Caddie Woodlawn

We just finished reading Caddie Woodlawn.  It's a wonderful story of a pioneer girl and her family's adventures.  Caddie is a bit of a tomboy, but as the story progresses she finds herself moving into womanhood.   After Caddie had played a trick on her visiting cousin her father has a talk with her:

"....It's a strange thing, but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys.  It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful.  What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way!   A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness.  It's a big task, too, Caddie- harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers.  It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness.  A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's.  But no man could ever do it so well.  I don't want you to be the silly, affected person with fine clothes and manners that folks sometimes call a lady.  No, that is not what I want for you, my little girl.  I want you to be a woman with a wise and understanding heart, healthy in body and honest in mind.  Do you think you would like to be growing up into that woman now?  How about it, Caddie, have we run with the colts long enough?"

"...But something strange had happened to Caddie in the night.  When she awoke she knew that she need not be afraid of growing up.  It was not just sewing and weaving and wearing stays.  It was something more thrilling than that.  It was a responsibility, but as Father spoke of it, it was a beautiful and precious one, and Caddie was ready to meet it."