You all know the three little pigs, don’t you? When my first grandchild, Angelo, was born, one of the first books I read to put him to sleep (because I can’t sing) was that old favorite, The Three Little Pigs.
Angelo was born on April 13, 2001 while I was teaching in Taiwan. He was already 2 ½ months old when we met each other. He already had a boyish, engaging, and gorgeous smile back then. He stole my heart right from the very start. His Mommy and I began calling him “sweetheart” and “gorgeous.”
He wasn’t a crowd-pleaser and he didn’t like strangers fussing about him. However, whenever you’d tell him that he’s a gorgeous baby, he’d perk up and flash his gorgeous smile. And because he loved the picture storybook, The Three Little Pigs, we sometimes called him Gorgy, the fourth little pig.
Back in 2001, I was writing the third edition of the Spoken English series (textbooks used in Philippine elementary schools) for REX Book Store and I needed original stories for children.
One evening, I recalled an observation made by a teacher in one of the teacher training workshops I used to conduct in the Philippines. She said that the physically challenged were virtually nonexistent in children’s literature.
In Taiwan, I had the privilege of having a physically-challenged colleague and friend for the first time. Dr. Josephine Huang is a strong-willed lady who went to the USA alone, then completed a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Georgia.
I knew I had a story. My fingers flew on the keyboard of my laptop the whole evening. At eight o’clock the morning after, I asked an editor-friend, Ms. Dory Pabalate, to look at the laptop screen and listen as I read aloud the story of The Fourth Little Pig. She was sincerely impressed and encouraged me to use the story in the Grade One book of the Spoken English series.
But The Fourth Little Pig was shelved in 2001. My son and daughter-in-law liked it, though. Dr. Josephine Huang liked it, too.
In June 2003, I went home to the Philippines from Taiwan amidst the SARS scare. I observed a self-imposed quarantine alone and away from my family because I didn’t wish to infect anyone if I were a healthy carrier. Alone and contemplating the reality of death, I decided to stop dreaming and start acting.
I’d always fantasized about becoming a publisher, but I always dismissed the thought as fantasy. As soon as the quarantine period was over, I started organizing a family corporation. On August 11, 2003, the SEC Certificate of Incorporation was issued to Panday-Isip Publishing House, Inc.
Annie D. Ant, a story of hope, faith, and love amidst the ravages of a severe drought (El Niño), was launched at the Museo Pambata Children’s Library and Museum, Roxas Boulevard, Manila on November 15, 2003.
Panday-Isip launched its second picture storybook, The Fourth Little Pig, at Robinson’s Place, Imus, Cavite on January 24, 2004.
Who is Gorgy, the fourth little pig? He comes from a family of carpenter pigs in the Philippines. After his three older brother pigs build their own houses, Gorgy wants to build his, too. But the pig village is overcrowded and there is no space for Gorgy. The problem propels the story forward, Gorgy meets Josephine, and the story ends joyfully.
The Fourth Little Pig was illustrated by Beth Parrocha-Doctolero, a member of the Illustrador ng Kabataan (INK) and a veteran freelance artist in the Philippines. Angelo, my grandson, is our resident and unpaid art critic. He was present in most meetings with Beth.
He actually perused the pencil sketches and squealed with delight at details which his parents missed. When Angelo saw the cover of the first color-proof, he said with a wide and gorgeous smile, “Masaya sila!” (“They’re happy!”)
Rooted in the Philippine milieu, the vibrant and richly-detailed illustrations of Beth Parrocha-Doctolero show the bahay-kubo (nipa hut), the wooden house, and the Vigan brick house. (Vigan is a city in North Luzon known for its living museum of 16th century brick houses. It is a UNESCO World Heritage City.)
What does The Fourth Little Pig mean? Gorgy is an empathetic man. Skilled and goal-oriented, he is also kind, cheerful, industrious, thrifty, creative, resourceful, thoughtful, and considerate. Josephine is a strong , yet vulnerable woman. She is independent, but she does need other people. Assertive, outspoken, and intelligent, she’s also kind, fair, and reasonable. Gorgy and Josephine put interdependence into action.
Using the historical approach, The Fourth Little Pig, can be interpreted as another metaphor. Gorgy is the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who leaves his family behind in search of better opportunities. Josephine’s the symbol of every differently-abled child, man, and woman. One could say that Gorgy rescues Josephine from her dilapidated cottage, but it is Josephine who makes it possible for Gorgy’s dream home to become a reality.
Thus, The Fourth Little Pig is dedicated to:
Children of migrant and Overseas Filipino Workers;
Children with handicaps;
Children with big dreams; and
St. Joseph, the Carpenter, Dreamer, and Builder!
Note: This was originally published by Filam MegaScene in Chicago, Illinois in 2004.
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