That a woman should become a pig is a rather obvious, but nevertheless amusing joke. Women tend to the pigs, women carry them around and pet them as if they were babies. Where there is a woman, there is one or several young pigs. Among her sons and daughters, there are pigs. Obviously, she is a pig.

A woman with the eyes of a pig would be a good wife to have : she would be a good mother for your pigs. Do not kill a pig lightly who invades your garden - she may be the mother of your children. The mother of your pigs.

Do not throw your penis carelessly at a woman, for she may bear you pigs. Do pigs stay with the father, or go with the woman? I don't know. A woman brings up children and brings up pigs. The pigs die and are eaten. The sons go to war and die and are eaten. The woman breeds pigs and sons ; breeding is the warmth of the mother (OED). Breeding ends in the cold stone of knife and axe.

Blood flows from the pig-woman and the young man follows the bright red trail. Blood is warm in the bull's veins and the Masai woman's sex follows the scent until she may drink. Blood flows from the pig to the man, as he follows his lost penis. Blood flows from the bull to the woman's sex. Blood to sex.

Pigs are a woman's thing. Cattle are a man's thing. Women sing to pigs and men sing to cattle. Language is so that a woman can sing to a pig. So a boy can sing to his favourite cow.

The sex recovers blood. The man recovers his penis. This is to be kept secret ; all must leave the hut, all must be silent. Between blood and sex is mystery.

Comments to me at tmason@timothyjpmason.com.