Quotes from Laura Ingalls Wilder

Almanzo knew that in the whole world there was nothing so beautiful, so fascinating, as beautiful horses. When he thought that it would be years and years before he could have a little colt to teach and take care of, he could hardly bear it.

Then Pa looked at Ma and said, Nobody'd starve to death when you were around, Caroline. Well, no, Ma said. No, Charles, not if you were there to provide for us. Pa was pleased.

San Francisco, September 13, 1915 Believe me, there is no place like the country to live, and I have not heard of anything so far that would lead me to give up Rocky Ridge for any other place.

A good horseman always takes care of his horses before he eats or rests.

Laura thought of Ma's saying, It takes all kinds of people to make a world.

For winter was coming.

56. They all flew away into the west. At this point in the novel Pa delivers this haunting line, 'I would like some one to tell me how they all knew at once that it was time to go, and how they knew which way was west and their ancestral home. Prof. Lockwood commented, 'Locusts were then-- and still are-- mysterious creatures, whose sudden, irruptions are their defining attribute.

Run over to the chopping block and fetch me some of those green hickory chipsâ€

and the "Devil's Hornpipe.

I declare to goodness, I don't know but sometimes I believe in women's rights. If women were voting and making laws, I believe they'd have better sense. (Mrs. McKee to Laura regarding the homestead laws)

Oh, Charles!" Ma said. "What will we do?" Pa slumped down on a bench and said, "I don't know.

This is now." She was glad that the cosy house, and Pa and Ma and the fire-light and the music, were now. They could not be forgotten, she thought, because now is now. It can never be a long time ago.

Well, Caroline, it's pleasant to be with a crowd of people all trying to do the right thing, same as we are.

Why, I guess you can," Ma said doubtfully. She did not like to see women working in the fields. Only foreigners did that. Ma and her girls were Americans, above doing men's work.

I love to work. And it is a pleasure to write. And, oh, I do just love to play!

For just one little minute she almost wished that Pa was a railroad man. There was nothing so wonderful as railroads, and railroad men were great men, able to drive the big iron engines and the fast, dangerous trains. But of course not even railroad men were bigger or better than Pa, and she did not really want him to be anything but what he was.

Oh, Pa, let's go on west!" "Mercy, Laura!" Ma said. "Whatever—" She could not go on. "I know, little Half-Pint," said Pa, and his voice was very kind. "You and I want to fly like the birds.

Whatever are you making, Pa?" Laura asked, and he answered, "Wait and see." He heated the tip of the poker red-hot in the stove, and carefully he burned black every alternate little square. "Curiosity killed a cat, Pa," Laura said. "You look pretty healthy," said Pa.

She could not think what it would be to teach school twelve miles away from home, along among strangers. The less she thought of it the better, for she must go, and she must meet whatever happened as it came. Now Mary can have everting she needs, and she can come home this next summer, she said. Oh, Pa, do you think I - I can teach school? I do, Laura, said Pa. I am sure of it.

The wagon went down from the bluffs into the wooded creek bottoms, and high in a treetop a mockingbird began to sing. "I never heard a mockingbird sing so early," said Ma, and Pa answered, softly, "He is telling us good-by.

There was only the enormous, empty prairie, with grasses blowing in waves of light and shadow across it, and the great blue sky above it, and birds flying up from it and singing with joy because the sun was rising. And on the whole enormous prairie there was no sign that any other human being had ever been there.

He called back, softly, "Come out here, Caroline, and look at the moon.

but I'd hate to want 'em and not have 'em." "Oh what is it? What is it?" Laura asked, jumping up

What is it about water that affects a person? I never see a great river or lake but I think how I would like to see a world made and watch it through all its changes.