Ellis Parker Butler was an American author in the first half of the 20th century. He was the author of more than 30 books and more than 2,000 stories and essays, and is most famous for his short story âPigs is Pigsâ. His writing spanned more than forty years and his stories, poems and articles were published in more than 225 magazines. More of this popular authorâs fun, a bundle of absurd complications and ridiculous situations arising from a young married coupleâs scheme to provide funds for their year-old sonâs education. They decide to finance their babyâs college education by collecting a toll on any goods brought into their home by friends or family members. âThe Cheerful Smugglersâ is a veritable Stocktonian story, as delightfully absurd in theme as it is realistic in characterization.