Charlotte’s Web(夏綠蒂的網)

　　《夏綠蒂的網》一個富有同情心的小女孩 Fern ，一隻出生時發育不良的小豬仔 Wilbur ，還有美麗善良又能「寫字」的灰蜘蛛 Charlotte 、機伶又好吃的老鼠 Templeton ，以及農場上的動物們......，他們湊在一塊兒時會發生什麼有趣的事呢？
　　美國散文名家 E. B. White 以平易近人的文筆，帶領讀者們－－無論小朋友或是大朋友－－進入一連串精彩動人的小故事中：小女孩 Fern 從爸爸的斧下救出天生弱小的 Wilbur ，經過悉心的養育，一天天成長茁壯。 Fern 、 Charlotte 和 Templeton 屢施巧計，不但使 Wilbur 免於被宰殺，還可以參加「豬公大賽」呢！
　　E. B. White 的文筆生動流暢，使平凡的語言忽然活躍起來，本書的文字風格平易中透著幽默與溫馨，值得學習寫作者參考。且看知名兒童文學作家子敏先生對 White 的評價：「我對懷特的讚美是：『一個懂得運用語言的作家。』」
　　教育工作者對 White 作品的評價：「對怯於幻想而可能喪失創造力的孩子，他的作品能幫助他們在雲端翻筋斗，扶那孩子一把，讓他們能循著彩虹爬上空中的閣樓。」

本書中譯本《夏綠蒂的網》由聯經出版。

Chapter One

Before Breakfast

＂Wheres Papa going with that ax?＂ said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.

＂Out to the hoghouse,＂ replied Mrs. Arable. ＂Some pigs were born last night.＂

＂I dont see why he needs an ax,＂ continued Fern, who was only eight.

＂Well,＂ said her mother, ＂one of the pigs is a runt. Its very small and weak, and it will never amount to anything. So your father has decided to do away with it.＂

＂Do away with it?＂ shrieked Fern. ＂You mean kill it? Just because its smaller than the others?＂

Mrs. Arable put a pitcher of cream on the table. ＂Dont yell, Fern!＂ she said. ＂Your father is right. The pig would probably die anyway.＂

Fern pushed a chair out of the way and ran outdoors. The grass was wet and the earth smelled of springtime. Ferns sneakers were sopping by the time she caught up with her father.

＂Please dont kill it!＂ she sobbed. ＂Its unfair.＂

Mr. Arable stopped walking.

＂Fern,＂ he said gently, ＂you will have to learn to control yourself.＂

＂Control myself?＂ yelled Fern. ＂This is a matter of life and death, and you talk about controlling myself.＂ Tears ran down her cheeks and she took hold of the ax and tried to pull it out of her fathers hand.

＂Fern,＂ said Mr. Arable, ＂I know more about raising a litter of pigs than you do. A weakling makes trouble. Now run along!＂

＂But its unfair,＂ cried Fern. ＂The pig couldnt help being born small, could it? If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?＂

Mr. Arable smiled. ＂Certainly not,＂ he said, looking down at his daughter with love. ＂But this is different. A little girl is one thing, a little runty pig is another.＂

＂I see no difference,＂ replied Fern, still hanging on to the ax. ＂This is the most terrible case of injustice I ever heard of.＂

A queer look came over John Arables face. He seemed almost ready to cry himself.

＂All right,＂ he said. ＂You go back to the house and I will bring the runt when I come in. Ill let you start it on a bottle, like a baby. Then youll see what trouble a pig can be.＂