Under the Lilacs

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Under the Lilacs
Under the Lilacs Illus.jpg
"Ben and Sancho", illustration from an 1888 edition of Under the Lilacs
AuthorLouisa May Alcott
Publication date
1878

Under the Lilacs is a children's novel by Louisa May Alcott, first published in 1878.

Contents

Plot [1]

Bab and Betty, two little girls, are having a tea party with their dolls when an unknown dog appears and steals their cake. The girls find the dog, Sancho, along with his owner Ben Brown, a run-away from the circus who is hiding in their play barn in a carriage. They discover that Ben is a horse master and when he is taken in by the Moss', they get him a job on a neighboring farm. It is there that he works with horses and drive cows. Ben eventually finds out that his father, whom he loves dearly, is dead. A neighbor, Miss Celia, helps him through his grief and he moves in with her and her brother Thornton who is fourteen. Ben has a job, and a family, and an opportunity for education. Ben has a wonderful life now, but his life in the circus was full of adventure and excitement which is a struggle for Ben. Many adventures and summer-happenings go on in Celia's house, as Ben slowly finds his place among his friends. Sancho gets lost and later is found by Betty with his tail cut off. Sancho's temper is therefore affected forever prompting him to be unfriendly to tramps and strangers, Ben is accused of stealing, Miss Celia gets hurt, and Ben takes a wild ride on her horse, Lita. They have an archery competition, where Ben emerges as the winner almost beaten by Bab. In the end Ben's father is revealed to be alive and he comes home. There they both settle down.

See also

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References

  1. "Under the Lilacs by Alcott, Louisa May". www.biblio.com. Retrieved 2016-11-09.