Our Little Farm on the Prairie

'Twas down in the meadows

The violets were blowing

And the springtime grass Was fresh and green

Do you think Mr. Edwards would have had time to deliver a letter before he left?

- Who are you writing letters to? - No one.

Ow.

Ma says it's because I'm sweet,

and you're too salty for mosquitoes to bother with.

- I'd rather be salty than mosquito food. - We're not supposed to go this far.

All these bushes are loaded.

And if we bring back enough berries for Ma to dry, we'll have pie all winter.

You should stop eating them, then.

Hi! Hello! I'm Laura.

Stop.

I wanted to meet them.

Ma's gonna be mad.

Laura!

I hope my house will look half as nice.

It will.

Thank you, Mr. Scott.

Who knows how long it would've taken to finish it without your kindness.

- Get back to work on yours tomorrow. - Looking forward to it.

Mr. Ingalls. Ma'am.

Aw.

Charles, we're not newlyweds. We've been sleeping inside for weeks.

It's the principle of the thing.

It's not bad, right?

It's perfect.

The china shepherdess.

That means we're home.

Yes. Now we're home.

Safe and sound.

The fox went out On a chilly night

He prayed to the Moon To give him light

For a many a mile to go that night Before he reached the town-o

Town-o, town-o

Many a mile to go that night Before he reached the town-o

Is it a present?

- What? - The surprise in town.

It's the post office. The new post office is the surprise.

It's not a surprise if you already know about it.

- Pa said there was a surprise. - Did I say something about a surprise?

Everything's fine.

Want a cookie? Here you go.

Ah.

Well done, Mr. Ingalls.

- Thank you. - Well done.

Beautiful work.

- Thanks. - Great stuff.

Ah, Jacob.

Pa, did you draw this?

- I just might've. - You're full of surprises.

Aren't I?

Mr. Ingalls.

These must be your girls.

Nice to see you, Miss Aubert. This is Caroline, my wife.

- Our daughters, Mary and Laura. - Pleased to meet you all.

I didn't know ladies could wear trousers.

Well, most people don't consider me to be much of a lady.

Caroline.

Let's get you a spot up front for Eli's speech.

And let's get your girls a cookie before mine gobble them all up.

If you see Edwards, will you give him my best?

Gather round, folks. Gather round.

The post office

is the lifeblood of the American West.

Part of what gives us our strength,

so far from everything we've ever known,

is the knowledge

that our families can send word.

This post office will be a beacon!

It will bring the wider world to Independence.

Next up, more settlers, more prosperity, and maybe even a railroad line.

The Independence post office is now open!

Very exciting.

Laura and Mary, a letter from Grandma to both of you.

- Careful. - Caroline, a letter from Eliza.

For me, mortgage payments from Mr. Gustafson.

- You're gonna ruin it. - Laura.

Mary gets to read it first,

seeing as you took the liberty of tearing it open like a baby goat.

Those two are gonna snip and snap at each other

until we find them some other children to play with.

- What is it? - Bad.

Gustafson says my father's been holed up in the house, not accepting visitors.

Making Peter work the farm all alone.

He hasn't even been to church.

It's the grief. He'll come through it in time.

I was hoping he would write.

- I shouldn't have. - Charles…

It wasn't your fault.

Your father knows that. He's just not willing to admit it yet.

He's stubborn, like his son.

Sit in the shade.

We got a pocketful of cash and a long list of supplies to buy.

- Don't forget the slate and pencil. - I won't.

And not too much candy.

Sorry.

- I can help you read it if you want. - I don't need any help.

Fine.

Your ma's reading and resting, so we're gonna do the shopping.

- Know what that means? - Treats!

Go ahead. Stay close.

- Did you get a cookie? - I already ate mine.

Me too. I love frosting.

I saw some Osage girls down by the creek. They were picking blackberries.

How do you say hi in Osage so I can say hi next time?

You should come see the kittens again. They're getting all fluffy.

Mama said I had to give one away. Then she forgot.

- And this. - Thank you.

Now that we're settled, Ma says that we have to start lessons.

And she won't forget.

You're going to school? Where?

Nowhere.

Just at home.

Ma was a teacher before she married Pa.

You don't like school?

I just think there are better things to do,

like hunting and fishing

and collecting rocks and playing with Jack.

Back in Wisconsin, at least there was recess with other kids.

Now it's just gonna be me and Mary

and spelling words and poems in that dumb old grammar book.

I love poems.

And I've always wanted to go to school in St. Paul where Mama and Father went.

You should come do school with us.

Really?

School would be so much better with you and not just Mary.

You ready to go?

Could I take lessons with Laura?

Mrs. Ingalls is a real teacher, and she's teaching them at home.

We'll have to ask your mother.

Good afternoon, Dr. Tann. Got your order right here.

Ah, thank you.

I am curious about some of the items on that shelf.

Oh.

- Okay. - Wow. The bird skeleton in particular.

It's not exactly the kind of thing you expect to find in a general store.

Told my sister she'd be scaring off business with that kinda nonsense.

I doubt it'll sell, but I couldn't resist. I've always been interested in anatomy.

- The sciences, in general, I mean. - Yeah.

- News from home? - Oh, uh…

No. This is, uh, word of an intermittent fever outbreak in Oswego.

We'll need some quinine if it makes its way out here.

How's your stock?

I'll have to check, but anything I have is yours for the taking.

I'll keep that in mind.

- Thinking about spring planting? - Hm.

Corn, potatoes…

Peas do well out here. Squash, greens of all kinds, rosemary.

And the flowers, it's… They're like something out of a dream.

Caroline's kitchen gardens are a thing of beauty.

- Everyone says so. - I'll get going on your order.

Thank you.

Treats.

You'll share with your sister?

I'll share.

Hi, Caleb.

I… I was wondering if you got the letter I sent?

Mr. Edwards was supposed to deliver it.

Well?

I don't wanna talk to a boy with no manners anyway.

Mary.

That's not how we talk to people.

Let's go find your ma.

Dearest Caroline,

I can't bear to think of you so far from home on such a foolish adventure.

If you have any sense at all,

you'll bring the girls back to Wisconsin and have the baby here.

What's the word from home?

Eliza sends her love.

She does?

Doesn't sound like her.

Everything all right?

Just the heat of the day.

Let's get you home, then. Let's go.

What did he do to make you so mad?

You can have it. I'm not hungry.

It's so early.

Mr. Scott and I wanna finish his house by week's end.

I could come help.

I could sand corners or hold nails.

And I could teach Mr. Scott more songs. He hardly knows any good ones.

But you have lessons.

I hate being inside all day when the prairie is right out here.

What am I ever going to need in a book?

Books help you know about the whole wide world.

Not just Wisconsin.

Not just the prairie.

All kinds of places.

All kinds of people.

Could you take me to meet the Osage, then?

We could ride out to the camp and say hello.

Ma says they're leaving soon, and I don't wanna miss my chance.

We'll see.

"Long lines of cliff"

"Breaking have left a cha…"

Chasm.

Mary, please.

You know who loves poems?