A Little Princess Sara

- Season 1

(1985)

Sarah arrives in London after a long journey from India with her father. He then brings her to a beautiful boarding school run by Miss Minchin.

On her father's last day in London, Sarah asks him to get her a doll that she names Emily. She knows she will miss him terribly.

Sarah wakes up to her new life away from her father. The other students are very interested in the new girl staying in the special, fancy room.

When she sees the other students ridiculing little Ermengarde, Sarah sticks up for her and the two become friends. Ermengarde tries to visit her aunt.

As the youngest student at the seminary, Lottie can be a handful. But Sarah becomes fond of her when she learns that she also lost her mother.

A girl from the countryside named Becky comes to the seminary to work as a maid, and is made to work excessive hours. Sarah feels sorry for her.

To impress the mayor's wife, Miss Minchin has Sarah lead the students on their walk to church, making Lavinia very jealous.

Exhausted and overworked, Becky falls asleep while cleaning Sarah's room. When Sarah finds her, she treats her kindly and they become friends.

After getting into an argument with Lavinia, Sarah invites everyone to a tea party in her room so they can all get along.

Miss Minchin is giddy when she confirms that Sarah's father has in fact invested in a diamond mine. Becky prepares a gift for Sarah's birthday.

In the middle of Sarah's birthday party, the solicitor Barrow comes bearing devastating news. Miss Minchin takes her anger out on Sarah.

Realizing that it would reflect poorly on the seminary if she were to drive Sarah out now, Miss Minchin decides to let her stay as a servant.

In her dark and dreary attic room, Sarah hugs Emily and cries. Becky comes into her room and promises to help her adjust to her new life.

Sara's new situation is beginning to change her. She becomes more quiet which is is not that striking, however, due to the fact that she has not the opportunity to speak with other people too often. Ermengarde fears Sara doesn't like her anymore and is very anxious about this thought. One night she decides to visit Sara on the attic.

Sarah is sent to the market, but she gets robbed before she can buy anything. Just as she's losing all hope, she sees Peter, who helps her out.

Though Sarah is forbidden from interacting with the students, Lottie goes up to the attic to visit her old friend and they spend the night talking.

Sarah gets caught sneaking a scrap of bread up to the rat in her attic room. Ermengarde visits Sarah and also finds out about the rat.

Sarah and Becky must work extra hard to prepare for the Maypole celebrations. On her way back from the market, a little boy takes pity on her.

Sarah is devastated when the letters she'd sent to her father are returned. She visits the solicitor Barrow and asks about her father's final days.

Becky and Sarah are told to clean and prepare the special room once occupied by Sarah. They wonder who will be moving into the lavish chamber.

Needing potatoes, James sends Sarah back out to the market in the pouring rain. She returns exhausted and wet, her spirit almost broken.

Late one night, Ermengarde, Lottie and Becky all go up to Sarah's attic room. They share food and have a party, but Miss Minchin catches them.

Becky and Sarah are both perpetually weak and hungry. While out running errands, Sarah finds four pence on the ground in front of a bakery.

For her birthday, Lavinia wants Sarah's special doll, Emily. As much as it breaks her heart, Sarah knows she must let Lavinia have her way.

The mayor's wife wants to see Sarah again, so Miss Minchin appoints Sarah class representative for a day and lets her be a student again.

Though she gets no relief from her other duties, Sarah enjoys tutoring the younger students in French.

The French teacher isn't fooled when Lavinia gets Sarah to do her homework for her. Embarrassed, Lavinia gets Miss Minchin to fire the French teacher.

The students all return home to their parents for the summer holiday. Even Becky is sent home, leaving Sarah all alone.

Becky's mother is surprised to see her. At first, she worries that Becky was fired, but is relieved to hear that she has the summer off.

Sarah is lonely without her friends, so she gets excited when she sees that someone is moving into the house next door.

The gentleman next door seems very ill. Becky unexpectedly returns to the seminary early. While unpacking, she hears a terrifying sound in the attic.

It turns out that Mr. Carrisford, the man who recently moved next door to the seminary, is desperately looking for his dear friend Ralph's daughter.

Sarah and Becky are busy preparing the seminary for the new semester. The students return, and Lavinia goes right back to bullying Sarah.

Cold and exhausted, Sarah ends up falling asleep while lighting the stove in Lavinia's room. Then she's made to run errands in the storm.

Sarah is feverish and unable to get out of bed. Miss Minchin reluctantly agrees to call a doctor, who says she's suffering from an infectious disease.

Worried about the little girl in the attic next door, Mr. Carrisford asks Ram Dass to check up on her and help her.

The attic becomes a comfortable place for Sarah and Becky. Meanwhile, Peter cares a lot for Sarah. The last time he heard from her she was very sick. So he decides to visit her.

Sarah and Becky seem to be doing well even though they are hardly given anything to eat.Meanwhile,Miss Minchin is preparing a special punishment for Sarah.

Sarah is now made to sleep in the drafty, cold stable. Ermengarde demands to know why Lavinia is so cruel to Sarah.

Miss Amelia tells Sarah about her childhood, and what it was like to grow up with her elder sister, Miss Minchin. Like Sarah, they were also orphans.

Sarah and Becky prepare for the Halloween party. Lavinia and the other girls frighten Lottie, who ends up tossing her lantern and starting a fire.

Miss Minchin accuses Sarah of starting the fire and orders her to leave. Sarah then says goodbye to her friends and walks out into the cold.

Sarah sells matches on the street on a cold, snowy day, when Donald sees her and stops to buy some matches. Then Peter brings her to Miss Amelia.

When the search for Ralph's daughter in Paris is fruitless, Mr. Carrisford wonders if she might be somewhere here in London.

Miss Minchin comes to Mr. Carrisford's house to drag Sarah back to the seminary, but is instead shocked to hear that Sarah's fortunes have changed.

Sarah makes a generous donation to the seminary. She then prepares for a journey back to India to tie up loose ends.