Hog Heaven

Author and editor E.B. White was born on this day in 1899.

In honor of E.B. White's birthday, we present an excerpt from his classic children's book, Charlotte's Web. The amazing pig Wilbur and his best friend Charlotte, a spider, have won millions of readers' hearts since this children's tale was first published in 1952.

"On foggy mornings, Charlotte's web was truly a thing of beauty. This morning each thin strand was decorated with dozens of tiny beads of water. The web glistened in the light and made a pattern of loveliness and mystery, like a delicate veil. Even Lurvy, who wasn't particularly interested in beauty, noticed the web when he came in with the pig's breakfast. He noted how clearly it showed up and he noted how big and carefully built it was. And then he took another look and he saw something that made him set his pail down. There in the center of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was the message. It said: SOME PIG!"

Hog Chow by artist Robert Rauschenberg reminds us that pets, even imaginary ones like Wilbur, need to eat! Learn more about this artist and make your own pet food for Wilbur or another critter at our website, Bottlecaps to Brushes.

Source: E.B. White. Charlotte's Web (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999).

Pictured: Robert Rauschenberg, born 1925, (Chow Series) Hog Chow, 1977, serigraph and stitching on paper, 48 1/8 x 36 5/16 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Edward Dunay.