I read a story a long time ago that always stuck in my mind. It's probably from the 50s-70s. I have tried to remember it fairly accurately but details may be wrong.
A man (crash?) lands on a distant alien planet where everything is barren, threatening and inhospitable. He is trapped and cannot escape. He survives each day somehow and starts to explore the surroundings. The days pass slowly. Then he finds shelter in what seems like a pigsty, with filthy straw filled huts and honking pig like creatures at the feeding troughs getting fed each day on meagre plain gruel. Everything is dirty and stinks. He is starving so he feeds from the trough.
He stays at the shelter for a long time. Each day his time there seems a little better. He looks out beyond and starts to see more pleasant surroundings. The gruel begins to taste a little better. The pig creatures seem to stink less. Bit by bit he starts to enjoy his life there. He feels at home, he looks around and sees instead of ugly smelly creatures, others who look like him, smell like him. He realises he's in a lovely place, he relaxes, stops trying to get away.
I read it I think in a paperback book of short sci fi stories from the 50s, 60s or 70s, but not sure. I read it in about '94.
