"Oh, Wilbur, you poor, poor pig. Wouldn't you like to live upstairs? Wouldn't you like to eat the best food instead of just what they bring you? You can, you know."
"What are you talking about, Charlotte?"
"I'm talking about Zuckerman and his rules. The horses pull a plow and Zuckerman feeds them; the cows give milk and Zuckerman feeds them. But Templeton the rat works as hard or harder than any of them, and does Zuckerman feed him? No, he doesn't. I live up here in the rafters, catching bugs day and night and does Zuckerman feed me? You see, all these rules that Zuckerman has in place are unfair to the ambitious animals."
"Wilbur, you are special. Once we get rid of Zuckerman's rules there will be so much prosperity that you will live like a king. When Fern comes to see you, tell her you want the key to the feed bins to wear as a necklace. That way you will have a job, too, keeper of the feed bins."
Soon Wilbur was sporting the key around his neck on a red ribbon. Templeton the rat saw it and asked, "Say, Wilbur, let me borrow the key to the feed bins."
"Whatever for, Templeton?"
"Well, Wilbur, that feed is just sitting there; I can use it as an investment for us. I can sell it today for a profit, then when the harvest comes in the prices will fall, and I can buy it all back."
"I don't know," Wilbur pondered. "It's not really mine to give. It belongs to Zuckerman."
"Wilbur, Wilbur, Wilbur, Zuckerman is old fashioned; this is the new way. This is the smart way, trust us. Wilbur, aren't you as smart as us?"
"Well, no."
"We're your friends, aren't we? You can trust us, can't you? So be a good pig now and give me the key."
"I guess so," Wilbur said as he dropped the key for Templeton.
"Charlotte?" Wilbur asked.
"The crickets have been telling me that fall is coming and after that the winter comes. They told me, Charlotte, that they will harvest the crops and sell off the livestock to be slaughtered. I'm scared, Charlotte, I don't want to die!"
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