ROOT OF ALL EVIL

Why 'Piggy Bank'? Why not lamb, cow or donkey bank?

  • IT APPEARS that livestock farming is not R Thomas's forte. Sows and boars produce progeny, like cows and bulls, ewes and rams. Like fattening pigs, fattening cattle and fattening lambs are also 'of value only when dead', to use Mr Thomas's unfortunate phrase, which is also, however, a far from accurate statement. Perhaps the answer is simpler:because it was only this little piggy that went to market?

    John Nix, Emeritus Professor of Farm Business Management, Wye College, Ashford, Kent.

  • AT ONE time, people used to keep their money in pots made of a type of earthenware called pigge. These so-called 'pigge banks' were not at first made in the shape of pigs, but presumably some manufacturer thought it was funny to do so.

    Peter Morris, Norwich.

  • I used to have a donkey bank, so-called because the manager was an ass.

    Pete Wigens, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England

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