Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White
Rating: 3 out of 10 stars
Charlotte's Web is a well-known children's classic. It is the story of a pig, Wilbur, the runt of a litter who is originally going to be killed by the farmer simply because of his small size. The farmer's daughter, Fern, begs her father to give her the piglet, and tenderly cares for him until he is too old to stay on the farm, when, despite Fern's entreaties, he is sold to a nearby relative.
Of course, Wilbur's new owner has sausage, ham and bacon in mind when he purchases the piglet. When Wilbur discovers this in conversation with the other animals he is inconsolable for some time. Finally, a friendly spider named Charlotte comes up with a plan to convince the farmer that he is too splendid a pig to butcher, and must go to the fair instead. Of course, the wise spider knows that ribbon winning pigs are kept as prized breeders, instead of being sent to the smokehouse.
Eventually, through messages which she cleverly weaves in her web, she creates enough interest in Wilbur to send him to the fair, where he receives an unusually high award, and is secured from the fear of being butchered.
The story ends with the death of Charlotte, and hatching of her 100,000 eggs, when one of her daughters becomes Wilbur's new friend.
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