"Children's Books - White, E.B. - Charlotte's Web" - читать интересную книгу автора (Children's Books)

21. LAST DAY

22. A WARM WIND

CHAPTER 1

Before Breakfast

Where's 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 don't see why he needs an ax," continued Fern, who was only eight.

"Well," said her mother, "one of the pigs is a runt. It's 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 it's
smaller than the others?"

Mrs. Arable put a pitcher of cream on the table. "Don't 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. Fern's sneakers were sopping by
the time she caught up with her father.

"Please don't kill it!" she sobbed. "It's 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 father's 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 it's unfair," cried Fern. "The pig couldn't 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."