Peter Pig

For whatever biological reason, I’m fortunate enough to possess a cast-iron stomach. A stomachache is very rare for me. I’m not even visited by the sort of nausea that results in throwing up very often.

But this weekend, something down there hurt. After two separate meals, two separate aches for about an hour each. The second time was after Yuriko’s birthday dinner. I knew it was a risk, but it was too good not to eat.

But I didn’t spend the entire weekend clutching my onaka (stomach or guts in Japanese, literally “insides,” with an honorific.) I had the pleasure of seeing the first Donald Duck cartoon, “The Wise Little Hen,” which is—logically—the first selection on The Chronological Donald, Vol. 1 DVD. I don’t remember ever seeing it before.

Dating from 1934, it is in astonishing Technicolor. Donald appears as a supporting character, one of two who refuse to help the Wise Little Hen plant corn, and so are ultimately denied eating any of it. It wasn’t long before Donald became a cartoon star, but that story is well known. I want to mention the other character whose career obviously went nowhere: Peter Pig. He had a goofy voice. He did the same jigs as Donald. He was every bit as much of a slacker.

Why didn’t people take to him? After all, Porky Pig has his fans. That’s show biz for you, even in the animated realm.