Like a greased pig

An expression which seems to convey all the inevitability and speed of a sudden decline is:- "Going downhill like a greased pig".

Anyone know the origin?

A traditional entertainment at British country festivals and fetes was to release a greased pig (normally a fairly small piglet) for everyone to try and catch. The winner got to keep the pig, which was of course a seriously valuable prize for a farm labourer. Excited pigs move much faster than you might think, and a greased one is very hard indeed to catch. (VSD)

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