LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS - Audiobook w/ Text - Ch. 1 - Little House in the Big Woods

Summary

The script narrates the life of a young girl named Laura in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, living in a log house with her family. Surrounded by wilderness teeming with wildlife, Laura experiences the joys and challenges of pioneer life. Her father, known as 'Paw,' hunts deer and fish, while the family prepares for winter by smoking and preserving food. The story captures the simplicity and self-sufficiency of their existence, with Laura's adventures reflecting the spirit of exploration and the close bond with nature.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The story is set in a little gray house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, surrounded by trees and wildlife.
• 🌳 The Big Woods are described as a vast, uninhabited area with no houses, roads, or people, teeming with wild animals like wolves, bears, and deer.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 The family living in the house consists of a little girl named Laura, her sister Mary, baby sister Carrie, their parents, and a bulldog named Jack.
• 🌙 Laura experiences the wilderness at night, hearing the whispering of trees and the distant howling of wolves, but feels safe within the solid log walls of her home.
• 🔫 Laura's father, referred to as 'Paw,' is a hunter who provides for the family by hunting deer and other game, emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency.
• 🍖 The family prepares for winter by salting, smoking, and storing meat, highlighting the need to preserve food in the absence of modern amenities.
• 🐟 A significant event is the catching of a large quantity of fish from Lake Pepin, which is also preserved for the winter months.
• 🐷 The story includes the process of butchering a pig, making various food products like sausages, head cheese, and salt pork, showcasing the traditional methods of food preparation.
• 🎻 Evenings are spent with Paw greasing his traps and playing the fiddle, providing a sense of community and family bonding in the isolated setting.
• 🌨️ The narrative conveys the harshness of winter in the Big Woods, where the family must be well-prepared with stored food to survive the long, cold months.

Q & A

Where did the little girl named Laura live?

Laura lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, in a little gray house made of logs.

What kind of animals lived in the Big Woods with Laura?

The Big Woods were home to wolves, bears, huge wild cats, muskrats, mink, otters, foxes, and deer.

What was the purpose of the crooked rail fence around Laura's house?

The fence was meant to keep bears and deer away from the house.

Why did Laura's father hang deer in the trees?

He hung the deer high in the trees so that wolves could not get the meat.

How did Laura's family prepare the deer meat for winter storage?

They salted the meat, smoked it using hickory chips in a hollow log, and then wrapped each piece in paper to hang in the attic.

What did Laura's father do with the deer hides after skinning the deer?

He salted and stretched the hides to make soft leather out of them.

What did Laura's father bring home one night in a wagon?

He brought home a wagon load of fish, which he had caught at Lake Pepin using a net.

Why did Laura's family butcher a pig?

They butchered the pig to have a supply of pork for the winter, as the weather would keep it frozen.

What did Laura and Mary do with the pig's bladder and tail after butchering?

They played with the inflated pig's bladder as a balloon and roasted the pig's tail over the fire, eating it once it was done.

How did Laura's family ensure they had enough food for the winter?

They stored food such as smoked venison, salted fish, cured hams, head cheese, sausages, lard, and salt pork, as well as vegetables from their garden in the cellar and attic.

What did Laura's father do at night after supper during the winter?

He would bring his traps in from the shed to grease them by the fire, tell jokes and stories, and play his fiddle.

Outlines

00:00

🌲 Life in the Big Woods of Wisconsin

The story begins by introducing a little girl named Laura, who lives in a small gray log house deep in the Big Woods of Wisconsin with her family. Surrounded by vast, dense forests filled with wild animals like wolves, bears, and deer, Laura's house is isolated from other people. Despite the dangers outside, Laura feels safe with her father’s gun over the door and her dog Jack guarding the house. One night, Laura sees wolves outside her home, but they cannot break in, thanks to the sturdy log walls and Jack’s protection. Laura’s world is both magical and mysterious, as she listens to the trees and wildlife at night.

05:02

🍂 Preparing for the Harsh Winter

As winter approaches, Laura's family prepares by storing as much food as possible. Her father, Pa, carefully skins and salts deer meat, then hangs it in a hollow log to smoke. The process of smoking the meat with hickory chips ensures the venison will last through the cold months. Pa is skilled in preserving food, making sure the family has enough to eat during winter, when hunting is scarce. Laura observes and helps with the preparation, learning the importance of these traditions for survival in the wilderness.

10:02

🐻 A Close Encounter with a Bear

One night, a bear tries to attack the family’s pig, but Pa chases it away with his gun. Laura is disappointed that Pa didn’t kill the bear, as she loves bear meat. Despite missing his shot, Pa assures Laura that the important thing is saving the pig, which will provide the family with bacon. The family continues to prepare for winter by storing vegetables from the garden, hanging onions and peppers in the attic, and stacking pumpkins and squashes. With the help of Uncle Henry, they also butcher a hog, a process Laura finds both fascinating and frightening.

15:04

🍖 Butchering Time and Winter Preparations

The family’s preparations for winter intensify as they butcher the hog. Pa and Uncle Henry work together, while Ma uses every part of the hog, from rendering lard to making sausage and head cheese. The day is busy and full of tasks, but also fun for Laura and Mary, who enjoy playing with the pig’s bladder and roasting its tail over the fire. As the days grow colder, the house becomes stocked with food, including smoked hams, sausages, and preserved vegetables, ensuring the family will be well-fed through the long winter ahead.

20:06

🎻 Cozy Nights with Stories and Music

As winter sets in, Laura and Mary spend more time indoors, playing in the attic with pumpkins and dried herbs. The cold winds howl outside, but inside, the family is warm and cozy. After supper, Pa entertains Laura and Mary with stories and jokes as he prepares his traps by the fire. One night, he tells a funny story about a man with two cats and two cat holes in his door, making the girls laugh. Pa then takes out his fiddle, and the family’s evening is filled with music, laughter, and warmth, creating a sense of security and happiness in their small home.

Keywords

💡Big Woods

The 'Big Woods' refers to the vast, dense forest in Wisconsin where the story is set. It is a central element of the narrative, creating a sense of isolation and wilderness that shapes the characters' lives. The script describes the woods as a place 'where there were no houses, no roads, no people,' emphasizing its wild and untouched nature. The Big Woods is home to various wildlife and poses both a challenge and a resource for the family living on its edge.

💡Log House

A 'log house' is a type of dwelling constructed primarily from logs, which is the home of the main characters in the story. It symbolizes the simplicity and self-sufficiency of pioneer life. The house is described as 'little' and 'gray,' nestled within the Big Woods, indicating the family's humble existence. The log house provides shelter and safety, as highlighted when Laura's father assures her that the wolves cannot get in.

💡Wildlife

The term 'wildlife' encompasses the various animals that inhabit the Big Woods, contributing to the story's theme of coexistence with nature. The script mentions wolves, bears, wild cats, muskrats, mink, otters, and deer, which are integral to the family's survival and the narrative's tension. Wildlife serves as a reminder of the characters' vulnerability and the need for resourcefulness in the wilderness.

💡Pioneer Life

'Pioneer life' refers to the self-reliant and rugged lifestyle of those who settle in new, often undeveloped, areas. The video script illustrates this through the family's activities such as hunting, fishing, and preserving food for winter. The concept is exemplified by the father's role as a provider, the mother's domestic duties, and the children's involvement in household chores, all of which are essential for their survival in the harsh environment.

💡Laura

Laura is the little girl protagonist of the story, through whose eyes we experience life in the Big Woods. Her character represents innocence and curiosity, as she learns about the world around her. Laura's interactions with her family and the natural environment highlight the values of family, bravery, and the importance of community in the face of adversity.

💡Winter Preparation

The concept of 'winter preparation' is a recurring theme in the script, reflecting the importance of planning and resourcefulness in pioneer life. The family's efforts to salt, smoke, and store food before winter symbolize the necessity of being prepared for the harsh, cold months. This preparation is crucial for survival and is a central part of the family's annual routine, as seen in the detailed description of smoking venison and salting fish.

💡Butchering

Butchering is the process of slaughtering and preparing animals for meat, which is a significant event in the script. It represents the family's reliance on domestic animals for sustenance and the communal effort involved in such tasks. The detailed description of butchering a pig, including the preparation of various cuts and the making of sausages, illustrates the practical skills and knowledge required for self-sufficiency.

💡Self-Sufficiency

'Self-sufficiency' is a key theme in the video, emphasizing the family's ability to provide for their own needs without external assistance. This is evident in their hunting, farming, and food preservation practices. The script showcases the family's resourcefulness, as they utilize every part of the animals they raise or catch, from meat to fat, demonstrating a waste-not-want-not philosophy.

💡Community

Although the family lives in relative isolation, the concept of 'community' is present through the arrival of Uncle Henry, who helps with the butchering. His presence underscores the importance of family and neighbors in times of need. The script implies that despite the challenges of living in the wilderness, social bonds and mutual assistance are vital for survival and well-being.

💡Hardship

The 'hardship' faced by the family is a central theme in the script, reflecting the struggles of living in a remote area with limited resources. The hardships are depicted through the physical labor of hunting, farming, and preparing food, as well as the emotional challenges of living in constant proximity to nature's dangers. The family's resilience in the face of these hardships is a testament to their strength and adaptability.

Highlights

A young girl named Laura lives in the Big Woods of Wisconsin with her family in a log house.

The Big Woods are described as a vast, uninhabited area filled with wild animals like wolves, bears, and wild cats.

Laura's home is surrounded by trees, and the nearest neighbors are miles away.

Laura's family includes her sister Mary, baby sister Carrie, and her parents, whom she calls 'Paw' and 'Ma'.

The family relies on hunting for food, and Laura's father, Paw, is skilled at providing for the family.

The family prepares for winter by salting and smoking venison to preserve it.

Paw constructs a unique smoking device from a hollow log to cure the meat.

The family also catches and stores fish from Lake Pepin for the winter.

Paw owns a pig that is caught and fattened for butchering.

A humorous incident occurs when Paw tries to shoot a bear but misses, saving the pig but not the bear.

The garden provides a variety of vegetables that are stored in the cellar for winter use.

The process of butchering the pig is described in detail, including the use of every part of the animal.

Laura and Mary play with the pig's bladder and roast the pig's tail, creating a memorable experience.

Ma is busy making lard, head cheese, and sausage from the pork.

The attic becomes a playroom for Laura and Mary, filled with the smells of smoked meats and dried herbs.

Paw's storytelling and fiddle playing provide entertainment and warmth during the cold winter months.

The story emphasizes the importance of self-sufficiency and the close relationship with nature in the Big Woods.

Transcripts

Little House in the Big Woods

Once Upon a Time many years ago a little

girl lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin

in a little gray house made of logs

the Great Dark trees of the Big Woods

stood all around the house and Beyond

them were other trees and Beyond them

were more trees

as far as a man could go to the North in

a day or a week or a whole month there

was nothing but Woods

there were no houses there were no roads

there were no people

there were only trees and the wild

animals who had their homes among them

wolves lived in the Big Woods and bears

and huge wild cats

muskrats and mink and Otter lived by the

streams

foxes had dens in the hills and deer

roamed everywhere

to the east of the little log house and

to the West there were miles upon miles

of trees and only a few little log

houses scattered far apart in the edge

of the Big Woods

so far as the little girl could see

there was only the one little house

where she lived with her father and

mother her sister Mary and baby sister

Carrie

a wagon track ran before the house

turning and twisting out of sight in the

Woods Where the wild animals lived but

the little girl did not know where it

went nor what might be at the end of it

the little girl was named Laura and she

called her father paw and Her Mother Ma

in those days and in that place children

did not say father and mother nor mama

and papa as they do now

at night when Laura Lay awake in the

trundle bed she listened and could not

hear anything at all but the sound of

the trees Whispering together

sometimes far away in the night a wolf

howled

then he came nearer and howled again

it was a scary sound

Laura knew that wolves would eat little

girls

but she was safe inside the solid log

walls

her father's gun hung over the door and

good old Jack the brindle bulldog lay on

guard before it

her father would say

go to sleep Laura jack won't let the

wolves in

Solara snuggled under the covers of the

trundle bed close beside Mary and went

to sleep

one night her father picked her up out

of bed and carried her to the window so

that she might see the wolves

there were two of them sitting in the

front of the house

they looked like shaggy dogs they

pointed their noses at the big bright

moon and howled

Jack paced up and down before the door

growling the hair stood up along his

back and he showed his sharp Fierce

teeth to the Wolves they howled but they

could not get in

the house was a comfortable house

upstairs there was a large attic

Pleasant to play in when the rain

drummed on the roof

downstairs was the small bedroom and the

big room

the bedroom had a window that closed

with a wooden shutter

the big room had two windows with glass

in the panes and it had two doors a

front door and a back door

all around the house was a crooked rail

fence to keep the Bears and the deer

away

in the yard in front of the house were

two beautiful big oak trees

every morning as soon as she was awake

Laura ran to look out of the window and

one morning she saw in each of the Big

Trees a dead deer hanging from a branch

paw had shot the deer the day before and

Laura had been asleep when he brought

them home at night and hung them high in

the trees so the Wolves could not get

the meat

that day PAW and Ma and Laura and Mary

had fresh venison for dinner it was so

good that Laura wished they could eat it

all

but most of the meat must be salted and

smoked and packed away to be eaten in

the winter

for winter was coming the days were

shorter and frost called up the window

panes at night

soon the snow would come then the log

house would be almost buried in snow

drifts and the lake and the streams

would freeze

in the bitter cold weather Paul could

not be sure of finding any wild game to

shoot for meat

the Bears would be hidden away in their

dens where they slept soundly all winter

long the squirrels would be curled in

their nests and Hollow trees with their

Furry Tails wrapped snugly around their

noses the deer and the rabbits would be

shy and Swift

even if Park could get a deer it would

be poor and thin not fat and plump as

deer are in the fall

Paul might hunt alone all day in the

bitter cold in the Big Woods covered

with snow and come home at night with

nothing from Ma and Mary and Laura to

eat

so as much food as possible must be

stored away in the little house before

winter came

past skinned the deer carefully and

salted and stretched the hides for he

would make soft leather of them

then he cut up the meat and sprinkled

salt over the pieces as he laid them on

a board

standing on end in the yard was a tall

length cut from the trunk of a big

hollow tree paw had driven Nails inside

as far as he could reach from each end

then he stood it up put a little roof

over the top and cut a little door on

one side near the bottom

on the piece that he cut out he fastened

leather hinges

then he fitted it into place and that

was the little door with a bark still on

it

after the deer meat had been salted

several days paw cut a hole near the end

of each piece and put a string through

it Laura watched him do this and then

she watched him hang the meat on the

nails in the hollow log

he reached up through the little door

and hung meat on the nails as far up as

he could reach then he put a ladder

against the log climbed up to the top

moved the roof to one side and reached

down inside to hang meat on those nails

then paw put the roof back again climbed

down the ladder and said to Laura

run over to the chopping block and fetch

me some of those green hickory chips new

clean white ones

so Laura ran to the block where paw

chopped wood and filled her apron with

the fresh sweet smelling chips

just inside the little door in the

hollow log paw built a fire of tiny bits

of bark and Moss and he laid some of the

chips on it very carefully

instead of burning quickly the green

chip smoldered and filled the hollow log

with thick choking smoke

paw shut the door and a little smoke

squeezed through the crack around it and

a little smoke came out through the roof

but most of it was shot in with the meat

there's nothing better than good hickory

smoke paw said that will make good

venison that will keep anywhere in any

weather

then he took his gun and slinging his ax

on his shoulder he went away to the

clearing to cut down some more trees

Laura and Ma watched the fire for

several days

when smoke stopped coming through the

cracks Laura would bring more hickory

chips and Ma would put them on the fire

under the meat

all the time there was a little smell of

smoke in the yard and when the door was

opened a thick Smoky meaty smell came

out

at last paw said the venison had smoked

long enough then they let the fire go

out and PAW took all the strips and

pieces of meat out of the hollow tree

ma wrapped each piece neatly in paper

and hung them in the Attic where they

would keep safe and dry

one morning Paul went away before

daylight with the horses and wagon and

that night he came home with a wagon

load of fish the big wagon box was piled

full and some of the fish were as big as

Laura

paw had gone to Lake Pepin and caught

them all with a net

ma cut large slices of flaky white fish

without one bone for Laura and Mary they

all feasted on the good fresh fish all

they did not eat fresh was salted down

in barrels for the winter

Paul owned a pig it ran wild in the Big

Woods living on acorns and nuts and

Roots now he caught it and put it in a

pen made of logs to fatten he would

butcher it as soon as the weather was

cold enough to keep the pork Frozen

once in the middle of the night Laura

woke up and heard the pig squealing paw

jumped out of bed snatched his gun from

the wall and ran Outdoors then Laura

heard the gun go off once twice

when Paul came back he told what had

happened he had seen a big black bear

standing beside the pig pen

the bear was reaching into the pen to

grab the Pig and the pig was running and

squealing

Paul saw this in the Starlight and he

fired quickly but the light was dim and

in his haste he missed the bear

the bear ran away into the woods not

hurt at all

Laura was sorry Pa did not get the bear

she liked bear meat so much Paul was

sorry too but he said anyway I saved the

bacon

the garden behind the little house had

been growing all summer it was so near

the house that the deer did not jump the

fence and eat the vegetables in the

daytime and at night Jack kept them away

sometimes in the morning there were

little hoof prints among the carrots and

the cabbages but Jack's tracks were

there too and the deer had jumped right

out again

now the potatoes and carrots the beets

and turnips and cabbages were gathered

and stored in the cellar for freezing

nights had come

onions were made into long ropes braided

together by their tops and then were

hung in the Attic beside wreaths of red

peppers strung on threads the pumpkins

and the squashes were piled in orange

and yellow and green heaps in the attics

corners

the barrels of salted fish were in the

pantry and yellow cheeses were stacked

on the pantry shelves

then one day Uncle Henry came riding out

of the Big Woods he had come to help paw

butcher Ma's big butcher knife was

already sharpened and Uncle Henry had

brought Aunt Polly's butcher knife

near the pig pen paw and Uncle Henry

built a bonfire and heeded a great

kettle of water over it

when the water was boiling they went to

kill the hog

then Laura ran and hit her head on the

bed and stopped her ears with her

fingers so she could not hear the hog

squeal

it doesn't hurt him Laura paw said we do

it so quickly

but she did not want to hear him squeal

in a minute she took one finger

cautiously out of an ear and listened

the hog had stopped squealing was great

fun

it was such a busy day with so much to

see and do Uncle Henry and Paul were

jolly and there would be spare ribs for

dinner and Paul had promised Laura and

Mary the bladder and the pig's tail

as soon as the hog was dead Paul and

Uncle Henry lifted it up and down in the

boiling water till it was well scalded

then they laid it on a board and scraped

it with their knives and all the

bristles came off

after that they hung the hog in a tree

took out the insides and left it hanging

to cool

when it was cool they took it down and

cut it up there were hams and shoulders

side Meat and spare ribs and belly there

was the heart and the liver and the

tongue and the head to be made into head

cheese and the dish pan full of bits to

be made into sausage

the meat was laid on a board in the back

door shed and every piece was sprinkled

with salt

the hams and the shoulders were put to

pickle and brine for they would be

smoked like the venison in the hollow

log

you can't beat Hickory cured ham paw

said he was blowing up the bladder it

made a little white balloon and he tied

the end tight with a string and gave it

to Mary and Laura to play with they

could throw it into the air and spat it

back and forth with their hands or it

would bounce along the ground and they

could kick it

but even better fun than a balloon was

the pig's tail

Paul skinned it for them carefully and

into the large end he thrust a sharpened

stick

ma opened the front of the cook stove

and raked hot coals out into the iron

Hearth then Laura and Mary took turns

holding the pig's tail over the coals

it sizzled and fried and drops of fat

dripped off it and blazed on the coals

ma sprinkled it with salt their hands

and their faces got very hot and Laura

burned her finger but she was so excited

she did not care

roasting the pig's tail was such fun

that it was hard to play fair taking

turns

at last it was done it was nicely

browned all over and how good it smelled

They carried it into the yard to cool it

and even before it was cool enough they

began tasting it and burned their

tongues

they ate every little bit of meat off

the bones and then they gave the bones

to Jack and that was the end of the

pig's tail

there would not be another one till next

year

Uncle Henry went home after dinner and

Paul went away to his work in the Big

Woods but for Laura and Mary and Ma

butchering time had only begun

it was a great deal for ma to do and

Laura and Mary helped her

all that day and the next ma was trying

out the lard in big iron pots on the

cook stove

Laura and Mary carried wood and watched

the fire it must be hot but not too hot

or the lard would burn

the big pot simmered and boiled but they

must not smoke from time to time ma

skimmed out the brown cracklings

she put them in a cloth and squeezed out

every bit of the lard and then she put

the cracklings away she would use them

to flavor Johnny Cake later

cracklings were very good to eat but

Laura and Mary could have only a taste

they were too rich for little girls ma

said

Moss scraped and cleaned the head

carefully and then she boiled it till

all the meat fell off the bones

she chopped the meat fine with her

chopping knife in the wooden Bowl she

seasoned it with pepper and salt and

spices then she mixed the pot liquor

with it and set it away in a pan to cool

when it was cool it would be cut in

slices and that was head cheese

the little pieces of meat lean and fat

that had been cut off the large pieces

ma chopped and chopped until it was all

chopped fine

she seasoned it with salt and pepper and

with dried Sage leaves from the garden

then with her hands she tossed and

turned it until it was well mixed and

she molded it into little balls she put

the balls in a pan out in the shed where

they would freeze and be good to eat all

winter

that was the sausage

when butchering time was over there were

the sausages and the head cheese the big

jars of lard and the keg of white salt

pork out in the shed and in the Attic

hung the smoked hams and shoulders

the little house was fairly bursting

with good food stored away for The Long

Winter the pantry and the shed and the

cellar were full and so was the Attic

Laura and Mary must play in the house

now for it was cold outdoors and the

brown leaves were all falling from the

trees

the fire in the cook stove never went

out

at night paw banked it with ashes to

keep the coals alive till morning

the attic was a lovely place to play the

large round-colored pumpkins made

beautiful chairs and tables the red

peppers and the onions dangled overhead

the hams and the venison hung in their

paper wrappings and all the Bunches of

dried herbs the spicy herbs for cooking

and the bitter herbs for medicine gave

the place a Dusty spicy smell

often the wind howled outside with a

cold and Lonesome sound

but in the Attic Laura and Mary played

house with the squashes and the pumpkins

and everything was snug and cozy

Mary was bigger than Laura and she had a

rag doll named Nettie Laura had only a

corn cob wrapped in a handkerchief but

it was a good doll it was named Susan it

wasn't Susan's fault that she was only a

corn cob

sometimes Mary let Laura hold Nettie but

she did it only when Susan couldn't see

the best times of all were at night

after supper Paul brought his traps in

from the shed to grease them by the fire

he rubbed them bright and greased the

hinges of the Jaws and the Springs of

the pans with a feather dipped in Bear's

Grease

there were small traps and middle-sized

traps and Great Bear traps with teeth in

their jaws that paw said would break a

man's leg if they shut onto it

while he greased the traps paw told

Laura and Mary little jokes and stories

and afterward he would play his fiddle

the doors and windows were tightly shut

and the cracks of the window frame

stuffed with cloth to keep out the cold

but black Susan the cat came and went to

she pleased day and night through the

swinging door of the cat hole in the

bottom of the front door

she always went very quickly so the door

would not catch her tail when it fell

shut behind her

one night when Paul was greasing the

traps he watched black Susan come in and

he said

there once was a man who had two cats a

big cat and a little cat

Laura and Mary ran to lean on his knees

and hear the rest

he had two cats Paul repeated

a big cat and a little cat

so he made a big cat hole in his door

for the big cat and then he made a

little cat hole for the little cat

their paw stopped

but why couldn't the little cat Mary

begin because the big cat wouldn't let

it Laura interrupted

Laura that's very rude you must never

interrupt said Paul but I see he said

that either one of you has more sense

than the man who cut the two cat holes

in his door

then he laid away the traps and he took

his fiddle out of its box and began to

play

that was the best time of all