viennese tale

Just returned to London from the suburbs of Vienna. Obviously the Austrians remain less than keen on their famous sons Fritzl and AH, but the country is still a wonderful place to head to if you want to hear stories of matter-of-fact brutality and violence inflicted upon weaker members of societies (like couples, families and animals). 

Here's one true story:

Hunters were chasing after a wild pig - galloping through the woods - with the pig eventually, desperately turning to the suburbs beyond the trees for safety. The terrified pig skids through the streets until, with the pack almost on its curly tail, it turns into the garden of one of the viennese suburbs attractive detached properties. No time to get its bearings or enjoy its surroundings, pumped with adrenalin, the pig goes full pelt across the lawn and ends up belly flopping into the swimming pool (warm summers - cheaper property prices). The pig can swim but can't use ladders so is basically stuck, hopelessly moving from one side of the pool to the other. The hunters arrive - dismounted as a courtesy to the home owners (though it's maybe better to imagine them all still on horseback - horses leaning into the pool) and watch the pig's terribly lonely journeys across the 15 metre lido. No one is going to jump in to save the swine - so with the distraught home owners looking on (perhaps still in their dressing gowns though it's the middle of the day) - the hunters have to decide what to do. Not for long of course. They soon have the guns out - residents looking on through their fingers (fearful for the pig and the tiles) - and open fire on the pig (a mixture of spa holiday with firing squad finale). The pool turns reddish (one hunter keeps on firing) and the pig bobs in the water. The hunters doff their alpine hats and are off - leaving the couple with a pig rotting in their pool (a week later they take to swimming again - gentle breast stroke, lightly pushing the carcass out the way as they swim past).