Inside the pot, the wolf crouches, his fur matted and slick with broth. His limbs ache, and the rising heat presses in from all sides, making the small space feel even tighter. Despite the scalding water, it is regret that burns most fiercely in his chest. He stares at the curved iron above, thinking of the wild forests and cold moonlit nights he once roamed, now traded for this suffocating darkness.

The wolf closes his eyes, replaying the past days. Each memory comes sharp and vivid: the chase, the frantic squeals, the triumphant satisfaction after devouring the first pig, then the second. Regret gnaws at him now, more relentless than hunger ever did. He wonders if he could have stopped, just once, after the first meal—if that would have changed his fate.

The wolf realizes, in these final moments, how his greed led him here. He recalls the warnings whispered by the wind and the nervous glances of other creatures in the woods. Now, the forest’s silence feels like a judgment. He sighs, wishing he had listened—to the fear in the pigs’ eyes, or to the ache of a full belly that should have been enough.

the third pig[/@ch_2] steps inside. Dressed in a crisp white apron and hat, he moves with calm efficiency, his trotters clean and purposeful as he crosses the stone floor.] The third pig lifts the pot’s lid, letting a cloud of fragrant steam billow out. He peers inside, his sharp eyes meeting the wolf’s desperate gaze for a moment. "Let’s see how you’re coming along," he murmurs, dipping a ladle into the broth for a taste.

The third pig samples the broth, his expression thoughtful, then reaches in with a long-handled spoon to prod the wolf’s flank. The wolf flinches, but the pig only nods with satisfaction at the tenderness. "Almost ready. Just a little longer," he says, setting the lid back firmly.

The wolf feels the last of his strength ebbing away, replaced by resignation. He knows there is no escape, no clever trick left to play. His final wish is simple—a longing for restraint, for a second chance to choose differently. As the lid settles over him once more, the wolf closes his eyes and surrenders to the heat, his story ending in the very pot he once thought would bring him triumph.