Babe the Gallant Pig, by Dick King-Smith
Farmer Hogget guesses a small piglet’s exact weight and wins the pig. At first, the piglet’s future is that of most any fine pig, pork chops and bacon, but then an extraordinary thing happens.
The piglet becomes good friends with Farmer Hogget’s sheepdog, Fly. In fact, the dog becomes the little pig’s foster mother. She names him Babe and begins teaching him how to herd the barnyard geese. Babe enjoys the activity so much that he decides to become a sheep-pig.
Babe meets his first sheep when Fly drives Ma, an old ewe, into the barn for medical treatment. While Ma recuperates, the two animals chat, and Babe learns that sheep just want to be treated with respect and courtesy. One day, while Farmer Hogget and Fly are gone, Babe saves the sheep from rustlers. From then on, Babe goes with Fly while she herds the sheep. Soon the sheep refuse to work for the impolite “wolf” and cry for Babe. Babe asks the sheep to do things in such a polite way that they eagerly comply with his wishes.
When Farmer Hogget enters Babe in the Grand Challenge Trials, the sheep have a secret weapon that will help Babe win.
