Brick-by-brick… It is one of the adages of the startup scene: to do it brick-by-brick. There’s a real reason why, though. When it came to building houses or a home, bricks were durable. We wanted these homes to outlast us and our lifetime and provide for future generations. We weren’t just thinking about ourselves and our own lives. We aspired towards building an edifice that would be there for those that are yet to be.
The Pig, like many other animals, has an ambiguous meaning and symbolism. In some cultures, it is considered a forbidden and even ‘unclean’ animal. In other cultures, the pig symbolises intelligence, rest and fertility. When an animal has a mixed meaning, it often means that it represents values that are not universal in nature. It varies a great deal depending on the context and the environment.
But what is the real wisdom of the pig? Well, I discovered it through a tale that they used to tell me when I was a child.
The Three Little Pigs
Once upon a time, there lived an old Matriarch. She had three children. When they were old enough, she sent them out into the world to seek their fortune.
The eldest little pig was very lazy. He didn’t want to work and so he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little harder, but he, too, was lazy like the first and built his house out of sticks.
What did they do with the rest of the day–well, they sang, danced, played and watched television.
The third and the youngest little pig, however, was different. He worked hard all day and built his house with bricks. It was a sturdy home with a fine fireplace and chimney. It was so strong that it could withstand the strongest winds.
One fine day, a wolf visited. It passed by the alley where the three little pigs lived. First, the wolf saw the straw house. He thought the pig would make a fine meal and his mouth began to water. The wolf knocked on the door and demanded to be let it.
The pig was clever and said no. But alas, intelligence was not enough to get the pig out of the trouble he was in. The wolf then huffed and puffed and he blew the house down. The first little pig escaped and ran away to hide with the second little pig.
Well, the same thing happened the second time around. Once again, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the stick house down.
The third and youngest pig, however, due to his hard work; had built a house of much sturdier material. It was where the first two pigs ran to as they sought sanctuary for their woes. The youngest pig let them in and they were safe and sound. No matter how hard the wolf blew, the house would not come down.
The Moral
The moral of the story is simple. Hard work is sometimes the key ingredient to our success.
The Mercantile 