Sunday, May 1, 2022

Boss Hogg

The original middle ages had livestock that was much smaller than we see today. Partly was because of malnutrition, partly because they had not been bred for high yield. A sometimes exception was the pig, as they were often left to forage--and in warmer climates, they were so good at it they would become big--and vicious. Pigs, not just boars, pigs could ravage the countryside, and some, particularly children, would find themselves murdered at their hooves. Medieval France would actually put pigs in the seat of a murder trial.

In southern America, which is even warmer than France, the feral hogs are even more formidable, and their body counts more considerable. The sheriffs of the Deep South often have titles of "Swinebane", and rings or medallions signifying their office are often decorated with pigs. In fact, many surnames of sheriffs end up being some derivative of "hog".

And yes, their are murder trials for feral pigs in the new middle ages. Summary execution is pretty common (not that non-criminal pigs escape execution), and why let a good slaughter go to waste? Punitive barbecues are often held, and interestingly, the nature of southern barbecues (with pork) vs western barbecues (with beef or mutton) are another source of cultural clash between the farmers and the herdsmen. It's an often circulated piece of propaganda that the cowboys are ultimately cowards, and they only roast the docile bovine-they don't vanquish something as fierce as the bloodthirsty hog.

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