Pippi Longstocking Chapter 11 Summary

Pippi Celebrates Her Birthday

  • Tommy and Annika find a letter in their mailbox, which turns out to be a (questionably spelled) invitation to Pippi's birthday party.
  • After school, with the help of their mother, Tommy and Annika get dressed up and head over to Pippi's with the present they bought her on their way home that day.
  • When they arrive, Pippi first scares them by mentioning ghosts, then welcomes them into the bright, warm kitchen.
  • They congratulate Pippi on her birthday and give her the present—a music box, which delights Pippi immensely.
  • Pippi then tells them she has presents for them.
  • She gives Tommy an ivory flute and Annika a brooch.
  • After presents, Tommy says the gentlemen—a.k.a. he and Mr. Nilsson—should have cards telling them which ladies they are to take in to dinner since that's the way it's always done at his parents' parties.
  • Pippi insists the horse should have a card too, and once all the cards are done, they go to the table for hot chocolate, whipped cream, and cakes. (Some dinner.)
  • After that they play games, and then Pippi suggests they go up into the attic and visit the ghosts.
  • Annika is terrified, but she accompanies Pippi and Tommy to the attic because she's more scared to be left alone.
  • They don't find any ghosts in the attic, but moments later, Annika and Tommy mistake Pippi for a ghost when she appears wearing her father's old nightshirt, which she found in a sea chest.
  • Upon examining the chest more closely, Pippi finds a few other treasures, including three pistols, two of which she fires off moments later in the kitchen just after saying, "Never let children handle firearms."
  • She gives one pistol each to Tommy and Annika and tells them that now they can form a robber band if they want.
  • That's when Tommy and Annika's father arrives to take them home. (Good timing, Mr. Settergren. Just in time for the guns.)
  • Pippi follows them to the porch and watches them cross the lawn. When they reach the gate, she calls after them: "I'm going to be a pirate when I grow up. Are you?" (11.80).