Not far from "Big Pat's" and "Little Pat's" two-room log cabin lived another Irishman called "Shiftless Pat." He lived in a one-room, tumbling-down, pole cabin. As a farmer, "Shiftless Pat" was a total failure. He had long tried to sell his run-down farm, but no one was interested in buying it.

"Shiftless Pat's" farm animals had dwindled to one pig, which he was out looking for one day. He found the pig at the bottom of his one dry water well. He climbed down to the bottom of the well, tied a rope around the pig, then climbed back out.

"Big Pat," having worked most the summer on a construction job, was returning that day. He walked up in sight just as "Shiftless Pat" pulled the pig out of the well. But the big Irishman wasn't interested in pigs. He had walked for hours and was very thirsty.

He walked up to "Shiftless Pat" and asked, "Blast my galluses! May I have a drink of water from your well?"

"There's no water in the well," "Shiftless" told him.

"Big Pat" then explained he had worked all summer on a construction job so he and his partner, "Little Pat," would have money to buy winter clothing and grocery items that could not be grown on their farm.

"Shiftless Pat" then knew that "Big Pat" must have money. He saw a chance to sell his worthless farm. So he explained more about his dry well.

He said, "This well has no water in it, because it is not a water well."

"Blast my galluses, what kind of well is it, then?" "Big Pat" wanted to know.

"A pig well," "Shiftless" stated.

"A pig well!" the big man exclaimed. "What's a pig well?"

Pretending to be surprised, "Shiftless Pat" said, "You don't know what a pig well is! I thought everyone knew about pig wells. They're wells that produce pigs instead of water. This pig well I have produces one pig a day. I just got today's pig out of it a little while ago."

"Blast my galluses, I saw you do that!" "Big Pat" said with interest.

Then "Big Pat" wanted to know how one could dig a pig well.

"Only special people can dig wells," "Shiftless" said.

"What kind of special people?" "Big Pat" wanted to know.

'"The seventh son of the seventh son of the seventh son," "Shiftless Pat" said, "and I'm one of those fellows!"

"How much will you charge to dig me a pig well?" "Big Pat" wanted to know.

"I ain't got time to dig no wells now," "Shiftless" said, "but I'll sell you this well and dig myself another well, when I have the time."

"Big Pat" had saved $80 from his summer's work. He and "Shiftless Pat" haggled over the price of the well, since the owner wanted $80 for it, which was all the money he had. But when "Shiftless" told the big Irishman the well produced seven pigs a week, 30 pigs a month and 365 pigs a year, he agreed to pay $80, if the tumbling-down pole shack and all his farm land were included with the well. With the well producing a pig a day, "Big Pat" knew he could afford to whip his boss and quit the construction job.

After the deal was made, "Shiftless Pat" instructed "Big Pat" how to prepare the well to flow pigs, instead of flowing water. He told "Big Pat" to drop rows of grains of corn from several locations around the well to the well. Then tie a string to an ear of corn and hang it over the center of the well. Then when "Big Pat" paid "Shiftless Pat," he turned the property over to him and left the property as quick as he could get away.

After "Shiftless Pat" left the farm, "Big Pat" took possession of the dry well.

He overdid himself preparing the well to flow pigs, instead of water. He sprinkled grains of corn from locations all the way around the well to the well. And instead of one ear of corn, suspended over the open top of the well, he suspended 10 big ears of corn.

The next morning, when "Big Pat" checked his pig well, he found 10 big pigs piled into the well instead of one. He had to go after "Little Pat" to help him get the 10 squealing pigs from the well.

With visions of riches from his pig well, "Big Pat" began herding the 10 pigs to the town market. He didn't make it to the market. The sheriff arrested him on the way and charged him with the theft of the 10 pigs. Two of his neighbors had charged him with stealing the pigs from them.

Even though "Big Pat" swore the pigs were produced by his pig well, the sheriff jailed him anyway. But luckily "Shiftless Pat" was in the same jail on a public drunken charge. "Big Pat" beat him until he admitted to committing fraud when he sold the pig well.

But "Shiftless Pat" had spent all "Big Pat's" money, but $40. The judge released "Big Pat" and charged "Shiftless" with fraud. The judge also allowed "Big Pat" to keep the dry well, the tumbling-down shack, and the worthless land for the $40 "Shiftless Pat" had spent.