Паутина Шарлотты

           "Charlotteraceduptothetopofthedoorway.Wilburscrambledtothetopofthemanurepile.

           "Verygood!"saidCharlotte."Nowmakeanattachmentwithyourspinnerets,hurlyourselfintospace,andletoutadraglineasyougodown!"

           Wilburhesitatedamoment,thenjumpedoutintotheair.Heglancedhastilybehindtoseeifapieceofropewasfollowinghimtocheckhisfall,butnothingseemedtobehappeninginhisrear,andthenextthingheknewhelandedwithathump."Ooomp!"hegrunted.

           Charlottelaughedsohardherwebbegantosway.

           "WhatdidIdowrong?"askedthepig,whenherecoveredfromhisbump.

           "Nothing,"saidCharlotte."Itwasanicetry."

           "Ithinkittryagain,"saidWilbur,cheerfully."IbelievewhatIneedisalittlepieceofstringtoholdme."

           Thepigwalkedouttohisyard."Youthere,Templeton?"hecalled.Theratpokedhisheadoutfromunderthetrough.

           "GotalittlepieceofstringIcouldborrow?"askedWilbur.

           "Ineedittospinaweb."

           "Yes,indeed,"repliedTempleton,whosavedstring."Notroubleatall.Anythingtooblige."Hecreptdownintohishole,pushedthegooseeggoutoftheway,andreturnedwithanoldpieceofdirtywhitestring.Wilburexaminedit.

           "That’sjustthething,"hesaid."Tieoneendtomytail,willyou,Templeton?"

           Wilburcrouchedlow,withhisthin,curlytailtowardtherat.Templetonseizedthestring,passeditaroundtheendofthepig’stail,andtiedtwohalfhitches.Charlottewatchedindelight.