Curly

The “low riders” in the barn are Curly and Mo – the pigs. Their bellies almost drag the ground!

Both are a mix of the Juliana and Vietnamese Pot-belly breeds. They were born in Spartanburg, SC, on August 11, 2020, and came to NarroWay on September 23 of the same year. A staff member did an online search to find just the perfect piglets. Then she drove to Spartanburg to pick up these two squealing swine and bring them home in her car.

According to the breeder, they were used to being cleaned and cuddled and would be perfect for their new theatrical roles. On the contrary, it took a village to catch them, they had never experienced a bath and they preferred to create their own drama. If you still believe that pigs go “oink, oink,” you’ve never tried to bathe an angry pig! It must be from whence came the phrase “blood-curdling scream.”

Curly is a cream color with black spots across his body. He is slightly longer than Mo. He is more sociable and submissive and will be the first to give in when the two have a brotherly squabble. Curly loves to please people, especially when a treat is involved! Both he and Mo will “sit” and “follow” for their favorite treats. Curly will even “jump” for a treat; but in a Curly-jump, his front legs catch about two inches of air while his back legs never leave the ground!

Curly is typically the first to come to the animal pen gate. He loves to be petted and especially enjoys a hearty belly rub. When you rub his belly for just a few seconds, he will collapse over on his side in hopes you will stay awhile and pet him more!

In the summer months, Mo and Curly stay cool by swimming in their pools. In winter, they bed down in a warm bale of straw and even have blankets and heat lamps inside.

Curly and Mo were specifically purchased to be stars in “Jesus, the Teacher,” where they play the role of pigs in the parable of the prodigal son. They were trained to walk to a specific stage location, but they were so slow that we had to move them to a rolling cart so the scene could go on.

Curly is also on stage for “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “The Gospel According to Tennessee” and sometimes makes an appearance in “The Real Christmas Story.”