The two little girls peered through the rain-fogged windows of the taxi as it entered the Botanical Gardens. Phoenix Bell's blue eyes reflected dismay, as she and her sister, Lolly, viewed the scars that Hurricane Fabian had inflicted on the beautiful place. She had fond memories of happy times there during her brief seven years. The rain fell like tears on ravaged, majestic cedars, - fallen soldiers on a battlefield.

Approaching the Arrowroot Factory, her focus adjusted to their reason for being there on that dreary Saturday morning.

With their granny, they had to collect a life-sized, unpainted, white, fibreglass ‘HOGGE', offered by The Bermuda Masterworks Foundation. She and other artists, whose designs had been selected, were to transform ‘fifty' of these naked creatures into works of art, to go on display and be auctioned to raise funds for local art education. The project was called “BERMUDA GOES HOGGE WILD.

“There he is, girls!' My ‘PORQUE'!”

The HOGGE stood patiently in the downpour, waiting to be ‘adopted'.

Their grandmother had chosen ‘PORQUE' as a name for her ‘Hogge', because of his Spanish ancestry. In Bermuda's early years, wild hogs had inhabited the island, having been brought there by Juan Bermudez and other Spanish seafarers, to ensure that there would always be an abundance of food whenever they returned. Therefore, she justified that ‘PORQUE' might be a Spanish forerunner of the modern-day ‘PORKY PIG'.

Phoenix caught a glimpse of the rest of the Hogges, huddled together, waiting to be claimed by their artists. They looked so comical - all with the same features and cocky stance.

On returning home, their parents helped to lift him into Granny's Craft Studio, which was nestled in ‘what was left' of their tousled garden.

Four-year-old Lolly flitted around excitedly, and when the Hogge had been settled inside, she hugged him. “Can I ride on him? She queried.

Granny was firm. “No dear! We have to take good care of him. He's not mine. My task is make him ‘special' and return him to Masterworks”. She closed the door to ensure his protection.

The girls obliged reluctantly. Lolly followed her mother, but Phoenix lingered behind, fascinated.

Peering through a window, Peering through a window, she noticed that a ray of light shone directly on the Hogge's face, and his eyes seemed to glow!

“He's looking at me! Must be seeing things, - better go.”

Turning to leave, she heard a strange sound - a grunt. Looking inside, she detected a wry smile on his face. Cautiously, she opened the door and ventured inside.

“Was that you?” she queried, with trepidation.

“Who else is in here?” He retorted brazenly.

Astonished, she sank down on a nearby stool.

“What's your name?” he asked.

“Phoenix.” She replied. “ I know it's different, but my parents chose it.”

“Nice name.” He winked.

“Granny has called you ‘PORQUE'.

“Clever choice - cryptic”.

“May I ask - how can you speak?”

“Well, it's almost Christmas, and I'm sure you've heard that animals have the ability to talk at this magical time, haven't you?

“I've read about it, but I've never experienced it.”

“Now you have.”

“I can't stay long. What would you like to talk about?”

“I sensed that something was troubling you, and I wondered what could make one so young be so distressed?

“I've been disheartened since that horrible Hurricane Fabian struck Bermuda and destroyed so much of our beautiful island. It especially upset me, when I saw all those shattered cedars at the gardens....”

“It was the worst storm I've ever been in - the worst in the over 100 years! Lolly and I were so frightened! We trembled in bed with our parents till it was over. The whole house shook - the wind howled - crashing noises surrounded us. After it had passed, we discovered the damage - homes and hotels turned to rubble, boats on rocks, four people swept out to sea...and then ...the cedars...”

“Luckily, we only lost one. Bluebirds always felt safe on their branches. What will happen to the birds now? It will take so long for them to grow again!”

“I sympathise with your loss. Did you know that we Hogges were a vital part of your history? We were amongst the first settlers here - before people, there were only Hogges, cahows... and the cedars. And, those trees were our friends. They protected us from the weather and housed birds as well.

“I really wish we could do something about the cedars. The National Trust has asked us to bring in any cedar berries we have, so they can reforest our island. I've been collecting some from our trees that survived, and have them all in a bag.”

The Hogge's eye's widened! “We may be able to help, dear.”

“You see, all 50 of us are really the ‘spirits of our ancestors. When we heard of your Masterwork's plan, we got together and implanted ourselves into these fibreglass replicas. We thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to return to Bermuda, where our forefathers had lived, - to see if it was as beautiful as they had claimed.”

“We can communicate with each other, all over this island. I'll get the word out and we'll work on a solution. Could you return tonight - when the moon has risen?

“ I'll try. But, what could you do?”

“You'll see! Bring your berries.”

“Yes, but then what?”

“ Have you ever heard the saying: “when pigs fly!”

“No, not really. What does it mean?”

“It means when people doubt that something will take place, they say: ‘That'll happen when pigs fly!' “Tonight we'll prove them wrong! Some pigs can fly - things will happen!”

“All right. I'll be back!”

She anxiously awaited the moon's ascent, and clutching her bag, hastened to the cottage.

“Here I am!” She announced.

“Well done! We have a scheme! Climb on my back.”

“What now?”

“Now we fly! Just wiggle my right ear.”

She obeyed, and they went outside. Momentarily, they were airborne, skimming over the rooftops.

PORQUE observed that some roofs were still missing. The Lighthouse cast no beams.

They flew to the Botanical Gardens. Soon the sky was filled with white objects, flying in and landing nearby. “They're all here! Pass me your bag.”

Wondrously, with a twist of his snout, more bags appeared till each Hogge had a berry-filled duplicate.

“Now my brothers, go all over the island and sow your seeds, starting in these Gardens.” “We'll meet back here, and then you can return to your foster homes, feeling proud that you have performed a valuable deed for the land of your forebears.”

They climbed into the ‘star-filled' sky.

Across the island, people reported seeing ‘pigs' flying, but the media discounted the sightings, stating it was probably a flock of birds that had flown off course.

The seeds were sown, and, because of their enchanted origin, would grow more rapidly than in normal replanting.

After distributing their berries on a remote island, PORQUE told Phoenix that it had been a favourite place for burying ‘Pirate Treasure'.

Sniffing around, he suddenly began digging, frantically, till his feet struck something solid. “I think we've found one!”

They tugged at the object till they uncovered a wooden chest!

“If there is treasure inside, I'll give it to all the people who lost things in the storm!” Phoenix volunteered.

But, to their dismay, it contained nothing but ants and worms. Crestfallen, Phoenix sifted through the soil.

“It would have been a wonderful gesture,” the Hogge offered.

As the soil slipped through her fingers, she felt something solid - a coin! It had a Hogge on one side and a sailing vessel on the other!

PORQUE was animated. “It's one of the Hogge coins - the first Bermuda money!”

“A rare find!”

“My dear, you must keep this as a remembrance of what we did tonight.”

She agreed that she would treasure it forever.

“Now back to the Gardens!”

The other Hogges had arrived, wearing contented smiles, bearing empty bags.

“Well done, lads!” PORQUE praised.

He turned to Phoenix. “Similarly to the one for whom you were named, the ‘Phoenix', rose from ashes - you have helped your island to rise from Fabian's devastation!”

“We've been proud to assist!”

The others nodded and headed skyward, to their lodgings.

PORQUE and Phoenix returned home, rejuvenated.

The young girl and her new-found friend exchanged meaningful glances, as each went separate ways, satisfied that the night's venture would yield a new harvest for Bermuda.

That Christmas, Bermudians were surprised to see little cedars growing all over their island, more rapidly than they ever should have. While they couldn't comprehend why it had happened, they accepted the miracle.

PORQUE and the other Hogge's, dressed in their final painted splendour, eventually went on show, for all the island's inhabitants to see and admire, but little did Bermudians know that their roles in the island's future had been much more than just being works of art.