Being the only 2 animals in the enclosed backyard, they grew up being great companions. It doesn't matter that they look and smell different, or that they have different diets, they had fun talking day and night, and rubbing noses.
No two animals are the same, even if they are close friends.
The chicken was fiercely independent, learning quickly the habits of the human, and mastering the human language. Not that he can speak human language, but he is able to roughly decipher it and translate it to the pig.
The pig on the other hand was active, running and dancing around the yard making cute sounds, mimicking the sounds of the birds (ever hear a pig chirp), or howling like a wolf.
The master of the farm was a man in his 50s. His wife was dead since many years ago, leaving him a girl who bear an uncanny resemblance to the mother.
When the girl was not at school, she will be spending time in the yard like a typical farmer's lass, playing with the 2 animals. Pets, that will be a better term from the gal's perspective.
The chicken and the pig both enjoyed the company of the little girl. But it was slowly apparent that the gal was in love with the pig more than the chicken. Who does not love a dancing pig who can make interesting noises?
The chicken on the other hand was tasked with the important task of laying eggs for the family. Bearing in mind that the family was poor, there were many instances when the father grumbled at the chicken if he failed to lay the desired number of eggs.
Time flies, and it came to a point when the chicken realised how second rated his existence has been as compared to the pig.
Envy turns to jealousy.
And jealousy can make people (and animals) develop dark thoughts.
One day, the chicken overheard the father telling his daughter saying that they were in dire financial crisis, and had to give up one of the animals. In a farm, "giving up" was akin to selling the animal to the slaughter house.
The girl cried, and begged the father not to harm any of her 2 beloved animals. The father sighed and left, after telling the girl that "A man has to do what has to be done, to keep the family alive."
This does not bore well for the hen. His hyperactive piggy pal was way too skinny to be able to be sent to the butchery. It was more likely that he (the chicken) himself was killed for being unproductive in laying eggs.
Moreover, the girl will NEVER EVER let the pig die.
Wild thoughts went past his mind, and he knew "a chicken has to do what has to be done to keep himself alive".
The very same night, after rubbing nose with the pig for goodnight, he devised a plan. A plan to save his life, and at the same time, erase that little jealousy that have accumulated into a volcano of injustice.
The next day, the chicken told his pal, "Hey Pig, heard from our mistress that you have gone incredibly skinny, and no longer as huggable as before."
Being ignorantly happy (and naive), the pig was encouraged to eat more and run around less. "That's how you gain weight, my skinny snouty friend."
The ever-trusting pig heeded his pal's advice, eating whatever food that was delivered to him (he used to eat 1/2 a bowl), and slept after eating.
Soon, the pig was a full-fledged PIG, eat and sleep, fat and lazy, and obviously no longer cute.
It doesn't take long for the father to decide on his pick for the slaughterhouse, as his daughter spend more time with her human friends, and less time in the farm.
The butcher came to the farm, together with some helpers. They approached the pig, and extended their evil grasp towards him. The pig struggled and ask his chicken friend for help, only to be met with a nonchalant stare from his chicken friend.
The chicken has won the battle.
But he has also lost a friend.
No longer does he have someone to chat with.
No longer does he have someone to rub noses with.
Except for the chicken reflection that he sees in the bowl of water.
That once was the makan bowl of the pig.
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