IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT AN ANIMAL HAS SPOKEN CIVILLY TO ME AND THAT I DIDN’T CATCH THE REMARK BECAUSE I WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION. CHILDREN PAY BETTER ATTENTION THAN GROWNUPS. IF FERN SAYS THAT THE ANIMALS IN ZUCKERMAN’S BARN TALK, I’M QUITE READY TO BELIEVE HER. PERHAPS IF PEOPLE TALKED LESS, ANIMALS WOULD TALK MORE. PEOPLE ARE INCESSANT TALKERS—I CAN GIVE YOU MY WORD ON THAT.
E. B. White, Charlotte’s Web
