The story begins with a fat Pig, a female Goat, and a Sheep being transported together on a cart across the road. Their owner is not taking them out for amusement to see the city streets or the circus, but rather driving them hastily to market purely for profit and without any genuine affection.
During the journey, the Pig squeals loudly and incessantly, terrified and imagining that numerous blades are chasing after it. Meanwhile, the Goat and the Sheep remain relatively calm, though their noises still echo annoyingly around them. Annoyed by the commotion, the owner scolds the Pig for crying out pointlessly and tells it to imitate the other two quiet companions who are sitting peacefully without losing anything.
Challenging this advice, the Pig refuses to follow the example of the foolish Sheep and Goat. The Pig reasons that while the Sheep and Goat might believe their fate is merely to have their wool shorn or their milk milked, the Pig knows its own destiny is far more final. It realizes it is destined to be roasted or boiled into soup, meaning death is certain and unavoidable for it.
The Pig justifies its loud lamentations and screaming as the only natural reaction to its impending doom, even if crying out cannot change its final fate. The narrator observes that while the Pig possesses a clever and profound understanding of its situation, screaming at the end is ultimately useless since nobody will pity it and accepting one's fate quietly is considered the wiser path.