The conflict begins when Harriet Oleson insults the quality of Caroline Ingalls' eggs, leading Nels to defend Caroline and eventually reach his breaking point with Harriet's behavior. Following a massive argument where Nels tells Harriet the town would be better off if she were "locked in a cage and fed with a stick," the couple decides to separate. Harriet intends to leave Walnut Grove and take the children back East for good.
Nels moves out of the mercantile, and the two briefly consider a permanent legal split. The conflict begins when Harriet Oleson insults the
Harriet offers Caroline a lower price for her eggs, claiming they are inferior, which sparks the initial fight between Nels and Harriet. claiming they are inferior