The Party Pig: a story to break the scarcity mindset

 

When I was a child, I did not have as many books as many of my peers.  Perhaps that is what makes each one of them memorable.  My sister and I shared a set of four "Golden Books," which were each written in Dutch.  Their English titles were "The Taxi that Hurried," "The Saggy Baggy Elephant," "The Poky Little Puppy," and "The Party Pig."  We heard and eventually read these books over and over as any child enjoys hearing a favorite story again.
   It was only recently that I discovered the English title for "The Party Pig."  In Dutch, the title "Het Feestvarken" matches an idiom used in the Netherlands for anyone who is celebrating a birthday, quite apart from any reference to the story.
   In "The Party Pig," a young pig is left at home while his mother gets some last minute supplies for his birthday party to take place later that day.  When a series of hungry animals come to the door asking for something to eat, the party pig gives away cheese, lettuce, milk and more, not thinking about himself at all.  As he says farewell, he invites them to come back for his party that evening.
   When the pig's mother returns, she is dismayed that the cupboards are bare.  She cannot imagine how any kind of birthday party can take place under these conditions.
   However, at party time the same procession of animals comes with practical gifts.  Each of them has made some of the raw ingredients given by the party pig into something new to be shared once again.  Instead of the party being ruined, the party pig's generosity brings joy to each of the characters, not least the party pig himself.
   The scarcity mindset of the pig's mother afflicts us all at times.  We hesitate to invite someone over because we think our dwelling or our limited selection of foods might not be enough for a guest.  We want to make sure we have enough for ourselves before we give to charity.  We approach things from an economics point of view and see limitations rather than abundance.
   First published in 1954, this Little Golden Book is coming back into print in May 2019 to celebrate the 100th birthday of its illustrator, Richard Scarry.  It's a title worth sharing with the children in your life, because a child's inclination to help others needs to be nurtured rather than dampened by stories and experiences with adults who care about them.