| Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House on the Prairie |
| 1 | Little House on the Prairie, Chapter 1 The Ingalls family goes West A long time ago, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in Wisconsin. They drove away and left it lonely and empty among the big trees, and they never saw that little house again. They were going to Indian country. Pa said there were too many people in Wisconsin now. Wild animals did not stay in a country where there were so many people, so Pa didn't want to stay. |
| 2 | He liked a country where the animals lived without fear. He liked to see them looking at him in the forest and eating fruit from the trees. In the long winter evenings Pa talked to Ma about the Western country. 'Let's go see the West,' he said. 'The land is flat and the grass grows thick and high. Animals run freely and there are no settlers. Only Indians live there.' 'Oh, Charles, must we go now?' Ma said. |
| 3 | 'The weather's so cold and our warm house is so comfortable.' 'If we are going this year, we must go now,' said Pa. 'We can't cross the Mississippi River after the ice breaks.' So Pa sold the little house in Wisconsin. With Ma's help, he made a canvas cover for their wagon. They put everything into the wagon except their beds and tables and chairs. Pa could make new ones out West. The next morning when it was still dark, Ma gently shook Mary and Laura until they got up. |
| 4 | By the light of the fire she helped them dress warmly. They put on warm dresses and heavy coats. Grandmother, Grandfather, aunts, and uncles were all there to say good-bye to them. Pa put his gun inside the wagon where he could reach it quickly. He put his fiddle between two blankets in order to keep it safe. Their dog Jack went under the wagon, and they drove away. 'When we get to the West,' Pa said to Laura, 'you'll see a papoose.' 'What's a papoose?' she asked. |
| 5 | 'A papoose is a little brown Indian baby,' Pa explained. It was a long, long way to Indian country. Almost every day the horses travelled as far as they could; almost every night Pa and Ma stopped in a new place. They rode across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks. One day Pa sold the tired brown horses and got two small young black horses with soft gentle eyes and long tails. |
| 6 | 'They're western horses,' Pa said. 'Very strong but very gentle.' When Laura asked what their names were, Pa said that she and Mary could choose names for the horses. So they called one 'Pet' and the other 'Patty'. They had travelled across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri. All that long way, their little dog Jack had walked along under the wagon. Pa sat up front, holding the reins. Ma sat next to him, straight and quiet. |
| 7 | Baby Carrie slept in soft blankets in the back. Now they were crossing Kansas, an endless flat land covered with tall grass. Day after day they saw nothing but grass and a big sky. There was nothing new to do and nothing new to look at. 'Ma, can't we get out and run behind the wagon?' Laura said. 'My legs are so tired.' 'No, Laura,' Ma said. 'I'm hungry. I want to camp now!' Then Ma said, 'Laura.' That was all she said, but Laura understood that she should stay quiet. |
| 8 | 'We're coming to a creek or river,' Pa said. 'Girls, can you see those trees? That's where we'll camp tonight.' Suddenly the road went down and they arrived at the creek. Pet and Patty stopped to drink. The sound of fast-running water tilled the still air. The river was silver and blue and the water ran quickly in the middle. 'The creek's really high,' Pa said. 'But I guess we can cross It.' Pa looked at Ma. |
| 9 | 'What do you say, Caroline?' 'Yes, Charles,' Ma answered. 'I think we can.' So the wagon went forward. Soon the wheels were in deep water. 'The horses may have to swim out there in the middle,' Pa said. 'But we'll get across all right, Caroline.' Laura thought of Jack and said, 'I wish Jack could ride in the wagon, Pa.' Pa did not answer. He was busy with the horses, pulling their reins. Ma said, 'Jack can swim, Laura. |
| 10 | He'll be fine.' Then suddenly the wagon lifted and rocked, and Laura knew they were in the creek. Mary hid under the blankets. She was afraid of the water. But Laura was excited. Ma said loudly, 'Lie down, girls! Don't move!' Mary and Laura dropped flat on the bed. When Ma spoke like that, they obeyed her. Ma's arm pulled a blanket over them, heads and all. Laura felt the wagon turning. The water made so much noise. |
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