Literary runt of the litter

WILBUR

This friendly farm pig was the beloved creation of E.B. White and befriended a clever spider named Charlotte.

This clue plays on the phrase "runt of the litter," which refers to the smallest or weakest animal in a group of siblings. In literature, Wilbur is the famous pig from Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, who starts off as the tiny, vulnerable piglet saved by Fern. The word "literary" hints that the answer comes from a well-known book, while "runt" directly points to Wilbur’s humble beginnings in the story.