Chapter 15 14.Doctor Dorian

The next day is Saturday.Fern was standing by the kitchen sink, scrubbing the breakfast dishes that her mother had just finished washing.Mrs. Arable worked quietly.She wished Fern could go out and play with the other kids instead of running to the Zuckermans' barn whenever she could and sitting there watching the animals. "Charlotte is the best storyteller I've ever met," said Fern, wiping her bowl with a napkin. "Fern," said her mother sharply, "you stop talking nonsense. You know spiders don't tell stories. Spiders don't talk." "Charlene can," Fern replied. "Her voice is not loud, but she can talk."

"What story did she tell?" asked Mrs. Arable. "Well," began Fern, "she told us a story about her cousin catching fish with a spider's web. Don't you think that's very funny?" "Fern, dear, how did the fish get in the web?" said Mrs. Arable. "You know it's impossible. You're lying." "Oh, that's what happened," replied Fern. "Charlotte never lied. Her cousin had drawn a net in the middle of the creek. One day, while she was in the net, a small fish that had jumped to the surface jumped into her net. One of the fish's fins It's tied up, mother. Its tail is wagging like hell, and it's still shining silver in the sun. Have you ever seen a spider's web that was crushed by a fish and almost fell to the surface? Charlotte's cousin dodged back and forth, attacking He said, even though his head was brutally beaten many times by that jumping fish, he was still fighting with the fish, and kept wrapping silk around the fish..."

"Fern!" interrupted her mother. "Stop it! Stop making up these ridiculous stories!" "I didn't make it up," said Fern. "I'm just telling you the truth." "So what happened in the end?" her mother asked.At this time, she was a little curious. "Charlotte's cousin won. She wrapped up the fish. When she rested, she ate the fish. Spiders eat, just like us." "Yes, I suppose so," said Mrs. Arable feebly. "Charlotte has a cousin who is a balloonist. She sends out strands from the top of her head and rides them in the wind. Don't you like it, Mother?"

"Yes, I do," replied Mrs. Arable. "But Fern, darling, I hope you don't go to Uncle Homer's barn today, go outside and play with the other kids. Find some good friends and play outside. You spend too much time in the barn It's—it's not good for you to be out there all by yourself." "Lonely?" said Fern. "Lonely? My best friends are all in the barn cellar. It's a great place to socialize. It's never lonely in there." Fern went out, and soon she was on her way to the Zuckermans' barn again.Her mother cleaned the living room.As she worked she thought about Fern.It doesn't seem normal for a little girl to be so fascinated by animals.Finally, she made up her mind to go to Dr. Dorian for his opinion.She got in the car and drove to the doctor's country clinic.

Doctor Dorian has a big beard.Seeing Mrs. Arable, he gladly seated her in a comfortable chair. "It's about Fern," she explained. "Fern spends too much time in the Zuckermans' barn. It doesn't seem normal. She just sits on a milking stool in the corner of the barn cellar, by the pigsty, hour after hour looking at the animals. She just sat there watching and listening." Dr. Dorian lay back in his chair and listened with his eyes closed. "How intoxicating!" he said. "It must be a nice and peaceful place. Doesn't Homer have some sheep?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Arable. "But it all started when we got Fern to bottle-feed a pig. She called him Wilbur. Homer bought the pig. And since the pig was gone, Fern has been visiting her uncle's every day. The pig." "I've heard of that pig, too," said Dr. Dorian, opening his eyes. "They said it was an unusual pig." "Have you heard the words woven in the spider's web?" asked Mrs. Arable mysteriously. "Yes," replied the doctor. "So, do you understand what that is?" asked Mrs. Arable. "Understand what?"

"Do you understand how those words are in that spider's web?" "Oh, no," said Dr. Dorian. "I don't understand. I don't even understand how a spider learned to spin a web. When the words were woven, everyone said it was a miracle. No one pointed out that the spider's web itself was a miracle." "What's so magical about a spider's web?" said Mrs. Arable. "I don't understand why you say a spider's web is a miracle—it's just a web." "Have you ever spun a web?" asked Dr. Dorian. Mrs. Arable moved restlessly in her chair. "No," she replied. "But I can crochet a coaster and I can knit a sock."

"True," said the doctor, "but that's what you were taught, wasn't it?" "My mother taught me." "Very well, but who will teach the spider? A young spider knows how to weave a web without anyone's instruction. Don't you think it's a miracle?" "I suppose so," said Mrs. Arable. "I've never thought about this kind of thing before. I don't understand how the words get woven into the web. I don't understand this, and I don't like what I can't understand." "We all do," sighed Dr. Dorian. "I'm a doctor. Doctors are supposed to know everything. But I know almost nothing, and I don't intend to let them bother me."

Mrs. Arable became irritable. "Fern says animals can talk to each other. Doctor Dorian, do you believe animals can talk?" "I've never heard anyone say that," he replied. "But that proves nothing. It's quite possible that an animal once spoke to me politely and I didn't hear it because I didn't pay attention. Children pay more attention to this than adults do. If Fern says Zuckerman's The animals in the barn can talk, and I'd like to believe her. Maybe if humans talk less, animals can talk more. Adults are eloquent orators—what I want to say to you is In these words."

"I'm more worried about Fern now, though," said Mrs. Arable. "Don't you think I should be worried about her?" "How does she look?" asked the doctor. "Oh, it's fine." "How's your appetite?" "Oh yes, she's always hungry." "Did you sleep well at night?" "Oh yes." "Then there's nothing to worry about," said the doctor. "Don't you think she should think about anything other than pigs, sheep, geese, and spiders?" "How old is Fon?" "She's eight years old."

"Oh," said Dr. Dorian, "I think she'll always love animals, but I don't believe she spends all her time in Homer Zuckerman's barn cellar. And the boys-- Does she know any boy?" "She knew Henry Fussey," said Mrs. Arable briskly. Doctor Dorian closed his eyes again, lost in thought. "Henry Fussey," he muttered. "Well, worth noting. Still, I don't think you have anything to worry about. If she likes, let Fern be with her friends in the barn. All I'm saying is, I'm just rambling, that spider and pig Almost as interesting as Henry Fussey. I reckon Henry will catch Fern's attention one day after all. You'll be amazed at how much interest kids get from year to year. How's Avery?" He opened his eyes wide. asked the eyes. "Oh, Avery," Mrs. Arable laughed. "Avery was always nice. Of course he sometimes crawled into the kudzu and got stung by wasps and bees and brought frogs and snakes into the house and smashed everything he got his hands on. He was very it is good." "Great!" said the doctor. Mrs. Arable said good-bye and thanked Dr. Dorian for his advice.She felt very relieved.