Thus time rolled on――until one night he chanced to hear certain ominous preparations going on outside of the stye. He heard the rolling of a large tub, and chanced to hear the mistress of the place give directions to a man to butcher her two pigs the next morning. “Two pigs!” said Peter to himself――“and so I am one of them: but I’ll give them the slip!” He waited till all around was quiet, and then attempted to rise, for the purpose of making his escape. But alas he was so fat and unwieldly, and the fence was so high, that he could by no possibility get out of the pen. And there was one thing, which struck him with absolute horror: he now perceived that he had four legs――cloven feet, a long snout, and a tail! Nor was this all――long wiry bristles stood up along his back――his sides were coated with coarse hair, and while he tugged to get out of his prison, he grunted like his companion. “I am, at last, a pig then!” said Peter; “and yet, I am not altogether a pig. I know more than this lazy beast by my side; I know what is to happen to-morrow, and while he is at rest, I am in an agony of fear. I wish I were really a pig, for then I should know no fear, and the butcher’s knife would finish me. But it is really horrible to have the mind of a human being, and the body and habits of a hog.” Poor Peter in the agony of his dream made a great outcry, but it was like the squealing of a pig; the fairy heard it, however, and came at the call. “What is the matter?”――said she. “Let me out! let me out!” said Peter in his frenzy. “I can’t let you out,” said the fairy: “you weigh at least fifteen score, and beside, you are a pig, now; for you must know that if a human being adopts swinish habits and keeps swinish company, he gradually becomes assimilated to the brute he imitates. But there is one difference: the pig, though he enjoys indolence, is able to do so, only because of his ignorance. He has no mind which paints higher and nobler enjoyments; no desire of long life; no looking forward to the future; no sense of right and wrong; no conscience to disturb him. It is otherwise with you. You have a mind, and though you may abuse it, you cannot annihilate it. It is a lamp――it may become dim for a time, but you cannot put it out. It will burn forever, and will forever show you, and make you feel the degradation you have reached, and the happiness you have lost.” Thus saying, the fairy departed.