Hybrid pigs are domesticated half-pig animals that form the basis of agriculture in many rural areas of both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom,[1][2] having served primarily as livestock since the era of Raava.[3]
Known types
There are various types of hybrid pigs raised on Earth Kingdom farms,[4][5] in Fire Nation villages,[2] and by the Fire Nation military.[6]
Bull pig
The bull pig is a cross between a bull and a pig. The animal has a reputation for consuming bones[7] and for the use of its name as an expletive to mean "nonsense".[8]
Deer-pig
The deer-pig[9] is a cross between a deer and a pig. The animal exhibits the facial structure of a pig and generally has the same body shape. However, each deer-pig has two antlers protruding from its head and fur covering its entire body.[4][1]
Moo-sow
The moo-sow,[4] also referred to as a cow-pig,[10] is a cross between a cow and a pig.[9] Moo-sows are kept in pens in both the Fire Nation[6] and the Earth Kingdom,[5] and produce a special and delicious pig-milk[4] favored by the people of rural towns, as well as providing rich meat used for food.[1] The Fire Nation military also used them for physical training during the Hundred Year War.[6] Wild moo-sows can also be found in forests of the Fire Islands.[10]
Picken
The picken,[4] also referred to as pig chicken,[2][11][12] is a cross between a pig and a chicken. It has the white feathers, wings, tail, and body of a chicken with the head, ears, and snout of a pig; it also has a red comb, bony legs, and clawed feet like a chicken.[2] This creature lays eggs which are sold and eaten, and its meat can be cooked in a variety of ways to create a number of different of dishes.[4] It is a popular type of livestock in the poorer backwater villages of both the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation,[1][2] though susceptibility to disease has forced Fire Nation farmers to cull them in large numbers during times of famine[13][14] while it is known to face illegal hunting and capture by poachers in the Earth Kingdom.[11]
Pigster
The pigster[4] is a cross between a pig and a rooster. It has the body of a rooster but with pink feathers and wings and a white feathered tail; it also has a chicken's red comb atop its head but no wattle hanging under the chin. The legs and rest of the head resemble a pig, down to the characteristic trotters, ears, and snout.[9] These animals are often used to wake up those living in rural areas.[4][1]
Wooly-pig
The wooly-pig[4] is a cross between a sheep and a pig.[9] This animal is bred for its wool, which can be used to create various types of clothing. Its wool gets particularly muddy, however, because the wooly-pig tends to roll around in muck. The wooly-pig can also be raised for its meat.[1] They can also be found on Jasmine Island.[15]
Connection
Each of the pig hybrids is a combination of a pig and an additional real world animal. The wooly pig is part sheep, although it also resembles a Mangalica, a breed of pig which has a fleece akin to that of a sheep, while the three other hybrids are not related to any real world animal.
Trivia
- Varrick disappeared from Republic City for nearly a month when he thought of a new way to use moo-sow milk that would only work in the Spirit World.[16]