By what method is the story told?
a flashback
What is the setting of the story?
the Ozark Mountains (Oklahoma)
Who is the main character of the story? Who are the other characters introduced in this section of the novel?
Billy; Old Dan and Little Ann
What "terrible disease" did the main character say he had?
puppy love
What did Papa give the boy in place of what he wanted, and what was the result?
he gave him a puppy but Billy only wanted two coonhounds
Why couldn't the boy have what he wanted?
because his family couldn't afford it
Describe the boy's plan to get what he wanted.
He would work countless hours and try to earn enough money to get the 2 coonhounds
How long did it take for the boy to earn the money?
2 years
What was the grandfather's reaction when the boy told him his plan?
he was astonished and surprised
Describe the boy's journey to pick up his purchase.
he walks for 20 miles up the river and meets old ladies, his reflection, and mean kids in a school yard
What is the boy's name?
Billy
Describe what happened at the depot.
Billy got his first taste of soda from the Marshal
Describe what happened as Billy was walking through town.
some old ladies laugh at him because of what he is wearing
What did Billy encounter while camping that night, and what did he do about it?
he encountered a mountain lion and he used his fire to make it back away from them
What did Billy name his dogs, and why did he give them those specific names?
Old Dan and Little Ann; because he saw them on a tree
Describe what happened when Billy arrived home with his dogs.
his mom was very worried and his dad was kinda happy to see his son becoming a man
What did Billy's parents tell him they wanted to do someday, and why?
they wanted to move to the city for better education for Billy and his sisters
What was the next item that Billy needed, and why did he need it?
a coonskin; to train his dogs
Whom did Billy talk to when he needed advice about hunting coons?
his Grandpa
What did Billy say about his communication with his dogs?
that they could understand every word he said
How did Billy's parents feel about his hunting?
his mom was worried and his dad was ok with it
How old was Billy when he went coon hunting for the first time?
13
What did Billy realize about the way his father was talking to talking to him?
he was talking to him like he was a man
What feeling did Billy get on his first, when Old Dan bawled the first time? What did he do after he also heard Little Ann's bawl?
he was happy that he had trained his pups
Where had the hounds treed their first coon?
the big Sycamore in the middle of the forest
Describe Billy's thoughts and feelings when he saw where hounds had treed their first coon.
that it was going to be hard for him to get the coon
How did the members of Billy's family feel about his decision?
they were skeptical at first but then trusted him and left him alone to cut the tree down
How did Billy's grandfather keep the coon in the tree while Billy went home to rest?
he set up a scarecrow
What interesting news about coonskins did Billy's grandfather share with him?
that the price had went up
What was the outcome of Billy's efforts?
he earned money for his family
What happened to first coon hide?
Billy's mom turned it into a coonskin cap
What did Billy do with the coon skins? What did he do with the money he made?
put them on the smokehouse's walls; he gave all of it to his father
Describe both of Old Dan's predicaments and how they were resolved.
Old Dan gets into a fight with Old Blue -- Old Dan and Little Ann team up on him and win the fight
Old Dan fights the mountain lion -- Old Dan dies
Describe Little Ann predicament and how it is resolved.
she gets stuck in the ice water -- Billy saves her
What did Billy tell his parents about his evening adventures?
he lied and said everything was fine
What happened to Billy after he returned home?
the tree fell down because of the wind
Billy asked his mother if God answered all prayers. What was her response?
she said that she didn't know if he did or not
What was the bet Billy's grandfather made with the Pritchard boys? Why did he make it?
that Billy's dogs were able to tree the ghost coon; because he felt threatened by them and wanted to prove a point
Why did the Pritchard boys refer to the coon as the "ghost coon"?
because he would climb up a tree and disappear
At one point while the boys were watching the dogs chase the coon, Billy said he felt good all over. What did he feel good about?
him training his dogs
Why did Billy pay off his bet?
because he didn't kill the ghost coon
What caused Little Ann to through up her head and whine?
Where was the coon?
on a branch hanging over the gate
What did Billy decide to do about the ghost coon and why?
he decided to let it go; because he realized that there are so many other coons and that the ghost coon had lived there for a long time
What did Rubin do when Billy asked for his money back?
he got mad at Billy and tackled him to the ground
What were the dogs doing while the boys were fighting?
Old Dan and Little Ann were fighting Old Blue
What did Rubin do, and what was the result of his actions?
he charged at Little Ann and Old Dan; he tripped and fell on the ax (he died)
What did Billy do to show his sorrow for his actions?
he went to the grave and set down some flowers
What news did Billy's grandfather tell him a few days after the accident?
that there was a championship coon hunt happening and that Billy should enter it
Who went on the trip?
Grandpa, Billy, Papa, Old Dan, Little Ann
What happened on the trip that made Billy feel more grown up?
he got to drink coffee
Which contest did Billy enter first, and what the result?
the beauty contest and Little Ann won it
Where did Billy think they should go on their first night of hunting?
far down river
Where did the hounds run the first coon?
upriver toward the campground
How many coons did the dogs kill on their first night of competition?
2
What about the dogs surprised the judge?
that Billy could communicate with them
Where did Billy want to go on their final night of hunting, and why?
by the swamp; it was a long way back to the river and the same distance to the mountains
The judge saw the two hounds stop and stare at Billy at the beginning of the hunt. What was Billy's explanation for these actions?
that he felt like they new that the hunt was important
Why did one of the hunters come around with a small box in his hands?
to collect the money for the winner
After the dogs killed the coon, what did they do that surprised the judge?
they were doctoring each other's wounds
What was the weather like on this part of the hunt?
sleet (blizzard)
What did the judge think they should do, and what was Billy's reply? What did the men finally do?
that they should split up; that they are more to the right of them; they went out into the storm
Describe what happened to Billy's grandfather, including how he was found.
he twisted his ankle and fell; Billy's dog went to go find him
What did they do after they had made Grandpa comfy?
they treed another coon
Where did the dogs go?
to the bank
What did the rest of the hunters do when they found Billy and the hunting party?
they went to go find Old Dan and Little Ann
Describe what happened when they found the dogs.
they were frozen and Billy screamed when he found out the news
What happened when they got back to camp?
they saw that Grandpa had a sprain
Describe the events when Billy and his father got home.
he gave the silver cup to his older sisters and the gold cup to his little sister; and the money to his mom
What did Billy see his mother doing as he was preparing for bed?
her praying with the dogs
What animal did Billy think the dogs had treed the night they went to the Cyclone Timber country?
a bobcat
How did Billy feel about the animal the dogs had treed?
that it wasn't a regular coon and he was worried about it
What unusual actions did Old Dan take, and how did Billy feel about it?
he growled and showed his teeth; he was worried about the "bobcat" attacking Old Dan
What animal had the dogs actually treed?
mountain lion
Describe the fight between the hounds and the other animal.
mountain lion attacked Old Dan and Little Ann tried to help; they held on to the mountain lion and eventually killed it with major wounds in the process
How did Billy feel about what his dogs had done?
he was proud of them
What did Billy discover about Old Dan as they were walking home? What did he do about it?
that his intestines were caught in a bush; when he got home he had his parents doctor the wound
What happened to the dogs?
they both died
What did Billy's parents tell him at dinner?
that they were going to move into town
What did Billy discover the day the family left the Ozarks? What was the significance of the discovery?
a red fern; that where ever a red fern grew it was a sacred spot
