The Truth behind Mr. Bigbad Wolf’s Murder

Friday, September 26th. The District Court of Merry Woods was in session today over the murder of Mr. Bigbad Wolf, last May, in the neighborhood of Tiny Shacks. Mr. Wolf’s remains were found by the garbage-animal, Mr. Jackal, when he picked up the day’s trash from behind Mr. Whirly Pig’s lovely cottage, in Tiny Shacks. Mr. Jackal immediately called up the Panther-cops of Merry Woods, and Mr. Pig was held for questioning. However, when he related details about how Mr. Wolf had eaten his two siblings, and that he ate Mr. Wolf in self-defense, Mr. Whirly Pig was allowed to leave the Shanklin Police Station. However, the Panther-cops had warned Mr. Pig not to leave the vicinity of Merry Woods.
This case had puzzled the Panther-cops, Magpie-lawyers and Owl-judges for the past four months. This was because neither Mr. Bigbad Wolf, nor any member of his pack had ever committed such a crime. They had never eaten up any of the animals of Merry Woods. This was a heinous crime, punishable by death. All animals are encouraged to seek sustenance outside the township. Last week, however, a witness who showed up, brought about a completely new insight into the case.
Mr. Shylock Scrooge who had been overseas in the Amazon rainforest, returned after many months of seeking natural resources for his business. He was a key witness for Mr. Wolf’s lawyer, Mr. Mad Magpie. Mr. Shylock Scrooge has been a respectable member of this community for almost half a century, when he left his world to live in ours. He owns Merry Woods’ largest construction company, Crazy Construction, providing employment to over 40% of the animals here. His company has been in business for thirty years. His employees include elephants, zebras, horses, wild buffaloes and hawks.
Mr. Scrooge shocked the court by stating that he knew all three members of the Pig family. He said he met them when they had newly arrived into Merry Woods. According to Mr. Scrooge, Curly, Surly and Whirly had left their mother’s home in the village of Sheepish Fields, and, being poets, had wandered the countryside in search of fairs. They thought they could recite their poems there. They found that Merry Woods had many kinds of fairs held here, so they wanted to live here. They loved the neighborhood of Tiny Shacks, but needed shell-money and materials to build their homes here. So they sought Mr. Scrooge. Curly borrowed a bundle of straw, Surly took a bundle of furze and Whirly took a load of bricks. Mr. Scrooge presented IOU’s in court that had been stamped with each Pig’s hoof-print, in recognition of their debt. The Owl-judge duly made note of this important piece of evidence.
Then, after five months, when the three Pigs had not paid up, Mr. Scrooge hired Mr. Wolf, his finest collection agent, to talk to the Pigs to persuade them to come up with some kind of a payment plan to repay their debt. Mr. Wolf went to Curly’s home but the Pig refused to talk to him, telling him so in rhythm. Then Mr. Wolf threatened to blow away his house, not expecting it to happen. However, when Mr. Pig did not open his door to talk to the Wolf, he blew and the house did fall down. Mr. Wolf left the scene of the crime immediately. Then he went to Surly Pig’s house and exactly the same thing happened, including the Pig talking in rhyme to the Wolf. Mr. Wolf thought a house made of sticks would not break down if he blows, so he carried out his threat, but the house blew away. Mr. Wolf again, ran away. Then Mr. Wolf went to Whirly Pig’s house, hoping to get him to pay up. However, the Pig did not open up, and he could not blow the house down, so he asked the Pig if he would like to go get turnips from Mr. Smith’s field. However, the Pig outsmarted him and went there early, to avoid meeting Mr. Wolf. He then suggested Merry Garden’s apple trees, which was where Mr. Scrooge lived. Again Mr. Pig outsmarted Wolf and left before Wolf could talk to him. Wolf then suggested going to the fair at Shanklin, which the Pig knew was where the police-station was. He deliberately rolled with the butter churn towards Mr. Wolf, hoping to hurt him. Mr. Wolf ran away. Then, as a last resort, Mr. Wolf tried to climb down the chimney to get to talk to Mr. Pig, at which point Whirly Pig put a pot of boiling water under him, cooked him and ate him.
Mr. Scrooge stated that he knew there was a loitering Bobcat in Merry Woods, who came from neighboring Frightening Forest, who was looking for work here. He may be the perpetrator of the Pig’s murders.
The jury has gone into deliberation and we will find out tomorrow if indeed Mr. Bigbad Wolf is acquitted of his alleged crimes and if Mr. Whirly Pig is taken into custody.