Bebee — Louise de la Ramee

Bébée is a young woman of sixteen. She is an orphan, having been found drifting in the river amongst the water lilies to die. Old Antoine Mäes fished her out of the waters and took care of her as though she were his own. But when Antoine dies, the old women of the village come to pester her. They are not thinking of what is best for Bébée, but what is best for them -- and each one, in turn, offers Bébée a deal. One says she will live with Bébée and wants nothing in return, but a few pieces of bread and some flowers to sell. Another woman offers Bébée her sons, who will till her land and grow vegetables -- leaving Bébée to want for nothing. Bébée sees through all this and insists that she can make it on her own. She will live in the hut and take care of the flower as Old Antoine had asked her.

Bébée must survive the onslaughts of these women, she comes to realize, or she will lose the only home that she's ever known.

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Louise de la Ramée wrote over forty novels including flamboyant romances of trend setters as well as children's books. She also wrote under the pseudonym Ouida, a word derived from her own baby-talk of the name Louise. Her most famous novel was Under Two Flags, which was dramatized on stage and screen.