Summary

The short story “The Drover’s Wife” by Henry Lawson features a woman who lives alone in the Australian outback with her four children and a dog. Her husband is a drover, who is often away with the sheep. One day, the eldest boy, Tommy, spots a snake and calls out to his mother. Before they can kill it, the snake crawls under their hut. Because the snake is still under the house when the evening comes, the woman arranges for the children to sleep on the kitchen table while she keeps watch. She also takes the dog inside the house to keep watch with her.

During the night, she remembers various moments in her life, such as the happy times when her husband took her to the city. She also remembers various hardships she endured while her husband was aw...