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The World of Beatrix Potter #19
The Tale of Pigling Bland
The Tale of Pigling Bland was published the year the Beatrix Potter was married and settled down to farming life for good. She had already been keeping pigs and she sketched them for this story, using her own farmyard as the setting. One little black pig was a household pet and features as the "perfectly lovely" Pig-wig who runs away with Pigling Bland.
The Tale of Pigling Bland is number fifteen in Beatrix Potter's series of 23 little books, the titles of which are as follows:
1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
2. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
3. The Tailor of Gloucester
4. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
5. The Tale of Two Bad Mice
6. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
7. The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher
8. The Tale of Tom Kitten
9. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
10. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
11. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
12. The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
13. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse
14. The Tale of Mr. Tod
15. The Tale of Pigling Bland
16. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
17. The Tale of The Pie and the Patty-Pan
18. The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
19. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
20. The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit
21. The Story of Miss Moppet
22. Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes
23. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes
The Tale of Pigling Bland is number fifteen in Beatrix Potter's series of 23 little books, the titles of which are as follows:
1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
2. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
3. The Tailor of Gloucester
4. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
5. The Tale of Two Bad Mice
6. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
7. The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher
8. The Tale of Tom Kitten
9. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
10. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
11. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
12. The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
13. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse
14. The Tale of Mr. Tod
15. The Tale of Pigling Bland
16. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
17. The Tale of The Pie and the Patty-Pan
18. The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
19. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
20. The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit
21. The Story of Miss Moppet
22. Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes
23. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes
82 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1913
17 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
About the author
Beatrix Potter
3,319 books2,135 followersHelen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, mycologist, and conservationist who is best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters such as Peter Rabbit.
Born into a wealthy household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets, and through holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developed a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Because she was a woman, her parents discouraged intellectual development, but her study and paintings of fungi led her to be widely respected in the field of mycology.
In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and became secretly engaged to her publisher, Norman Warne, causing a breach with her parents, who disapproved of his social status. Warne died before the wedding.
Potter eventually published 24 children's books, the most recent being The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots (2016), and having become financially independent of her parents, was able to buy a farm in the Lake District, which she extended with other purchases over time.
In her forties, she married a local solicitor, William Heelis. She became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate children's books. Potter died in 1943 and left almost all of her property to The National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District as she had known it, protecting it from developers.
Potter's books continue to sell well throughout the world, in multiple languages. Her stories have been retold in various formats, including a ballet, films, and in animation.
Born into a wealthy household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets, and through holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developed a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Because she was a woman, her parents discouraged intellectual development, but her study and paintings of fungi led her to be widely respected in the field of mycology.
In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and became secretly engaged to her publisher, Norman Warne, causing a breach with her parents, who disapproved of his social status. Warne died before the wedding.
Potter eventually published 24 children's books, the most recent being The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots (2016), and having become financially independent of her parents, was able to buy a farm in the Lake District, which she extended with other purchases over time.
In her forties, she married a local solicitor, William Heelis. She became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate children's books. Potter died in 1943 and left almost all of her property to The National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District as she had known it, protecting it from developers.
Potter's books continue to sell well throughout the world, in multiple languages. Her stories have been retold in various formats, including a ballet, films, and in animation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
August 27, 2017
There are at least half a dozen sub-plots not tied up here. And I never knew that pigs lived in such an oppressive police state.
April 20, 2021
Cute kids story. My mind went to the pigs being eaten so I'm glad it didn't go that way!! 🤣🤣
December 17, 2022
I received a copy of this book from a co-worker in 1990, and hadn’t read it since. It is unusual in the series of Beatrix Potter books, in that it is written in both the first and third person. It is not clear who the first person narrator is. It is not Aunt Pettitoes, or any of her family of eight piglets: Cross-patch, Suck-suck, Yock-yock, Spot (the daughters); Alexander; Pigling Bland; Chin-chin nor Stumpy. Maybe it is the human woman pictured. Beatrix Potter?
Because the piglets are mischievous and eat too much, Aunt Pettitoes has to send all except Spot out into the world. Pigling Bland and Alexander are sent to the market. Alexander loses his licence (what?) and is escorted home by a policeman, while Pigling Bland goes on alone. He gets lost and ends up at a farmer’s house where he meets Pig-wig, a little black female pig. Together they escape, meet a grocer, escape again and ‘run over the hills and far away’ . End of book.
This is a really weird and surreal story – quite unlike the others I have read. The illustrations are a mixture of glorious watercolours (as usual) and black & white line drawings. I’m not sure quite what to make of this book – so, 4 stars rather than the 5 I’ve given to the others I’ve reviewed in this series.
Because the piglets are mischievous and eat too much, Aunt Pettitoes has to send all except Spot out into the world. Pigling Bland and Alexander are sent to the market. Alexander loses his licence (what?) and is escorted home by a policeman, while Pigling Bland goes on alone. He gets lost and ends up at a farmer’s house where he meets Pig-wig, a little black female pig. Together they escape, meet a grocer, escape again and ‘run over the hills and far away’ . End of book.
This is a really weird and surreal story – quite unlike the others I have read. The illustrations are a mixture of glorious watercolours (as usual) and black & white line drawings. I’m not sure quite what to make of this book – so, 4 stars rather than the 5 I’ve given to the others I’ve reviewed in this series.
February 17, 2020
the farmer is so creepy
December 23, 2011
Beatrix Potter's yarns for children are somethings quite endearing, while at other times they can get quite boring and preachy. This is one very good example. Its about Pigling Bland who along with his brother is sent to the market with his papers pinned, but along the way his brother loses his papers and then they are caught by the police. The police then takes his brother home leaving Pigling Bland to go to the market on his own. While on his way, he discovers his brother's papers among his own and tries to find his way back to his brother but gets lost. He spends the night in a chicken coop, is discovered the next morning and from then on its gets a bit weird. I guess Beatrix was trying to implement about how you can find your soul mate under very unusual circumstances, but I just couldn't grasp this life changing moment and I am certain children would not understand either...
July 16, 2017
Pigling Bland had 7 brothers and sisters. 6 of them were sent to other places as they could all be feed. Pigling Bland was on his way to be find work on a farm when he meets Pig-Wig. Together they run off and dance. This is a long story for Beatrix with few color pictures. Beatrix was in a hurry when she wrote this story as she was getting married. It's nice enough.
March 20, 2021
This book suck-sucks. Horrible writing, completely uninteresting plot, and Aunt Pettitoes (which I pronounce “petite-toes”) is a horrible mom who sends her kids away so she can eat more food. What kind of lesson is that to read to a child!??
August 21, 2017
I didn't get the whole story.
July 26, 2017
My least favourite story by Miss Potter so far... Don't think I'll bother reading this one to the kids.
Read
September 14, 2019This is a very cute book by Beatrix Potter that I had never read before. I love the illustrations. I am glad a friend just read it so that I noticed it.
December 27, 2020
I found this tale a bit difficult to make sense of. It was probably meant to be a love story about how Pigling Bland finds a mate in the most improbable place. It's cute how he goes all awkward around Pig-Wig and the more they know each other the more it's clear how much they have in common. She brings out the courage in him as they're running away from the creepy farmer and towards freedom.
What I didn't like or get was the beginning though, when Pigling Bland's mother Aunt Pettitoes decides to send 7 of her piglets away as they eat too much and make too much mess. Most of the piglets will probably end up as bacon but this doesn't seem to bother her. It's rather disturbing that pigs wear clothes, have names, personalities, dreams, walk as people and talk to them while at the same time might end up as their food.
I have mixed feelings about this one and I didn't love the illustrations either.
What I didn't like or get was the beginning though, when Pigling Bland's mother Aunt Pettitoes decides to send 7 of her piglets away as they eat too much and make too much mess. Most of the piglets will probably end up as bacon but this doesn't seem to bother her. It's rather disturbing that pigs wear clothes, have names, personalities, dreams, walk as people and talk to them while at the same time might end up as their food.
I have mixed feelings about this one and I didn't love the illustrations either.
April 23, 2024
4 stars. This has never been my favourite Beatrix Potter book. Perhaps because I first discovered the story through a VHS of “The World Of Peter Rabbit & Friends.” I always ran away as soon as the policeman arrived. He was truly frightening; that may have been where I contracted my childhood fear of moustached men (a dislike which I unfortunately never fully shook off, despite knowing many wonderful men with moustaches!). And then there’s Mr. Peter Thomas Piperson, who always disgusted me. He’s such a nasty piece of work!
So I didn’t really read Pigling Bland until I was older, at which point I of course enjoyed the sarcastic humour, the lovely writing, and the beautiful illustrations. Aunt Pettitoes is not a good mother but she’s certainly very quotable and quite funny! Overall, this is a deeper, darker, longer story than most of Beatrix Potter’s, but still beloved by children and very enjoyable to read aloud.
So I didn’t really read Pigling Bland until I was older, at which point I of course enjoyed the sarcastic humour, the lovely writing, and the beautiful illustrations. Aunt Pettitoes is not a good mother but she’s certainly very quotable and quite funny! Overall, this is a deeper, darker, longer story than most of Beatrix Potter’s, but still beloved by children and very enjoyable to read aloud.
August 1, 2018
Another lame story from Beatrix,the ending was so stupid
October 25, 2024
One of my favorites from Potter.
August 26, 2020
This was such a cute and short read that I’d finished in less than half an hour. After all the hard readings I’d done this was a breeze. I’d recommend this book for your children or to be gifted to any children. This was bought for my niece as her birthday gift but being a greedy booker aunt, I’d read it first. Haha
October 7, 2021
Another Beatrix Potter book, this time about a piglet sent with his brother to go for work.
The tale is awfully long, and not really interesting. Not even with the hindrances happening to Pigling Bland, trying to spruce up the plot. I plainly liked it, it just seemed like a half-hearted attempt at spinning a story about a pig, whose dream is to become a potato farmer, yet he never achieves it, not even when escaping the evil people with his friend Pig Wig. It does end on a good note, as they sing and dance over the hills.
The tale is awfully long, and not really interesting. Not even with the hindrances happening to Pigling Bland, trying to spruce up the plot. I plainly liked it, it just seemed like a half-hearted attempt at spinning a story about a pig, whose dream is to become a potato farmer, yet he never achieves it, not even when escaping the evil people with his friend Pig Wig. It does end on a good note, as they sing and dance over the hills.
June 9, 2022
With a confused look and a “what?”, I closed the book. Still not sure how, why, or what happened. Pig license? Hmm…
Ages: Older and/or more knowledgeable than me. 😂
Ages: Older and/or more knowledgeable than me. 😂
April 7, 2025
This one I didn't understand
Why would a piglet want to go to the market
And the language they spoke in sometimes was gibberish
Not a favorite
Why would a piglet want to go to the market
And the language they spoke in sometimes was gibberish
Not a favorite
February 18, 2020
From the inscription written by my mother at the beginning of the book I can see she gave it to me on my 6th birthday. I can’t remember reading the book then, though I can see that it is falling apart, but that is probably more from age than being read numerous times!
We learn about an old pig called Aunt Pettitoes who had eight little pigs, four little girl pigs and four little boy pigs, one of whom was a little boy pig called Pigling Bland (whatever “Bland” refers to). Funny that Aunt Pettitoes was old, seeing as she’d just had eight little pigs!
There is an “I” narrator in the book but we don’t discover who this is.
Two of the little boy pigs, Pigling Bland and Alexander, go to market. Aunt Pettitoes sheds tears as she bids them farewell and warns them “beware of traps, hen roosts, bacon and eggs: always walk upon your hind legs”. She doesn’t tell us why the two have to go to market and her advice and tears make the trip sound ominous.
I don’t know why hen roosts, whatever they are, are dangerous, but the “bacon and eggs” sound exceedingly scary. Is she crying because of the dangers of the trip? Are the piglets in danger of being turned into bacon?
Nowadays, but not when I was a child, of course, I see terrifying videos on Facebook about how pigs end their days and it is many years since I have partaken of bacon, and never will again of course.
Because of this knowledge, the book makes me feel very sad. When reading I’m thinking of whether the two piglets have to buy anything at the market or whether thy themselves are going to be sold, or what.
The book really feels like a tragedy to me and I don��t understand how Beatrix Potter could write the story, since she herself of course knew the fate of such piglets as these two.
The illustrations show that the two are dressed in clothes and do in fact walk upon their hind legs.
Aunt Pettitoes impresses on her sons that once they cross the county boundary they cannot come back; we’re not told why. They each carry a licence to go to market in Lancashire. She also gives them each eight “conversation peppermints”.
They are stopped by a policeman, but can’t find Alexander’s licence so the policeman takes him with him. The text says “I disposed of Alexander in the neighbourhood; he did fairly well when he had settled down.” This is incomprehensible. How was he disposed of?
Pigling Bland dejectedly continues on his own and we then learn that he is going to a “hiring fair” and I assume that he hopes to be hired to do work somewhere, which sounds much better than “bacon and eggs”.
Pigling then gets seized by a farmer and thrown into a hamper. When released he encounters a lovely, female Berkshire pig called Pig-wig who has been sold to be made into bacon and hams (my fears are confirmed), but they run away together and the story does not have a sad ending.
The book is old-fashioned, of course, and I had no understanding of several of the words and am sure I didn’t when I was six, either – wainscot, coppy stool, flitch and antimacassar.
Though the book ends happily, it is not one I would read or give to any small child, because of the sad fate of pigs, but perhaps it is only in these present days that some of us are thinking about these things and finding out we don’t want to kill and eat pigs or any animals for that matter, and by no means everyone has become vegan yet.
Beatrix Potter is a well-known and well-loved author but from a modern point of view I don’t really appreciate the book. So only two stars.
We learn about an old pig called Aunt Pettitoes who had eight little pigs, four little girl pigs and four little boy pigs, one of whom was a little boy pig called Pigling Bland (whatever “Bland” refers to). Funny that Aunt Pettitoes was old, seeing as she’d just had eight little pigs!
There is an “I” narrator in the book but we don’t discover who this is.
Two of the little boy pigs, Pigling Bland and Alexander, go to market. Aunt Pettitoes sheds tears as she bids them farewell and warns them “beware of traps, hen roosts, bacon and eggs: always walk upon your hind legs”. She doesn’t tell us why the two have to go to market and her advice and tears make the trip sound ominous.
I don’t know why hen roosts, whatever they are, are dangerous, but the “bacon and eggs” sound exceedingly scary. Is she crying because of the dangers of the trip? Are the piglets in danger of being turned into bacon?
Nowadays, but not when I was a child, of course, I see terrifying videos on Facebook about how pigs end their days and it is many years since I have partaken of bacon, and never will again of course.
Because of this knowledge, the book makes me feel very sad. When reading I’m thinking of whether the two piglets have to buy anything at the market or whether thy themselves are going to be sold, or what.
The book really feels like a tragedy to me and I don��t understand how Beatrix Potter could write the story, since she herself of course knew the fate of such piglets as these two.
The illustrations show that the two are dressed in clothes and do in fact walk upon their hind legs.
Aunt Pettitoes impresses on her sons that once they cross the county boundary they cannot come back; we’re not told why. They each carry a licence to go to market in Lancashire. She also gives them each eight “conversation peppermints”.
They are stopped by a policeman, but can’t find Alexander’s licence so the policeman takes him with him. The text says “I disposed of Alexander in the neighbourhood; he did fairly well when he had settled down.” This is incomprehensible. How was he disposed of?
Pigling Bland dejectedly continues on his own and we then learn that he is going to a “hiring fair” and I assume that he hopes to be hired to do work somewhere, which sounds much better than “bacon and eggs”.
Pigling then gets seized by a farmer and thrown into a hamper. When released he encounters a lovely, female Berkshire pig called Pig-wig who has been sold to be made into bacon and hams (my fears are confirmed), but they run away together and the story does not have a sad ending.
The book is old-fashioned, of course, and I had no understanding of several of the words and am sure I didn’t when I was six, either – wainscot, coppy stool, flitch and antimacassar.
Though the book ends happily, it is not one I would read or give to any small child, because of the sad fate of pigs, but perhaps it is only in these present days that some of us are thinking about these things and finding out we don’t want to kill and eat pigs or any animals for that matter, and by no means everyone has become vegan yet.
Beatrix Potter is a well-known and well-loved author but from a modern point of view I don’t really appreciate the book. So only two stars.
December 26, 2018
This is a really charming story which I have never read before and has lots of humour in it.One of the pigs in the tale is apparently based on a real black pig called Townley that Beatrix Potter had bought from a local farmer and kept as a pet!The story is dedicated to the farmers' children who were told it was a story about a "Christmas Pig."There are elements in the tale which contrast with some of the authors early best selling stories -one is warmth.Her characters seem much more affectionate and it is probable that this reflects a change in Beatrix Potters own life.She married William Heelis in the same year that the book was published and I can't help wondering-knowing how restricted her early life was at home with rather controlling parents-that the picture of two little animals scampering over a bridge "hand in hand"reflected her escape to the English Lake District-"over the hills and far away"where she-like the piggies could now "dance"as much as she liked!Beautiful illustrations,as always!
March 10, 2023
This unique example of Beatrix Potter’s entertaining style of “humanizing the animal and animalizing the human” never loses sight of the harsh Malthusian reality of the farm and island life.
It seems as if it were written quickly, in one go, as with a rush of inspiration and scarce to no rewriting—and then the illustrations meticulously rendered after the fact. I enjoy that aspect of the book.
Since my children seem to enjoy and gain insight in the listening—that is, they are entertained by, and are able to entertain the conflicting ideas presented—and since they are able to maintain focus in one reading, it’s one of our go-to books. My kids are between the ages of 4 and 9.
It seems as if it were written quickly, in one go, as with a rush of inspiration and scarce to no rewriting—and then the illustrations meticulously rendered after the fact. I enjoy that aspect of the book.
Since my children seem to enjoy and gain insight in the listening—that is, they are entertained by, and are able to entertain the conflicting ideas presented—and since they are able to maintain focus in one reading, it’s one of our go-to books. My kids are between the ages of 4 and 9.
September 18, 2008
from her mom:
This little book has been Eliza's favorite bedtime story throughout September (2008). Her dad has read it to her 20+ times, so she has large chunks of the text memorized now.
I have only read it once, and all I can remember is that it's about Pigling Bland, who is tossed out of the farm by his mother to go earn a living at market; there begins his adventure. This is one of the longer Beatrix Potter stories - somewhere between the length of a typical picture book and a beginning chapter book. And then there are those precious, perfect watercolor vignettes, of course.
This little book has been Eliza's favorite bedtime story throughout September (2008). Her dad has read it to her 20+ times, so she has large chunks of the text memorized now.
I have only read it once, and all I can remember is that it's about Pigling Bland, who is tossed out of the farm by his mother to go earn a living at market; there begins his adventure. This is one of the longer Beatrix Potter stories - somewhere between the length of a typical picture book and a beginning chapter book. And then there are those precious, perfect watercolor vignettes, of course.
January 26, 2016
This is another Beatrix Potter book, copyrighted 1913. The story is about a pig named Aunt Pettitoes who is taking care of a group of eight piglets, most of which are troublemakers of a sort. Pigland Bland and one of his brothers is walking to market, his brother continuing to cause problems.
While at a farmer's house he encounters a female pig, and the two escape from the farmer.
This is sort of a rather strange tale and one a person really doesn't want to think about a whole lot; a pig voluntarily going to market? What does it expect to happen?
While at a farmer's house he encounters a female pig, and the two escape from the farmer.
This is sort of a rather strange tale and one a person really doesn't want to think about a whole lot; a pig voluntarily going to market? What does it expect to happen?
March 2, 2015
Pigling Bland's mother has many children, so she sends Pigling and brother Alexander off to market. I was a little concerned at this point, I must say, but later Pigling revealed that his intention was to attend the hiring fair, that stalwart of agricultural institutions. Needless to say, the initial plans do not go smoothly, but after several close shaves it seems Pigling has a happy future in store.
March 5, 2018
I hadn't read this particular Potter story before, and though it's more substantial than most of them when it comes to story, it doesn't quite have the charm of the rest. I don't care that much about Pigling Bland or the idiotic Pigwig, and if any piglet deserved to be turned into bacon it is tiresome little Alexander. The whole litter is redeemed, however, by the fact that one of the piglets has been named Suck-suck. That particular detail is terrible and entertaining all at once.
April 14, 2013
This little piggy went to market, this little piggy didn't get there and rescued another pig ... What happened next? I guess we'll never know. Too much of an abrupt ending, I get the notion of leaving the reader wanting more but there is no sequel to this book so I must live my life without ever finding out ...
January 28, 2015
Waaaahhhh!! Very cute pigs! The names tho Cross-patch, Suck-suck, Yock-yock and Spot for the lady pigs and Alexander, Pigling Bland, Chin-Chin and Stumpy for the boys! Hihi I love Pigling Bland, he is so nice and kind.
August 5, 2017
I feel like every time I finish Beatrix Potter's stories, I always have the same thought: I don't understand 100% what just happened but I think I enjoyed it.
June 2, 2018
I have arranged my thoughts into a haiku:
"With pigheaded friends,
There can be a dire splash zone
That hits their bland peers."
"With pigheaded friends,
There can be a dire splash zone
That hits their bland peers."
December 11, 2022
Pigs are always persecuted, for as my cousin said, "I would be a vegetarian, but then there's bacon!"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews