The Weekly Union Times

Pigs and Snakes.--A farmer living on the west side of the Ohio river, in walking about his farm, discovered a nest of rattlesnakes in the hollow bark of an old tree, about which several large pieces of rock lay scattered. Having heard that pigs were hostile to snakes of all kinds, and not caring to attack the nest himself, he thought he would try the experiment and see a fight. He drove several pigs in the vicinity of the nest, and watched the result. The pigs soon seemed to scent the reptiles, and commenced rooting eagerly about the spot. In an instant half a dozen of the vicious serpents emerged from their hiding-places to attack the intruders, who manifested a zealous disposition to give battle. A snake would rear himself to the height of the back of the pig, shake his rattle, and plunge his fangs into the animal with lightning-like celerity, and then dart away, pursued by the pig, who dexterously received the sting upon the fleshy part of the jaw. Over and over again this would be repeated, until the pig got his forefoot upon the snake, when he would deliberately rip the reptile in twain and devour him. This slaughter continued until all the snakes were disposed of, when the pigs grunted contentedly, and without any signs of being disturbed, waddled off in search of other provender. The eye-witness to this singular contest, which was not without its exciting features, declares himself convinced that a pig is impervious to the poisonous bite of any kind of serpent.