Soon after, a storm arrives and stays for several days. He doesn't accept, but he is so moved by the gesture that his morale is greatly improved. When a drought threatens to doom the ranch, Kate and Jancsi each offer Marton their entire month's pay as ranch-hands. In living with her aunt and uncle, Kate has learned about compassion and generosity. Jancsi, who cannot swim, bravely rides his horse into the water to rescue his cousin. Some time later, ignoring Jancsi's warnings, Kate swims into the deepest part of the river and is nearly carried away by the current.

Marton takes everyone to the fair, where Kate causes a scene by publicly debunking one of the sideshows. Kate is now proactive, doing chores of her own volition, but she's yet to master common sense. In the following days, Kate meets the shepherds and herdsmen of the ranch, listening to stories selected from their rich oral tradition. In recognition of her progress, Marton buys Kate a white horse named 'Milky.' To everyone's surprise, little Kate, caught in great peril, heroically uses Milky to reign in a stampeding herd of cattle. Kate spends Easter on the ranch, participating in local holiday traditions. Kate's cousin Jancsi teaches her to ride a horse, and the two children build a fast friendship. Accustomed to the city-comforts of Budapest, Kate initially rebels against her uncle, but soon discovers a fondness for ranch life. In the end of the story, her father Sandor comes to live with her on the ranch.Īt the novel begins, school-teacher Sandor Nagy sends his incorrigible daughter Kate to stay with his brother Marton, who owns a ranch on the Hungarian plain. Kate adapts to country life, where she learns the value of hard work, as well as compassion and generosity. In The Good Master, rebellious Kate goes to live with her uncle in the country.

The Good Master by Kate Seredy