Паутина Шарлотты: Слава Уилбура

Charlotte, what does a "some pig" do?

ˈʃɑrlət, wət dɪz ə "səm pɪg" du?

This isn't for what you do. It's for what you are. Some pigs might smile a bit. The lifting of the head, nice touch!

ðɪs ˈɪzənt fər wət ju du. ɪts fər wət ju ər. səm pɪgz maɪt smaɪl ə bɪt. ðə ˈlɪftɪŋ əv ðə hɛd, nis təʧ!

After a few weeks, the phenomenon of the web wore off. Nobody cared anymore, and what was amazing yesterday was suddenly ordinary again today. It looked like Wilbur might not see snow after all.

ˈæftər ə fju wiks, ðə fəˈnɑməˌnɑn əv ðə wɛb wɔr ɔf. ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi kɛrd ˌɛniˈmɔr, ənd wət wɑz əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈjɛstərˌdeɪ wɑz ˈsədənli ˈɔrdəˌnɛri əˈgɛn təˈdeɪ. ɪt lʊkt laɪk ˈwɪlbər maɪt nɑt si snoʊ ˈæftər ɔl.

Excuse me, but why are we here? I mean, yes, barn meeting and so on and so forth. I understand that. But must this concern us? And at such an ungodly hour!

ɪkˈskjuz mi, bət waɪ ər wi hir? aɪ min, jɛs, bɑrn ˈmitɪŋ ənd soʊ ɔn ənd soʊ fɔrθ. aɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðət. bət məst ðɪs kənˈsərn ˈjuˈɛs? ənd æt səʧ ən ənˈgɔdli aʊər!

You know, Wilbur's not the only one who could end up being Christmas dinner with an apple in his mouth.

ju noʊ, wilbur's nɑt ðə ˈoʊnli wən hu kʊd ɛnd əp biɪŋ ˈkrɪsməs ˈdɪnər wɪθ ən ˈæpəl ɪn hɪz maʊθ.

Good point. Yes. Carry on, then.

gʊd pɔɪnt. jɛs. ˈkɛri ɔn, ðɛn.

As we have all seen, humans have very short attention spans, and there's just too much time between now and Christmas. Certainly enough time for Zuckerman to find his affection for a pig losing out to his hunger for ham.

ɛz wi hæv ɔl sin, ˈjumənz hæv ˈvɛri ʃɔrt əˈtɛnʃən spænz, ənd ðɛrz ʤɪst tu məʧ taɪm bɪtˈwin naʊ ənd ˈkrɪsməs. ˈsərtənli ɪˈnəf taɪm fər ˈzəkərmən tɪ faɪnd hɪz əˈfɛkʃən fər ə pɪg ˈluzɪŋ aʊt tɪ hɪz ˈhəŋgər fər hæm.

That spider can talk!

ðət ˈspaɪdər kən tɔk!

Yeah. What did she say, exactly?

jæ. wət dɪd ʃi seɪ, ɪgˈzæktli?

She said the farmer might possibly still slaughter the pig. Sorry, old chap, but it is a common fate for your ilk.

ʃi sɛd ðə ˈfɑrmər maɪt ˈpɑsəbli stɪl sˈlɔtər ðə pɪg. ˈsɑri, oʊld ʧæp, bət ɪt ɪz ə ˈkɑmən feɪt fər jʊr ɪlk.

I could just bust through the fence again.

aɪ kʊd ʤɪst bəst θru ðə fɛns əˈgɛn.

No. Once was enough for that. I just have to get the right word written. Something that makes Wilbur so special that Zuckerman will never think about killing him again.

noʊ. wəns wɑz ɪˈnəf fər ðət. aɪ ʤɪst hæv tɪ gɪt ðə raɪt wərd ˈrɪtən. ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət meɪks ˈwɪlbər soʊ ˈspɛʃəl ðət ˈzəkərmən wɪl ˈnɛvər θɪŋk əˈbaʊt ˈkɪlɪŋ ɪm əˈgɛn.

How about "harmoniously proportioned"? Stop that! Stop that! You're following again.

haʊ əˈbaʊt "hɑrˈmoʊniəsli prəˈpɔrʃənd"? stɑp ðət! stɑp ðət! jʊr ˈfɑloʊɪŋ əˈgɛn.

Please, all of you! What's the perfect word for Wilbur?

pliz, ɔl əv ju! wəts ðə ˈpərˌfɪkt wərd fər ˈwɪlbər?

How about "delicious"? Or "nutritious"? Or "extra crispy"?

haʊ əˈbaʊt "dɪˈlɪʃəs"? ər "nuˈtrɪʃəs"? ər "ˈɛkstrə ˈkrɪspi"?

How about...

haʊ əˈbaʊt...

Did you get him?

dɪd ju gɪt ɪm?

Yep. Bull's-eye.

jɛp. bull's-eye.

How about "terrific, terrific, terrific"?

haʊ əˈbaʊt "tərˈɪfɪk, tərˈɪfɪk, tərˈɪfɪk"?

Good. Much too long, though. I've only got so much web. But one "terrific" might work.

gʊd. məʧ tu lɔŋ, ðoʊ. aɪv ˈoʊnli gɑt soʊ məʧ wɛb. bət wən "tərˈɪfɪk" maɪt wərk.

It simply isn't true. The pig is not terrific. Look at him! He's absolutely average. If you wish to be truthful, then that is the word you should write. "Average."

ɪt ˈsɪmpli ˈɪzənt tru. ðə pɪg ɪz nɑt tərˈɪfɪk. lʊk æt ɪm! hiz ˌæbsəˈlutli ˈævərɪʤ. ɪf ju wɪʃ tɪ bi ˈtruθfəl, ðɛn ðət ɪz ðə wərd ju ʃʊd raɪt. "ˈævərɪʤ."