an airplane fly, He knew how engines worked and why. He knew all this, but in the end One…” quote by Roald Dahl
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““England once there lived a big And wonderfully clever pig. To everybody it was plain That Piggy had a massive brain. He worked out sums inside his head, There was no book he hadn't read. He knew what made an airplane fly, He knew how engines worked and why. He knew all this, but in the end One question drove him round the bend: He simply couldn't puzzle out What LIFE was really all about. What was the reason for his birth? Why was he placed upon this earth? His giant brain went round and round. Alas, no answer could be found. Till suddenly one wondrous night. All in a flash he saw the light. He jumped up like a ballet dancer And yelled, "By gum, I've got the answer!" "They want my bacon slice by slice "To sell at a tremendous price! "They want my tender juicy chops "To put in all the butcher's shops! "They want my pork to make a roast "And that's the part'll cost the most! "They want my sausages in strings! "They even want my chitterlings! "The butcher's shop! The carving knife! "That is the reason for my life!" Such thoughts as these are not designed To give a pig great piece of mind. Next morning, in comes Farmer Bland, A pail of pigswill in his hand, And piggy with a mighty roar, Bashes the farmer to the floor… Now comes the rather grizzly bit So let's not make too much of it, Except that you must understand That Piggy did eat Farmer Bland, He ate him up from head to toe, Chewing the pieces nice and slow. It took an hour to reach the feet, Because there was so much to eat, And when he finished, Pig, of course, Felt absolutely no remorse. Slowly he scratched his brainy head And with a little smile he said, "I had a fairly powerful hunch "That he might have me for his lunch. "And so, because I feared the worst, "I thought I'd better eat him first.””

Roald Dahl

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A brilliant pig searches for life's purpose, only to discover his fate is to be slaughtered, highlighting existential dread and the absurdity of over‑analysis.

In simple terms: The pig’s intellect can’t save him from his destiny.

Key Takeaway

Seek meaning, but accept life’s limits.

Themes

existentialism absurdity knowledge mortality

Mood

darkly humorous ironic thought‑provoking

Type

literary satirical

When to use this quote

  • education
  • career
  • personal growth
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

philosophy satire

Questions to Reflect On

  • What purpose do you assign to your talents?
  • Can knowledge replace instinct?
A Different Perspective

Over‑intellectualizing can lead to paralysis and missed practical action.

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