The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer's ending, a sad, monotonous song. "Summer is over and gone," they sang. "Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying."
The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year — the days when summer is changing into fall the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.
Everybody heard the song of the crickets. Avery and Fern Arable heard it as the walked the dusty road. They knew that school would soon begin again. The young geese heard it and knew that they would never be little goslings again. Charlotte heard it and knew that she hadn't much time left. Mrs. Zuckerman, at work in the kitchen, heard the crickets, and a sadness came over her, too. "Another summer gone," she sighed. Lurvy, at work building a crate for Wilbur, heard the song and knew it was time to dig potatoes.
"Summer is over and gone," repeated the crickets. "How many nights till frost?" sang the crickets. "Good-bye, summer, good-bye, good-bye!"
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, Chapter 15: "The Crickets"
I love this! I'd completely forgotten this passage, although I've read the book aloud to each of my children in turn, many years ago. Where we live, I always feel a melancholic turning-of-the-year when the crickets begin chirping. It's always in the lazy full heat of mid-August, such richly beautiful days, and the crickets' notes add to the aesthetic pleasure. Except . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for providing this quotation right at the perfect moment -- much appreciated!