Little Britches: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

After the big wind, it rains for several weeks. Fred’s men find Nig, Bill, and Nancy, and Ralph helps his father build a new wagon and privy and transports milk and eggs from the Aultlands’ house every night. Ralph’s father’s cough improves, but Nancy grows weaker, eventually dying. A few days later, a man named Mr. Wright offers Ralph’s father work fixing up his house. Ralph’s father accepts, and Mr. Wright lends him a mare and a free puppy, which Muriel names King. Ralph is taken with the “crabby” mare and wants to ride her, but his parents refuse. When Ralph’s father finishes helping Mr. Wright, he buys the mare and Philip names her Fanny.

Ralph’s mother does not want the end of the bunkhouse to be the kitchen anymore, so Ralph and his father remove it and make it into a new barn. Ralph’s father refinishes the new end of the bunkhouse, turning it into two bedrooms for Ralph, Grace, Philip, and Muriel. On Monday, Ralph’s father attempts to plow a new garden for his wife, but Fanny does not want to cooperate. She does not want to be used as a plow horse, and Ralph is impressed by how patient his father is with her.

Ralph stops by the Aultlands’ house for milk. He tells Fred about Fanny misbehaving, and Fred asks how much of the land his father is planning to plow. Ralph tells him the whole place, and Fred decides to accompany Ralph home. Once they arrive, Fred asks Ralph’s father how much of the land he plans to plant crops on, and Ralph’s father says he plans to use all of it. Fred tells Ralph’s father that his land only has 10 inches of water and suggests he plant more conservatively. Ralph’s father is upset, and Fred offers to let him use some of the water from his land to make 20 acres of crop for the first year.