夏洛的网英文版.docx

夏洛的网英文版.docx

《夏洛的网英文版.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《夏洛的网英文版.docx（71页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

夏洛的网英文版

Charlotte'sWeb

By　　　E.B.White

Copyright1952

CHAPTER1

BeforeBreakfast

"Where'sPapagoingwiththatax?

"saidFerntohermotherastheyweresettingthetableforbreakfast.

"Outtothehoghouse,"repliedMrs.Arable."Somepigswerebornlastnight."

"Idon'tseewhyheneedsanax,"continuedFern,whowasonlyeight.

"Well,"saidhermother,"oneofthepigsisarunt.It'sverysmallandweak,anditwillneveramounttoanything.Soyourfatherhasdecidedtodoawaywithit."

"Doawaywithit?

"shriekedFern."Youmeankillit?

Justbecauseit'ssmallerthantheothers?

"

Mrs.Arableputapitcherofcreamonthetable."Don'tyell,Fern!

"

shesaid."Yourfatherisright.Thepigwouldprobablydieanyway."

Fernpushedachairoutofthewayandranoutdoors.Thegrasswaswetandtheearthsmelledofspringtime.Fern'ssneakersweresoppingbythetimeshecaughtupwithherfather.

"Pleasedon'tkillit!

"shesobbed."It'sunfair."

Mr.Arablestoppedwalking.

"Fern,"hesaidgently,"youwillhavetolearntocontrolyourself."

"Controlmyself?

"yelledFern."Thisisamatteroflifeanddeath,andyoutalkabout"controllingmyself."Tearsrandownhercheeksandshetookholdoftheaxandtriedtopullitoutofherfather'shand.

"Fern,"saidMr.Arable,"Iknowmoreaboutraisingalitterofpigsthanyoudo.Aweaklingmakestrouble.Nowrunalong!

"

"Butit'sunfair,"criedFern."Thepigcouldn'thelpbeingbornsmall,

couldit?

IfIhadbeenverysmallatbirth,wouldyouhavekilledme?

"

Mr.Arablesmiled."Certainlynot,"hesaid,lookingdownathisdaughterwithlove."Butthisisdifferent.Alittlegirlisonething,alittleruntypigisanother."

"Iseenodifference,"repliedFern,stillhangingontotheax."ThisisthemostterriblecaseofinjusticeIeverheardof."

AqueerlookcameoverJohnArable'sface.Heseemedalmostreadytocryhimself.

"Allright,"hesaid."YougobacktothehouseandIwillbringtheruntwhenIcomein.I'llletyoustartitonabottle,likeababy.Thenyou'llseewhattroubleapigcanbe."

WhenMr.Arablereturnedtothehousehalfanhourlater,hecarriedacartonunderhisarm.Fernwasupstairschanginghersneakers.Thekitchentablewassetforbreakfast,andtheroomsmelledofcoffee,bacon,dampplaster,andwoodsmokefromthestove.

"Putitonherchair!

"saidMrs.Arable.Mr.ArablesetthecartondownatFern'splace.Thenhewalkedtothesinkandwashedhishandsanddriedthemontherollertowel.

Ferncameslowlydownthestairs.Hereyeswereredfromcrying.Assheapproachedherchair,thecartonwobbled,andtherewasascratchingnoise.Fernlookedatherfather.Thensheliftedthelidofthecarton.There,inside,lookingupather,wasthenewbornpig.Itwasawhiteone.Themorninglightshonethroughitsears,turningthempink.

"He'syours,"saidMr.Arable."Savedfromanuntimelydeath.AndmaythegoodLordforgivemeforthisfoolishness."

Ferncouldn'ttakehereyesoffthetinypig."Oh,"shewhispered."Oh,lookathim!

He'sabsolutelyperfect."

Sheclosedthecartoncarefully.Firstshekissedherfather,thenshekissedhermother.Thensheopenedthelidagain,liftedthepigout,andhelditagainsthercheek.AtthismomentherbrotherAverycameintotheroom.Averywasten.

Hewasheavilyarmed-anairrifleinonehand,awoodendaggerintheother.

"What'sthat?

"hedemanded."What'sFerngot?

"

"She'sgotaguestforbreakfast,"saidMrs.Arable."Washyourhandsandface,Avery!

"

"Let'sseeit!

"saidAvery,settinghisgundown."Youcallthatmiserablethingapig?

That'safinespecimenofapig,it'snobiggerthanawhiterat."

"Washupandeatyourbreakfast,Avery!

"saidhismother."Theschoolbuswillbealonginhalfanhour."

"CanIhaveapig,too,Pop?

"askedAvery.

"No,Ionlydistributepigstoearlyrisers,"saidMr.Arable."Fernwasupatdaylight,tryingtoridtheworldofinjustice.Asaresult,shenowhasapig.Asmallone,tobesure,butneverthelessapig.Itjustshowswhatcanhappenifapersongetsoutofbedpromptly.Let'seat!

"

ButFerncouldn'teatuntilherpighadhadadrinkofmilk.

Mrs.Arablefoundababy'snursingbottleandarubbernipple.She

pouredwarmmilkintothebottle,fittedthenippleoverthetop,and

handedittoFern."Givehimhisbreakfast!

"shesaid.

Aminutelater,Fernwasseatedonthefloorinthecornerofthekitchenwithherinfantbetweenherknees,teachingittosuckfromthebottle.Thepig,althoughtiny,hadagoodappetiteandcaughtonquickly.

Theschoolbushonkedfromtheroad.

"Run!

"commandedMrs.Arable,takingthepigfromFernandslippingadoughnutintoherhand.Averygrabbedhisgunandanotherdoughnut.

Thechildrenranouttotheroadandclimbedintothebus.Ferntooknonoticeoftheothersinthebus.Shejustsatandstaredoutofthewindow,thinkingwhatablissfulworlditwasandhowluckyshewastohaveentirechargeofapig.Bythetimethebusreachedschool,Fernhadnamedherpet,selectingthemostbeautifulnameshecouldthinkof.

"ItsnameisWilbur,"shewhisperedtoherself.

Shewasstillthinkingaboutthepigwhentheteachersaid:

"Fern,whatisthecapitalofPennsylvania?

"

"Wilbur,"repliedFern,dreamily.Thepupilsgiggled.Fernblushed.

CHAPTER2

Wilbur

FernlovedWilburmorethananything.Shelovedtostrokehim,tofeedhim,toputhimtobed.Everymorning,assoonasshegotup,shewarmedhismilk,tiedhisbibon,andheldthebottleforhim.Everyafternoon,whentheschoolbusstoppedinfrontofherhouse,shejumpedoutandrantothekitchentofixanotherbottleforhim.Shefedhimagainatsuppertime,andagainjustbeforegoingtobed.Mrs.Arablegavehimafeedingaroundnoontimeeachday,whenFernwasawayinschool.Wilburlovedhismilk,andhewasneverhappierthanwhenFernwaswarmingupabottleforhim.Hewouldstandandgazeupatherwithadoringeyes.

Forthefirstfewdaysofhislife,Wilburwasallowedtoliveinabox

nearthestoveinthekitchen.Then,whenMrs.Arablecomplained,hewasmovedtoabiggerboxinthewoodshed.Attwoweeksofage,hewasmovedoutdoors.Itwasapple-blossomtime,andthedaysweregettingwarmer.Mr.ArablefixedasmallyardspeciallyforWilburunderanappletree,andgavehimalargewoodenboxfullofstraw,withadoorwaycutinitsohecouldwalkinandoutashepleased.

"Won'thebecoldatnight?

"askedFern.

"No,"saidherfather."Youwatchandseewhathedoes."

Carryingabottleofmilk,Fernsatdownundertheappletreeinsidetheyard.Wilburrantoherandsheheldthebottleforhimwhilehe

sucked.Whenhehadfinishedthelastdrop,hegruntedandwalkedsleepilyintothebox.Fernpeeredthroughthedoor.Wilburwaspokingthestrawwithhissnout.Inashorttimehehaddugatunnelinthestraw.Hecrawledintothetunnelanddisappearedfromsight,completelycoveredwithstraw.

Fernwasenchanted.Itrelievedhermindtoknowthatherbabywouldsleepcoveredup,andwouldstaywarm.

Everymorningafterbreakfast,WilburwalkedouttotheroadwithFernandwaitedwithhertillthebuscame.Shewouldwavegood-byetohim,andhewouldstandandwatchthebusuntilitvanishedaroundaturn.WhileFernwasinschool,Wilburwasshutupinsidehisyard.Butassoonasshegothomeintheafternoon,shewouldtakehimoutandhewouldfollowheraroundtheplace.Ifshewentintothehouse,Wilburwent,too.Ifshewentupstairs,Wilburwouldwaitatthebottomstepuntilshecamedownagain.Ifshetookherdollforawalkinthedollcarriage,Wilburfollowedalong.Sometimes,onthesejourneys,Wilburwouldgettired,andFernwouldpickhimupandputhiminthecarriagealongsidethedoll.Helikedthis.Andifhewasverytired,hewouldclosehiseyesandgotosleepunderthedoll'sblanket.Helookedcutewhenhiseyeswereclosed,becausehislashesweresolong.Thedollwouldclosehereyes,too,andFernwouldwheelthecarriageveryslowlyandsmoothlysoasnottowakeherinfants.

Onewarmafternoon,FernandAveryputonbathingsuitsandwentdowntothebrookforaswim.WilburtaggedalongatFern'sheels.Whenshewadedintothebrook,Wilburwadedinwithher.Hefoundthewaterquitecold-toocoldforhisliking.Sowhilethechildrenswamandplayedandsplashedwaterateachother,Wilburamusedhimselfinthemudalongtheedgeofthebrook,whereitwaswarmandmoistanddelightfullystickyandoozy.

Everydaywasahappyday,andeverynightwaspeaceful.

Wilburwaswhatfarmerscallaspringpig,whichsimplymeansthathewasborninspringtime.Whenhewasfiveweeksold,Mr.Arablesaidhewasnowbigenoughtosell,andwouldhavetobesold.Fernbrokedownandwept.Butherfatherwasfirmaboutit.Wilbur'sappetitehadincreased;hewasbeginningtoeatscrapsoffoodinadditiontomilk.Mr.Arablewasnotwillingtoprovide瞻养forhimanylonger.HehadalreadysoldWilbur'stenbrothersandsisters.

"He'sgottogo,Fern,"hesaid."Youhavehadyourfunraisingababypig,butWilburisnotababyanylongerandhehasgottobesold."

"CalluptheZuckermans,"suggestedMrs.ArabletoFern."YourUncleHomersometimesraisesapig.AndifWilburgoestheretolive,youcanwalkdowntheroadandvisithimasoftenasyoulike."

"HowmuchmoneyshouldIaskforhim?

"Fernwantedtoknow.

"Well,"saidherfather,"he'sarunt.TellyourUncleHomeryou'vegotapigyou'llsellforsixdollars,andseewhathesays."

Itwassoonarranged.FernphonedandgotherAuntEdith,andherAuntEdithholleredforUncleHomer,andUncleHomercameinfromthebarnandtalkedtoFern.Whenheheardthatthepricewasonlysixdollars,hesaidhewouldbuythepig.NextdayWil