It was spring and the farm was full of the sounds of young pigs, chicks, ducks and other animals. Molly Hooper's father had noted that there was a litter of pigs born the night before. He sighed, for one of them was a runt. The little pig would have to be killed. Molly went about her chores and then sat down at the table to eat. Mrs. Hooper smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm as she attacked a plate of pancakes.

"Good morning, Mother," Molly said in between mouthfuls.

Mrs. Hooper laughed. "Molly, slow down. Those pancakes don't have wings."

Molly smiled. "Where's Pa?"

Mrs. Hooper turned away from the stove. "There was a litter of pigs born last night. One of them was a runt and your father has to do away with it."

Molly jumped up. "What oh no," she screamed as she ran outside.

Mr. Hooper was just heading into the smokehouse with an axe in his hand. "Wait, stop," Molly screamed.

Mr. Hooper stopped and turned to look at his daughter's tear stained face. "Molly, the little pig is going to die. You know what life on a farm is like."

Molly cried harder. "Pa, I can take care of him. Please let me try."

Mr. Hooper sighed. "Fine, he's all yours."

Molly held out her hands. "Thank you Pa. I am going to call him John." She said as she held the little piglet close.

Molly took care of little John until one day he was a full grown pig. "It's time for him to go," Mr. Hooper thought as he observed the size of the pig. So, the next day John was sold to Mr. Zuckerman's farm down the street. John squealed all the way. The sound broke Molly's heart.

So, John was settled into his new home. His heart ached for his old home with Molly. "I'll never find a friend. I'm so alone. Nothing ever happens to me," John cried aloud as wept into a pile of straw.

Several of the other animals told John to shut up. But John was so lonely that he couldn't stop crying. Then a voice spoke to him from out of the darkness.

"John, stop crying. I'll be your friend," a beautiful silken voice whispered.

John looked around him. "Where are you?" He asked aloud.

"Up here," the voice said.

John looked up and saw a beautiful grey spider, her large greenish eyes held John transfixed. "My name is Sherlock and I'll be your friend."

John openly gapped at the spider. She was magnificent and John fell in love with Sherlock the instant she dropped into view.

"What are you?" John asked as Sherlock landed on his snout.

"I'm a spider, an arachnid." Sherlock announced with pride.

John ooed and awed as Sherlock performed acrobatic motions to and from her web. "Are all spiders as pretty as you?" John asked.

"Yes," Sherlock replied as he landed once again on John's snout.

"Now I have a friend for life," John said as he did a backflip.

A male sheep in the next pen laughed, "John, you aren't going live long. You'll be killed soon for bacon."

"What?" John squealed. "Is it true?"

One of the geese answered. "Yes, it's true."

John shook his head and began to pace. "I don't want to die."

Sherlock crawled up into her web. Then she looked down at John and said, "Don't worry, John I'll save you. No matter what it takes I will save you."