Charlotte's Web夏綠蒂的網
書林－本版
E. B. White
184
美國散文名家 E. B. White 以愛護動物，發揮人道關懷為主旨，寫了三本童書，公認為兒童文學經典之作；Stuart Little《小不點司圖爾特》、The Trumpet of the Swan《天鵝的喇叭》以及Charlotte's Web《夏綠蒂的網》。《夏綠蒂的網》曾榮獲Newbery兒童文學獎，作者為美國散文名家E. B. White，他以平易近人的文筆，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：小女孩Fern從農夫爸爸斧下救了瘦弱的仔豬Wibur，把牠當寵物養大，每當小豬面臨被宰殺的命運時，Fern以及蜘蛛Charlotte和小鼠Templeton屢施巧計，使小豬逃過劫難，故事溫馨感人。
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."
◎適讀年齡：8～12歲 1953年紐伯瑞文學獎得主(The Newbery Honor) 美國第一夫人推薦書(Laura's List) 黃色書頁，文學封面版。繼《一家之鼠》後，美國散文名家E. B White另一經典童書《夏綠蒂的網》也被改編成電影，富同情心的Fern，瘦弱的小豬Wilbur及善良的蜘蛛夏綠蒂，他們堅定不移的友誼不僅解救Wilbur，使其免於被宰殺的命運，更創造了一則溫馨感人的生命奇蹟，讓我們在最簡單的事物中看見生命的驚奇和奇蹟。
