Charlotte's Web Page #2

These animals won't play.

- What about you?

- Me?

Well, I have to stay on my eggs.

Oh, wow! Look at that!

Otherwise, of course, I'd love to play.

So, why can't you play?

Because what's good for the goose

is good for the gander.

What about the rest of you?

Don't any of you like to play?

Can't play on three empty stomachs.

Well, for us there's this whole

smell-of-wet-wool business. Ghastly!

See? I'm afraid

it's just not a play kind of place.

But you're all friends, right?

Sure. We've been here together

our whole lives.

I'm not so sure being in the same place

is the same as being friends.

I'm not hungry.

I just wanted someone to play with me.

What's that?

What is...

Could it be?

Slops!

Oh, joy. It seems the pig slop

has brought out the rodent.

Moldy cheese. Oh, yeah.

Did I have salami last night?

Yep. I guess I did.

- Oh, charming.

- Disgusting creature!

Hi, there.

Oh, you're a pig.

You're a pig.

Pig equals slop.

The rat is happy.

My name's Wilbur.

Do you have a name?

Or is it just "the rat"?

Did you say "just the rat"?

For your information, pig, the rat rules.

We were here long before your kind,

and we'll be here long after.

So, you just keep that in mind

next time you feel like

reducing me to "just the rat."

You called yourself "the rat."

I can call me that. You can't.

So you don't have a name?

Of course I do. It's Templeton.

Templeton? Great name!

- Oh, gee, thanks.

- Hey! You want to play, Templeton?

For so many reasons, no.

See, I don't play.

I gnaw, I spy, I eat, I hide.

Me in a nutshell.

Couldn't you just stay and chat?

Chat? Let me see.

Gnaw, spy, eat, hide.

Nope, "chat" ain't on the list.

The rat is handsome.

Tonight I dream of slop!

Fern, you are not going to see

that pig again. It's too late.

But he's expecting me!

And I'm expecting you to finish

your homework and go straight to bed.

But, Mom, I always tell him good night!

- Not tonight.

- He can't sleep if I don't.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night!

Good night.

Huh? Who said that?

Who are you?

Where are you? Are you invisible?

No, I'm nocturnal,

which means I work at night,

when you should be sleeping.

Now, I need to concentrate,

so, good night.

But I can't sleep now!

Please, tell me who you are.

I'm just really lonely.

So I've seen.

Look, you seem like a very nice pig,

so I'll tell you what.

If you go to sleep right now

and let me work,

we can converse tomorrow.

- Converse?

- I think your word was "chat."

Oh. Great! All right.

Good night. Good night. Good night.

Good night.

Okay, he still hasn't moved.

We've been here one, wait, two...

We've been here a long time, Elwyn,

and that guy ain't moving!

He's like a freak of nature.

I'm dying, man.

I've got to get some corn!

I know, Brooksie. Just be patient.

Come on.

Come on.

Just a little further.

Okay, it's morning!

- Hey, Bits, I wasn't drooling, was I?

- Suck it up, Bets.

Would whoever addressed me last night

kindly make yourself known?

What luck! An early riser,

and he has things he needs to say.

Yeah, loud things.

I'm speaking to whoever spoke to me

last night.

I suppose that would be me.

Okay.

- I can't see you.

- Up here, in the corner.

The other corner.

I'm sorry. I still can't see you.

Move a little closer. I'll come down.

Hi. You're a...

Look, I've got a long day ahead of me

and I'm trying to get a little...

Spider! Spider! Get it away from me!

Get it away! Get it away!

All right, keep your distance there.

- That thing is creepy.

- Golly! You're not being rude, are you?

No, no, no. I meant "creepy"

in a nice way. You know, creepy good.

Disgusting!

- They eat their menfolk, you know.

- I know!

Well? Still want to chat,

or are you gonna join them?

I've never met a spider before.

Did you make that?

Is that what you were concentrating on

last night?

- Yes.

- It's amazing.

Think you could teach me

how to make one of those?

Hold that thought, please.

- What are you doing?

- Making breakfast.

- Oh, boy.

- Relax.

First, I give him a little nip

to anesthetize him,

so he'll be more comfortable.

It's a little service I throw in.

Then I wrap him up.

Then I just say grace because,

well, that's always nice,

and he'll make a

perfectly delicious meal.

So, you eat flies?

No, no, no.

I drink their blood.

- Lying down on the job, eh?

- Fainted like a girl.

That's disgusting.

Well, that's easy for you to say.

You have all your meals

brought to you in a pail.

I don't get that kind of royal treatment.

I am a trapper.

I have to catch my food.

Which is why I make my home near you.

- Please don't hurt me.

- Well, since you said "please."

And just imagine how many bugs

there would be in this barn,

no, actually, in the world,

if spiders didn't catch them.

Insects would take over the planet!

The way I see it,

I'm doing everyone a favor.

Except for the fly.

Yes. Except for the fly.

I think now is the time

for me to say salutations.

What?

Salutations.

Okay. I'll leave.

No, Wilbur.

"Salutations" is just a fancy way

of saying hello.

Oh! Hello.

Hey, you know my name! What's yours?

My name?

My name is Charlotte.

Charlotte A. Cavatica.

Charlotte. Great name!

Thank you. I've always thought so.

Hey, since you've said...

You know, that word,

does that mean we're friends?

I suppose it does.

Yeah!

Golly, go see what's going-oing on

over there.

What's going-oing...

Hey, kid, what's going on over here?

Oh, sorry.

I just made a new friend, that's all.

The spider. Oh, yeah. Good choice.

Yeah, perfect.

You picked someone

even more despised than me.

Why would anyone despise Charlotte?

She made that amazing web,

and she keeps bugs out of the barn.

Look at her.

I mean, don't you think she's a little...

What's the word?

I think she's beautiful.

I beg your pardon. She is hideous!

Are we even seeing

the same ruddy creature?

I guess not.

Hopeless.

What a sorry little friendship

that's going to be.

There's an old expression that says

that ignorance is bliss,

and I'm inclined to believe it's true,

because, on that late spring day,

Wilbur was as happy as a pig could be.

And those spring days

rolled into summer days,

days filled with endless conversation

between the two unlikeliest of friends.

Charlotte, what's a spring pig?

A pig who was born in the spring.

Oh. And I thought it meant bouncy.

That would be a springy pig.

"After Mrs. Mallard had laid eight eggs

in the nest,

"she couldn't go to visit

Michael anymore,

"because she had to sit on the eggs

to keep them warm.

"She moved off the nest only to get

a drink of water, or to have her lunch,

"or to count the eggs

and make sure they were all there.

"One day, the ducklings hatched out.

First came Jack, then Kack..."

Yeah! Yeah! This is going to be great!

- Wilbur, what on earth are you doing?

- You'll see.

That feels marvelous!

Yes, over to the left a bit. Ah, yes.

Is that a breeze I feel?

I'm 10 pounds lighter!

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