This story expands on the nursery rhyme, depicting Tom, the son of a poor and dishonest piper, Barney. Driven by hunger and his father's influence, Tom steals a pig from Farmer Bowser, which they quickly cook and eat. Tom is caught when the farmer recognizes the pig's tail, which Tom has fashioned into a whistle. As punishment, the farmer gives Tom a severe beating. This painful experience teaches Tom a lasting lesson about the consequences of dishonesty; he subsequently refuses to steal, finds honest work, and earns a respectable living, illustrating the moral that honesty and hard work, despite initial difficulty, lead to a better outcome than theft.

This story expands on the nursery rhyme, depicting Tom, the son of a poor and dishonest piper, Barney. Driven by hunger and his father's influence, Tom steals a pig from Farmer Bowser, which they quickly cook and eat. Tom is caught when the farmer...

Tom, the Piper’s Son | Moral Stories by L. Frank Baum