Once upon a time, there was this commune where all the creatures tried to get along. There was always an inherent contradiction because some critters are herbivores and some critters are carnivores. But, hey, a critter's gotta do what a critter's gotta do. There was an unwritten law (mainly because most critters, including this alligator, can't write) that the Kings of the commune were Pigs. This followed the model of all critters are equal except some critters are more equal (i.e. pigs).

At one time, all pigs were pink. But over time, about 2/3rds of pigs mutated and became Red Pigs. The other third of the porcine population became Blue Pigs. The difference in coloration was due to differences in the piggy diet. The ones that ate the most usually turned Red. The ones that turned blue were generally smaller because they ate less of the common trough and usually ingested scraps of food, out there for general consumption. My theory is that Blue pigs became that color because being generally smaller, the bigger Red Pigs would push them out of the warm, cozy barn in which the big Red Pigs lived.

After many decades of being treated as second class pigs, Barnaby, an ambitious Pig, decided he wanted to eat at the Big Trough. So he began eating at the Big Trough, causing a growth spurt. He grew larger and as he did so his color began the change from Blue to Purple.

Barnaby, who lived in Massachusetts, wanted to encourage other Blue Pigs to eat at the Big Trough, so that they could thrive and grow to be purple pigs also. Many Blue Pigs heeded his call and started nudging their way into the Big Trough. At first the Red pigs tolerated the intrusions, but as more purple pigs developed they resented the intrusion, thus refusing the purple pigs more than 20% of the Big Trough offerings. Resignedly, the purple pigs acquiesced and became content with their twenty percent share of the big trough.

Things remained in equilibrium, with no pig daring to break the status quo. A few Blue Pigs, however decided their diet of scraps would have to suffice. Because the supply of scraps (i.e. those not in the Big Trough) while abundant, was widely scattered, the Blue Pigs lacked a plan to efficiently ensure their food supply. They did not wish to fight at the Big Trough because that was demeaning. How to survive in such a situation?

So the Blue Pigs decided to hold a referendum, something unknown to Blue piggery for more than 40 years. Being an open-minded assemblage, the Blue Pigs decided to listen to someone whose vision was very keen AND who had for decades avoided wallowing in the mud with the Pigs.

So flying in from Vermont came Whitey Bird (known to his acquaintances as "Birdie") to the referendum with some stunning advice. He said "Don't feed at the Big Trough--for that will turn you purple, making you fat and lazy. Take your meals from all around and be beholden to no one". Shocked Blue Pigs were at first afraid to listen to Birdie's advice, but soon, hungering for a more wholesome diet, one by one, they began heeding Birdie's counsel. By following this sage advice, Blue Pigs got stronger, faster, leaner; so much so that the Purple Pigs became jealous. Even they could see that Birdie's advice was working but found themselves so stuck in the mud (status quo) that they were unable to distance themselves from the Big Trough.

Moral of the story: Don't teach a purple pig to eat properly because this annoys the Pig and wastes your time..