Ep 1. The Collection

In "The Collection," the season 3 premiere of Little House on the Prairie, the Ingalls family is struggling to make ends meet after a series of crop failures. When Charles (played by Michael Landon) decides to sell his treasured fiddle to raise money, Laura (Melissa Gilbert) takes it upon herself to find a way to get it back.

Laura learns that a local merchant named Oleson (Richard Bull) has acquired a collection of rare and valuable fiddles, including one that Charles once owned. Mr. Oleson refuses to sell the fiddle back to Charles, so Laura comes up with a plan to persuade him to change his mind. She rounds up the other kids in town and stages a protest outside Mr. Oleson's store, refusing to leave until he agrees to sell back the fiddle.

As the protest drags on, tensions rise and tempers flare. The adults in town are skeptical of the kids' efforts, and some even suggest that they are being disrespectful. Meanwhile, Laura's determination to get the fiddle back puts her in conflict with her own father, who worries that she is being too stubborn and endangering her own safety.

Despite the opposition, Laura and her friends continue their protest, singing and playing instruments outside the store in the hopes of swaying Mr. Oleson's sympathies. Eventually, their efforts pay off, and Mr. Oleson agrees to sell the fiddle back to Charles on the condition that he pays a steep price for it.

In the end, Charles is able to buy back his beloved fiddle, but the experience has left a lasting impact on the town. The protest has brought out both the best and worst in people, exposing the deep divides that exist between different factions of the community. As the Ingalls family returns home with the fiddle, they know that the struggle to make a life for themselves on the prairie is far from over. But they also know that they have each other, and that their love and determination will help them face whatever challenges the future holds.