A new take on the Three Little Pigs

Last week we saw this video in one of the Students Talks held on Tuesday. As part of their open journalism campaign, The Guardian made this advert where they imagine how they would cover the story of the Three Little Pigs in print and online.


There seems to be a growing interesting in children's tales. Currently you can watch Once Upon a Time (AXN), a series on the story of Snow White set in the modern world. There's also a similar series in production for Spanish TV. This year there is not one, but two major live action movie releases for general audiences on the same fairytale: Mirror, Mirror - starring Julia Roberts - and Snow White and the Huntsman - with Charlize Theron. These follow in the footsteps of French production The Sleeping Beauty (2011), and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010), not to mention other recent animated features. What's going on? Are we becoming childish? Are we looking for comfort in a period of our lives when we didn't have any troubles? Is this just a passing fad?

Whatever the answer, this is not the first time when traditional children's stories have been given a modern perspective. Author Roald Dahl re-interpreted six well-known tales in Revolting Rhymes (1982), giving them surprise endings in place of the traditional happily-ever-after. Listen to his version of Little Red Riding Hood, read by himself. You can read some others, including Three Little Pigs, on this other webpage.

The animal I really dig

Above all others is the pig.

Pigs are noble. Pigs are clever.

Pigs are courteous. However,

Now and then, to break this rule,

One meets a pig who is a fool.

Tell us: what was your favourite fairytale when you were a child?