Pippi Longstocking Chapter 7 Summary

Pippi Goes to the Circus

  • Annika and Tommy invite Pippi to go see a circus that's come to town.
  • Pippi doesn't know what a "surkus" is, but wants to get a look at one and agrees to go.
  • Because Pippi pays for her ticket with a genuine gold piece and refuses to accept any change, the ticket lady upgrades all of the children's tickets so they are seated in the grandstand—lovely red chairs right next to the ring.
  • The first act features ten white horses, and when one stops right in front of the children, Pippi shakes hands—uh… hooves?—with it and offers it greetings from her horse at home.
  • The second act features a lady riding a black horse, and when they ride past the kids, Pippi hops onto the horse with the lady, Miss Carmencita.
  • The audience loves Pippi's performance, but neither Miss Carmencita nor the ringmaster are amused.
  • Two guards try to throw Pippi out, but give up when they are unable to budge her.
  • The tightrope walker is the next act, and Pippi joins in on that one as well.
  • The ringmaster wants Pippi gone, but the crowd cheers for her and demands he let her stay.
  • He attempts to sabotage her by undoing the tightrope wire (hello? can you say lawsuit?), but Pippi just swings around for a while and then lands on the ringmaster before returning to her seat.
  • Next the ringmaster introduces the circus strongman, the Mighty Adolf, and offers one hundred dollars to anyone who can beat him in a wrestling match.
  • You can guess who takes him on. And wins. Much to the audience's delight.
  • When the ringmaster attempts to give Pippi a one hundred dollar bill, Pippi tells him she has no use for an old piece of paper and suggests he use it to fry some fish. (Huh? Hey, we're just telling you what she said. Don't blame the messenger.)
  • After that Pippi goes back to her seat and takes a nap. (She's big on naps, we've noticed. Smart girl.)