For generations, fairy tales have been passed down both for their entertainment and for the lessons they teach about morality. Today, many of these fables also serve as accessible, clear-cut examples of criminal infractions. In the upcoming weeks, Appelman Law Firm’s Fairy Tale Law series will explore these stories under the lens of Minnesota laws and provide insight into the often criminal actions of folk lore’s most beloved characters.
The story of The Three Little Pigs begins with three porky friends being sent out into the world by their mother to seek their fortune. While doing so, the little pigs encountered a terrifying villain–The Big Bad Wolf. The wolf came to the door of the straw house, and the following conversation ensued:
Wolf: Little pig, little pig, let me come in.
Pig: Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!
Wolf: Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!
The wolf then huffed, puffed, blew the house down, and then ate the little pig. The second little pig then built a house of sticks, and he was met with the same fate as his brother before him.
When the third little pig builds a house of bricks, the Big Bad Wolf visited his house, just as he did with his brothers. The third pig also refuses to let the wolf in, but when the wolf huffed and puffed, he was unable to blow down the house made of brick. The wolf was still hungry for ham however, and he was not going to give up so easily. He then climbed onto the roof of the brick house, planning to enter through the chimney. The third little pig was smarter than the wolf, and so he boiled a vat of water in the fireplace. When the wolf climbed down the chimney, he plunged into the pot of boiling water and met a scalding demise.
But what if the Big Bad Wolf had survived?
The Big Bad Wolf committed many crimes during his pig hunt. If he was alive, the Fairy Tale Police could have indicted the wolf on the following counts:
Vandalism: First Degree Criminal Damage to Property– The wolf would have been guilty of first degree vandalism because by blowing the houses down, he caused a reasonable risk of bodily harm. This is a felony charge, and carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Terroristic Threats– Because the wolf threatened to blow the houses down if the little pigs did not let him inside, he could be charged with Threatening Violence with Intent to Terrorize. This violent crime is a felony, with a possible prison term of up to 5 years and up to $10,000 in fines.
Assault– In Minnesota, assault is the threat of physical violence whereas battery in the infliction of physical violence. Because the Big Bad Wolf threatened to blow the houses down (and insinuated that he would then harm them), he could be charged with second degree felony assault, which carries a prison term of 7-10 years and $14,000-$20,000 in fines.
If you, or a fairy tale villain close to you, are charged with any violent crime, you must contact an experienced MN criminal defense attorney immediately. Stay tuned as we continue to unravel fairy tale crimes in our Fairy Tale Law blog series.
Image credit:
Universitat Patterborn
