I was wrong - it was not Mark's words I was thinking of - but Henry Cubillan:
A little Iron Pig history but to read the words is to understand the iron pig and those keepers of the horde...
Why "Iron Pig"?
"Picture a long, wide mud pit... you know what I'm talking about. The kind of pit filled with stinky, black, chunky mud the consistency of a thick stew... the smell of rotting vegetation is in the air, horseflies and dragonflies buzz overhead, and an old swaybacked cow chews its cud contentedly at the edge of the water, swinging its tail slowly as the morning dew dissipates and the sun dries a thin layer of the mud, deceiving you, beckoning...
"In the middle of this long, wide mud pit, wallowing contentedly, is a rare beast. Its weight draws it deeper into the mud, but somehow it is still moving, slowly, ever so slowly... its form hints at its strength, yet it moves with a certain grace that seems impossible for its bulk... nothing about this beast is delicate, and yet it possesses a strange beauty, a sense of timeless appeal.... you feel slightly repulsed, yet strangely attracted... you can sense its feral nature, its danger, but you can tell that this beast is somehow noble, a true master of its environment...
"Is it a wild boar, or a Cape buffalo? Perhaps a scarred old African bull elephant?...
No, the noble beast that has captivated your attention and perhaps your heart is a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ55, and now you know why those who of us in the know, those of an enlightened nature, those of us who believe call it an "Iron Pig". It is a sign of respect, of admiration, a fitting tribute...
By Henry Cubillan
