Sneezy Bear and the Three Pigs

This story is a very special story that Nana used to tell me when I was little, and she still tells it to Norah sometimes. It is one of Norah's favorite stories, as well as mine. It was created as an alternate version to the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf story, with a happier ending. I have added a few small touches, but Nana gets credit for the story. I hope that you will enjoy this story as much as I do.

Sneezy Bear and the Three Pigs

Once upon a time, there was a bear named Sneezy Bear. Sneezy Bear lived alone in a little cottage by the river, under the shade of a large oak tree. Sneezy Bear loved his home, but he was lonely. One day Sneezy Bear decided to visit his friend, the First Little Pig. So Sneezy Bear put on his best hat, brushed his fur, and headed down the road to the First Little Pig’s house.

            The First Little Pig was not known for his brains, and he had built his house out of straw. When Sneezy Bear got to his house, he gently knocked on the door and called, “Little pig, little pig, may I please come in?” He was a very polite bear.

            A voice from inside replied, “Why of course by the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin.” The door opened to reveal a hairy, but happy, First Little Pig.

            “Come in, Sneezy Bear. I’m so glad to see you!” he said. Sneezy Bear squeezed through the doorway and into the house.

            “What lovely flowers you have!” said Sneezy Bear as the First Little Pig showed him around.

            “Thank you,” he said, ushering Sneezy Bear into the kitchen.

            They had just sat down for some breakfast when Sneezy Bear did what Sneezy Bear does best. He sniffled, and he twitched, and then…he sneezed. He sneezed so hard that the First Little Pig’s house fell down. Sneezy Bear felt terrible.

            “It’s okay,” said the First Little Pig. “We can go and visit my brother, the Second Little Pig.”

            So off they headed, down the road, leaving the straw house behind.

            The Second Little Pig was a little smarter than his brother, but he was lazy. He had built his house out of sticks, which were the easiest thing he could find.

            Sneezy Bear and the pig soon arrived at the stick house. The First Little Pig went up to the door and knocked. “Little brother, little brother, may we please come in?”

            “Why of course, by the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin.” And the door opened to reveal a smaller, slightly less hairy, but still happy, Second Little Pig. He smiled and invited the friends inside. Sneezy Bear and the First Little Pig told him their story as he showed them into the living room.

            “Oh, you have the same flowers as the First Little Pig!” observed Sneezy Bear.

            “They were a present from our mother,” the Second Little Pig explained, showing his guests into the dining room.

            They were just sitting down for lunch when Sneezy Bear did what Sneezy Bear does best. He wheezed, and he snorted, and then…he sneezed. He sneezed so hard that the Second Little Pig’s house fell down. Sneezy Bear began to cry.

            “Not again!” he moaned.

            “It’s okay, Sneezy Bear,” said the Second Little Pig. “We can go see our sister, the Third Little Pig.”

            So off they went, down the road, leaving the stick house behind.

            The Third Little Pig was the brightest of the bunch. She had built her house out of bricks, which are sturdy and strong.

            Sneezy Bear and the two pigs soon arrived at the brick house. The Second Little Pig went up to the door and knocked. “Little sis, little sis, may we please come in?”

            “Why of course, though I don’t have any hairs on my chinny-chin-chin.” And the door opened to reveal a petite, virtually hairless, but still very happy, Third Little Pig. She invited the friends inside, and they told her everything that had happened.

            “I’m sorry,” she told them. “You can stay here for a while.”

            In the living room, Sneezy Bear noticed the same flowers that he had seen at the other two pigs’ houses. He leaned over and took a big whiff of their sweet aroma until suddenly…“Aachoo! Aachoo! AAAAAACHOOOOO!”

            Sneezy Bear couldn’t stop sneezing! He sneezed and he sneezed and he sneezed. The Third Little Pig quickly ran over and threw the beautiful flowers out the window.

            “What did you do that for?” Sneezy Bear asked.

            “Sneezy Bear, I think you’re allergic to those flowers,” the Third Little Pig explained. “They’re what have been making you sneeze.”

            Suddenly Sneezy Bear realized something. He wasn’t sneezing anymore!

            “You’re right!” he exclaimed. Everyone was very excited that they had found the reason for all of the sneezing.

            “But, Third Little Pig,” Sneezy Bear asked, “how come I didn’t blow your house down too?”

            “My house is made of strong bricks,” she said proudly. “Not even the strongest sneeze could blow it down.”

            Everyone was thrilled by their new discovery, but there was still the issue of where they all would stay. Luckily, the Third Little Pig had foreseen that an incident like this might happen, so she had built enough extra rooms in her house for them all to stay. That night, they had a huge celebration, and picked some flowers that did not make Sneezy Bear sneeze. And they all lived happily ever after.