Паутина Шарлотты

           "Almostallyoungpigsgetmurderedbythefarmerassoonastherealcoldweathersetsin.There’saregularconspiracyaroundheretokillyouatChristmastime.Everybodyisintheplot-Lurvy,Zuckerman,evenJohnArable."

           "Mr.Arable?"sobbedWilbur."Fern’sfather?"

           "Certainly.Whenapigistobebutchered,everybodyhelps.

           I’manoldsheepandIseethesamething,sameoldbusiness,yearafteryear.Arablearriveswithhis.22,shootsthe…"

           "Stop!"screamedWilbur."Idon’twanttodie!Saveme,somebody!Saveme!"Fernwasjustabouttojumpupwhenavoicewasheard.

           "Bequiet,Wilbur!"saidCharlotte,whohadbeenlisteningtothisawfulconversation.

           "Ican’tbequiet,"screamedWilbur,racingupanddown."Idon’twanttobekilled.Idon’twanttodie.Isittruewhattheoldsheepsays,Charlotte?Isittruetheyaregoingtokillmewhenthecoldweathercomes?"

           "Well,"saidthespider,pluckingthoughtfullyatherweb,"theoldsheephasbeenaroundthisbarnalongtime.Shehasseenmanyaspringpigcomeandgo.Ifshesaystheyplantokillyou,I’msureit’strue.It’salsothedirtiesttrickIeverheardof.Whatpeopledon’tthinkof!"

           Wilburburstintotears."Idon’twanttodie,"hemoaned.

           "Iwanttostayalive,righthereinmycomfortablemanurepilewithallmyfriends.Iwanttobreathethebeautifulairandlieinthebeautifulsun."

           "You’recertainlymakingabeautifulnoise,"snappedtheoldsheep.

           "Idon’twanttodie!"screamedWilbur,throwinghimselftotheground.

           "Youshallnotdie,"saidCharlotte,briskly.

           "What?Really?"criedWilbur