"Stay, Fly!" said Hogget. And, just for fun, "Come, Pig!" Immediately Babe ran forward and sat at the farmer's right, his front trotters placed neatly together, his big ears cocked for the next command. Strange thoughts began to stir in Farmer Hogget's mind, and unconsciously he crossed his fingers. He took a deep breath, and, holding it... "Away to me, Pig!" he said softly. Without a moment's hesitation Babe began the long outrun to the right. Quite what Farmer Hogget had expected to happen, he could never afterwards clearly remember. What he had not expected was that the pig would run round to the rear of the flock, and turn to face it and him, and lie down instantly without a word of further command spoken, just as a well-trained dog would have done.

From 'The Sheep-Pig' by Dick King-Smith. Text copyright © Dick King-Smith 1983.
Published in Puffin Books 1999