Click title to read story.
Daemon – by AMG
Summary: A tale of a man and a horse.
Rating: PG
Words: 2,450
Dah-Gay: A Fable Told by Hop Sing – by JoaniePaiute
Summary: An extremely silly response to a Chaps & Spurs challenge. Also partly inspired by the thread “Feminizing the Cartwrights.” Little-Little Joe is driving Adam crazy. Hop Sing has the solution: it’s story time!
Rated: K WC 1400
Summary: Is there more to Ben’s attorney when he is charged with murder?
Rating: T 66,300 words
Summary: A WHN for A Time To Step Down.
Rated T Word Count: 38816
Damsels in Distress – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Thanks to the machinations of a conniving editor, Ben finds himself besieged by needy females in a town whose male population has been ravaged by accidents and disease.
Rating: K 7,429words
Dance #1 – The Dance – by BettyHT
Summary: Adam meets a lady with clumsiness issues but other attributes he finds attractive and that make him act out of character; Hoss meets a woman very different from himself but the two bring out the best in each other; Joe’s romance is the one with more obstacles but those cause him to finally accept what a mature relationship is.
Rating: T Word count: 38,221
Dance #2 -Children of the Dance – by BettyHT
Summary: First there were the romances and then the natural next step although there are some events and problems as not all goes smoothly because these are Cartwright romances and marriages,
Rating: T Word count: 14,157
Dance #3 – Dancing Bear – by BettyHT
Summary: It is five years later, and there are children to bring to school, to teach lessons and guide, and to protect and the rest of the family dynamic to withstand because it’s never easy on the Ponderosa as the brothers learn to be fathers.
Rating: T Word count: 14,908
Summary: A box of treasures inspires brothers to remember another time from their lives.
Rating: G Words: 1740
Summary: Joe and a saloon dancer accidentally meet, and more problems arise than Joe ever expected.
Rating: PG Word Count: 19000
Dancing with Angels – by Inca / Tye
Summary: A series of misfortunes with the opposite sex threatens Joe’s relationship with his family and brings his life into mortal danger.
WC 44,000 Rated: T
Dang, He Smells Good – by BettyHT
Summary: Three women and one man. How is Adam supposed to choose when all three want him, but he can only romance one. Who will he choose? You get to choose for him.
rating = T WC = 1632
Dangerous Liaison: The Countess – by BluewindFarm
Summary: The Cartwrights had pulled it off; successfully defended the Ponderosa without firing a single gunshot. Yet, the triumph was overshadowed by a persistent question; was anyone truly a winner or a loser when it came to a bittersweet memory from the past?
Rating: G 595 words
Summary: The Cartwrights become embroiled in a young widow’s fight to protect her baby from her in-laws’ attempts to gain custody.
Rated: K+ 30,600
Summary: When a childish prank injures Hoss can Little Joe cope with the guilt?
Rated: K+ 10,580 words
Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (The) – by freyakendra
Summary: On a quiet night after a rough afternoon that could have taken their little brother from them, Hoss and Adam ponder Joe’s instincts and … athleticism.
Rated: K Word Count: 1,846
Summary: Joe is attacked and left for dead on the trail home after winning big at the poker table; and left with a case of amnesia.
Word Count: 23,700 Rated: T
Summary: It’s not always a person who can comfort after a nightmare.
Rating: K 1,000 words
Summary: Home from college, Adam is feeling out of sorts. What dark secret haunts his dreams? Past and present collide as he and Hoss are faced with a life-and-death struggle in the desert. Originally posted on bonanzaworld.
Rated: T WC 14,000
Summary: Problems ahead when Joe falls from his horse.
Rated: K+ 4,880 words
Darker Angels of Our Nature (The) – by McFair
Summary: An angel. A messenger. Sent to bring news, sometimes good, often bad. Which was this, the one who gazed at me? Had she come to reward or punish me? To return me to my family or cut me down as I deserved? Forgive me, Adam, Pa. Mama, forgive your little Joseph. If only, I had known….
Rated PG-13 for brutality and violence, minor torture, and some uncomfortable language. Story contains words in use by some people in the South during the 1860s such as ‘dusky’, ‘bright’, and so on when referring to African Americans.
Word count: 71,074
Summary: The darkness can be either a friend or an enemy. But when a man loses something very dear to him he discovers how deadly the darkness can become
Rated: K+ 10,975 words
Summary: Adam and Hoss spy Cochise standing in front of the saloon and no Joe in sight. After being informed someone else had ridden the horse, they threaten the rider to learn the truth.
Word Count: 12,500 Rated: T
Summary: When Little Joe’s best friend, Mitch Devlin, betrays Joe’s most private secrets to their older friends, Joe becomes the victim of the malicious joke. Joe suffers from both the physical and emotional turmoil of the boy’s so called fun. But what really eats away at Joe is why Mitch turned his back on him. Will he ever be able to forgive his very best friend for his betrayal?
Rated: G 21, 730 words
Das Kirchenpicknick – by Sibylle
Summary: Die Familie Cartwright besucht ein Kirchenpicknick, alles ist harmonisch und friedlich – oder doch nicht? Prequel 1846
Das Verursacherprinzip – by Sibylle
Summary: Eine kleine kurze Geschichte über Hop Sings täglichen Ärger mit den Cartwrights und dessen Folgen, angesiedelt um 1853.
Rated: K+ WC 1900
Summary: The Cartwrights have faced many challenges in their lives. Now they face one that will be with them always.
Rated: K 1,075 words
The Cartwright brothers compete against one another on Virginia City’s newest game show. Will it be bachelor #1, Bachelor #2, or Bachelor #3?
Rating: T Word Count: 1717
Daughter of the Night by BeckyS
Summary: This story takes place approximately twenty years after the events in the episode “Bushwhacked” and was written after the Tahoe Ladies ‘Borrowed Time’.
Rating: T 1,520 words
Dawson Gang (The) – by freyakendra
Summary: Heroism comes in all shapes and sizes, as the good folks of Virginia City discover when Sam Dawson and his notorious gang of outlaws hold the whole town under siege—all because Joe tried to help a woman in need and Adam was thirsty for a beer.
Rated: T WC 37,000
Days Between (The) – by Calim11
Summary: Adam contemplates another death, and the prospect of giving the euology.
Rating: K+ 13,240 words
Days of Discovery #1 – by DianaG
Summary: The boys find that a day’s work does not turn out as any of them expect.
Rating: G 9,740 words
Days of Discovery #2 – Journey to Heartbreak aka For the Love of Jamie – by Diana G
Summary: Adam befriends a young woman and her son.
Rating: G 26,680 words
Summary: Lessons are learned about change and youth and how neither are necessarily a bad thing. 10,585 words
Rated: T
Summary: Adam is ambushed, and everyone thinks they know who did it …
Rated: K+ 20,280 words
Summary: The Dutchman mine had long been boarded over, but finding some of their cattle within is only the beginning of their troubles.
Word Count: 5200 Rated: T
Dead Horse in Laredo – by RandyS
Summary: Becky Sims issued the following challenge in a writer’s group:
“Perhaps Randy would be willing to give us a two-page story on the moment Chad Cooper [Laredo] walks into a saloon yelling ‘Joe! Your horse just keeled over and died in the middle of the street!’ and Joe Cartwright is standing at the bar?”
Rating: K 2,000 words
Dead Man’s Canyon – by Jules / J7339
Summary: Little Joe thinks that his family doesn’t love him anymore. He is always being yelled at and getting into trouble. To add to his problems there is a substitute teacher at the school that has also taken a disliking to Joe.
Rated: K+ 49,570 words
Summary: After seeking refuge during an Indian attack, Joe finds himself in a high-stakes poker game where everything, including his life, is on the line.
Rating: K+ Word Count=3113
Summary: With Army money in their saddlebags, looking for a faster way home leads Ben and the boys to Dead Man’s Canyon.
Rating: T 13, 560 words
Dead Men Tell No Tales – by AC1830
Summary – October challenge – write another worldly story involving one or all the Cartwrights. The unthinkable has happened – all four Cartwrights are dead!
Rating – K, Word count – 2045
Dead Moon Rising – by Sierra Girl
Summary: On the night of a black moon, the three Cartwright brothers venture out for what should be a night of fun, merriment, and pretty girls. But when the moon’s shadow faces the earth, it’s never wise to leave the sanctuary of a warm home. For the youngest Cartwright, the night turns into a terrifying experience beyond his wildest imaginings. And one that only a trusted friend can help him overcome.
Rated: T (7,217 words)
Dead Mule Story (The) – A REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: With these three sons, this tale should never have been told. They’re your sons, Ben.
Rating: T 1,225 words
Summary: Little Joe has an unsettling night.
Rating: G Word Count: 633
Summary: A rare story of how the Cartwrights survived one particularly bad winter.
Rated: MA 5,510 words Not for faint of heart.
Summary: It’s New Year’s Eve and Death awaits its latest victim from the Ponderosa.
Rated: K+ WC 16,500
Summary: What is the sinister secret of the mysterious house on the cliff? Adam and Joe are about to find out – the hard way.
WC: 16,570 Rating: T
Deadeye Kid (The) #1 – The Daring Deeds of the Deadeye Kid – by Puchi Ann
Summary: When bandits invade the Ponderosa, a fourteen-year-old boy with an overactive imagination fed on dime novels decides that he and he alone can save his family.
Rating: K Word Count: 6,040
Deadeye Kid (the) #2 – The Deadeye Kid Rides Again – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Little Joe once again draws inspiration from his favorite dime novels when he is kidnapped and held for ransom.
Rating: K+ Word count 15, 138
Deadliest Disease (The) – by SusanG
Summary: Away from the Pondersoa, Joe becomes sick while staying overnight in Green Meadows; and Cartwrights face the fear of a town without a doctor.
Word Count: 12,900 Rated: T
Deadliest Game: Joe in Tights (The) – by HelenA
Summary: A Missing Scene from the episode, The Deadliest Game
Rating: K+ 2,825 words
Summary: Alone on the ranch while his family is on a cattle drive, Joe is kidnapped by a jealous hand. When the man dies, an injured Joe is forced to try and get back home alone.
11,245 words Rated: T
Summary: Based on the episode, this is the story we didn’t see.
10,335 words Rated: T
Summary: Joe leaves home after doing something he thinks is unforgivable. His family misses him and wants him to come home, and when he does, there is a surprising turn of events for Joe.
Rating = T WC = 5813
Summary: A young lady has an evening with Adam that is more a fantasy. She writes down everything she can think of to write down to preserve the details. Minor grammatical errors are fitting for the character and should not interfere with reading the story.
Rating: MA 2,629
Dear Santa, 1859 – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Even though he’s all grown up, there’s one Christmas tradition Little Joe is reluctant to give up, his annual letter to Santa Claus. It’s his way of reflecting on the events of the past year, and this story those center on the episodes of Season 1 of Bonanza.
Rated: K+ WC 2700
Dear Santa, 1860 – by Puchi Ann
Summary: It’s time again for Joe’s annual letter to Santa Claus, this time based on the events represented in the second season of Bonanza. From Jennifer Beale to Ellie McClure and beyond, Little Joe is still having trouble dealing with the opposite sex and remains in great need of Santa Pa’s advice.
Rated: K+ WC 3800
Dear Santa, 1861 – by Puchi Ann
Summary: Little Joe writes his annual letter to Santa Claus and sneaks downstairs to deliver it secretly, but someone is already down there to catch him in this most private act of the Christmas season.
Rated: K WC 2600
Summary: Joe gets himself in a bit of trouble involving a romance and a jealous husband, but Adam is implicated in it too. The entire story is told by messages mostly between the family and Adam. Some reading between the lines is necessary because these are men communicating in writing so not all will be said directly.
Rating: T Word count: 2,856
Summary: When Adam fails to return after appearing as a witness at a trial in S.F Ben fears the worse. After a frantic search the anxious father’s concerns appear to be worse than even he imagined.
Rated: T 23,235 words
Death at Dawn – Revisited – by Starlite
Summary: What if Adam’s gamble had a different outcome
Rated: G 4,080 words
Death at Dawn…A Missing Scene – by Gillian
Summary: This is the missing final scene that I would have liked to see-the one that tied up all the loose ends. A story in 4 voices.
Rating: G 10,090 words
Death Follows Him – by DanceDiva
Summary: Little Joe is trying to reach water after an Indian war has raged in the middle of a desert. When people he doesn’t seem to know come to help him.
Rated: K+
Death of an Angel – by DebbieB
Summary: Joe is in love for the first time and plans on making this blue-eyed angel his wife. Will an unavoidable accident shatter his dreams of happiness?
Rating: PG13 Contains on questionable scene 6,500 words
Death of Letter S – by the Tahoe Ladies
Summary: We saw it happen in The Gift, first of all. Then in Ponderosa Explosion, and again in The Stallion. Made us wonder what the others thought. This should explain it, somewhat. Maybe…..
Rating: T 1,515 words
Death Rides a Black Horse – by DebbieB
Summary: A serial killer is wreaking havoc in the surrounding area. When a dying woman, a victim of such an attack, gives Adam Cartwright’s name as her killer, there’s only one person alive that can dispute her claim. But Joe Cartwright knows the woman isn’t lying because he’s a victim too and he was present when the crime took place. Should he believe what his eyes tell his mind he witnessed, or should he follow his heart?
Rated: PG13 for violence 13,700 words
Death Star — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: With Rona’s permission, I am posting “Death Star” as inspired by her Adam Death fic.
Rating: T 2,620 words
Summary: Joe has been kidnapped and taken into Death Valley where an Indian War rages against the white man. Adam hires a mixed heritage guide to navigate the dangers in the desert and deal with the two tribes that live there as he searches for Joe.
Rated: T WC 19,500
Death Valley – Complete Story – by MonicaSJ
Summary: You may have already read this from Adam’s POV. You may have already read this from Joe’s POV. Here, they are combined. You get the whole story…Joe’s kidnapping, Adam’s transformation in the desert, the mine, the Indians, the rescue, the losses, and the eventual return home packed with PAM, JPM and JAM. You also get the true story of the struggle of the First Peoples in Death Valley, the Shoshoni and the Aha macave.
Reader Alert: Violence. Nudity. Sexual innuendo. Rated: T
Death Warmed Over – by Lily of the West
Summary: The grim reaper makes an appearance at the Ponderosa to carry off a Cartwright. Now, if only he could remember which one… don’t worry – it’s NOT a death fic; all C’s will be returned in fine working order at the end of it.
Rated: K 5,920 words
Summary: After a question posed by Ben, Adam reflects on why he has been in so many dangerous situations. There are numerous references to Bonanza episodes.
Rating: PG Word count: 1,423
Summary: This story came about following a discussion on what we would change on certain episodes. This is my take on Death At Dawn.
Rated: T 7,060 words
Death, Defiance, and a Fine Day for a Swim – by dbird
Summary: Adam and Joe find their own way through grief, on a summer day at the lake. A WHN story for the episode, “The Julia Bulette Story.”
Rated: K+
Summary: A writer’s challenge. Joe plays a joke on Hoss.
Rated: K 1,330 words
Summary: A Challenge story where we were given a title and had to write a story to fit it.
Rated: K+ 1,250 words
Summary: The Wilde family arrive in Virginia City, the eldest daughter becoming the focus of Joe and Hoss’ attentions, causing chaos within the family while Mr.Wilde’s peculiarities force Adam into eating a surfeit of cake.
Rated: K+ 40,090 words
SUMMARY: Joe comes up with a scheme to solve Hoss’ romantic troubles and acquires a treasure map too, but the schemes about Adam have the most significant consequences. Edited in more material to the last chapter.
rating = T word count = 15,925
Summary: The things we do to the ones we love…
Rating: G 1,280 words
Summary: A woman attempts some romantic deceit and fraud with two Cartwright brothers, but it turns out to be even more devious than that. Her actions tear at the fabric of the family and open other issues which leads to great changes for one of them.
Rating: T Word Count: 28,025
Deciding is the Hardest Thing to Do – by DJK
Summary: Was it really that easy, or did it take one last push?
Rating: G 1,090 words
Decisions and Changes – by Sibylle
Summary: A female teacher in Virginia City; what Abigail Myers thinks about her life, education, and the general situation during the boom of 1876. With a response from Adam Cartwright.
Rating: G (2,465 words)
Summary: Joe meets a young woman and her family, and suspects she is in trouble. She is too frightened to ask for help so he decides to do what he can to help her anyway.
Rated: G 20,950 words
Decisions #1 – Decisions, Decisions (by KathrynM)
Synopsis: Adam’s cousin from New York arrives and Adam is faced with some tough decisions.
Rating: PG
Words: 14,800
Decisions #2 – Bad Relations (by KathrynM)
Synopsis: In this sequel to Decisions, Decisions, Cousin Jennifer arrives with a letter from Elizabeth written before Adam’s birth. The message contains a startling revelation.
Rating: PG
Words: 19,090
Summary: A ranch hand and decisions made could change the lives of the Cartwrights forever.
Rating: T 6,725 words
Decklin Principle (The) – by freyakendra
Summary: When Adam’s favorite professor pays him a visit, another visitor hides in the shadows, intent on proving a skewed theory about savagery.
Rated: T, Word count: 27,000
Declaration (The) – by PatD in PA
SUMMARY: An older brother mourns his believed failure in keeping a promise. Written for the 3rd Quarter 2025 Chaps and Spurs
RATING: K/G WORD COUNT: 1,293
Dedims Tot Pignora Fatis Hostages to The Fates – by Rona
Summary: A tense situation at the Ponderosa leads Ben to see his sons as hostages to the fates.
Rated: T WC 8000
Summary: What exactly did Marie have to endure in the years before she met and married Ben Cartwright?
8,200 words Rated: T
Summary: A moment of reflection for Ben as he contemplates Christmas without Adam.
Rating: G Words: 730
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Defending His Brother – by pjb
Summary: A WHIB for “The Fighters.” In this episode, Hoss swears off fighting after he nearly kills an aging prizefighter. An up-and-coming heavyweight fighter, Charlie Powers, tries to taunt him into a fight. Hoss refuses to fight, walking away from the mocking crowd, but Joe can’t let Powers’ jeers go. He foolishly takes a swing at Powers, and the much-larger Powers easily beats him. When Joe manages to drag himself home, beaten and bleeding, and Hoss sees what Powers has done, he goes back to town to take on Powers. As he delivers his opening punch, he announces, “This is from my little brother.” This WHIB comes after Hoss’s fight with Powers.
Rated: K+ WC 2000
Summary: What happen next for the episode, The Hayburner.
Rating: T 20,375 words
Summary: Is romance in the cards for Joe?
Rated: T 9,350 words
Summary: Fighting against Mother Nature, all it had to do was stop raining and they could go home.
Rating: T 2,535 words
Summary: An old adversary returns to threaten the entire Cartwright family.
Rated: K+
Summary: A traveling dentist visits town.
Rated: K 11,710 words
Summary: Adam is about to leave for college.
Rated: K+ 4,200 words
Departure (the) #2 – The Homecoming – by KateP
Summary: Adam returns home after three years away at college. Companion piece to ‘The Departure’.
Rated: K+ 6,115 words
Summary: Joe’s first turn as a deputy isn’t quite what he thought it would be.
Rated: K+ WC 6600
Der Mordfall Mrs. Azamoah – by Adam4Ever
Summary: Es geht um die Ermordung einer jungen Frau. Es fehlen Tatverdächtige, Zeugen und Beweise. Kann der Fall doch noch gelöst werden? Wer war der Mörder und welches Motiv hatte er?
Rated: K+ 5,505 words
Summary: Ben schickt Little Joe in die Stadt um seinen neuen Sattel abzuhlolen.
2,635 words Eine Arbeit mit Hindernissen. Rated: K+
Summary: Little Joe hat einen schweren Unfall, während Adam auf ihn aufpassen soll 1845 . Über Rückmeldungen würde ich mich sehr freuen.
Rated: K+ WC 4200
Summary: WHN for “The Crucible”. Joe learns that finding Adam in the desert is easier than saving him.
Rated: K+ 9,085 word
Desert Wallets — a REALLY Lost Episode – by Robin
Summary: The episode pulled from syndication after only two airings.
Rating: T 2,380 words
Desperate Rescue – by devilwind
Summary: A WHI for “Desperate Passage.” After rescuing Mary Burns from the Paiutes, Joe has to be saved as his attempt to mount an Indian pony and ride to safety goes awry.
Rating: T some violence Words: 3396
Desperate Rescue – by Bonanzagirl
Summary: Hoss and Joe are on a trip to buy horses
Rating: PG Word Count: 8900
Summary: Overhearing news of a planned massacre at a Treaty Signing, Joe sets out on an impossible ride in order to save countless lives of Indians, soldiers, settlers, and more importantly, Ben Cartwright.
Rating: T 5,200 words
Summary: Disaster lies ahead when the hunters become the hunted.
Rated: T WC 1000
Destiny – by Foreverfree
Summary: A heart can only break so many times, and after the traumatic losses he has suffered, Joe is convinced that living his life alone is the only way to protect his heart from shattering. But… Is that really his intended destiny? This story takes place two years after the season 14 double-episode “Forever.” Written for the 2018 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.
Rated: PG 8,640 words
Destiny Series – Blizzard of Destiny – by karilyn
Summary: Adam is rescued from a raging blizzard by a young woman who changes his life forever.
Rated: MA 38,245 words
Destiny Series – Desert Destiny – by karilyn
Summary: Hoss marries the love of his life, only to lose her the following day, and he’ll stop at nothing to get her back.
Rated: MA
Destiny Series – Destiny Next Door – by karilyn
Summary: Little Joe finds true love with a girl he has known all his life, but their wedded bliss begins unexpectedly!
Rated: MA 13,925 words
Destiny Series # 1 – Brothers – by karilyn
Summary: This story examines the relationships between brothers, some ordinary and some life and death. The brothers are the sons of Adam, Hoss and Joe. This is the second in the series of stories following the Adam/Hoss/Joe “Destiny” stories.
Rated K+ 7,415 words
Destiny Series #2 – No More Birthday Parties, Thank you – by karilyn
Summary: One of Joe’s sons and one of Adam’s son are kidnapped and held for ransom, and one of Adam’s impetuous eldest sons embarks on a rescue mission even as a posse is formed and he learns an important lesson about taking risks and being a hero. Part of the Destiny series.
Rated: T 20,490 words
Destiny Series #3 – It’s Just for Now – by karilyn
Summary: When Adam’s eldest son prepares to head East to attend college, the entires family realizes how much Nolan has meant to them over the years. Part of the Destiny series.
Rated: K+ 7,300 words
Destiny Series #4 – The Homecoming Part 1 – by karilyn
Summary: Adam and Mary Lynn travel to Boston to visit Nolan at college. Adam has a surprise planned that will affect every member of the Cartwright family. Part of the fourth story in the Destiny series.
Rated: K+ 23,040 words
Destiny Series #5 – The Homecoming Part 2 – by karilyn
Summary: Adam and Mary Lynn head to the site of the train accident, determined to find their son, Nolan. This is the fifth story in the Adam/Hoss/Joe “Destiny” series.
Rated K+ 20,510 words
Destiny Series #6 – Logan’s Bride – by karilyn
Summary: One of Adam’s eldest son’s, the court jester Logan, finds a young woman who captures his fancy. This is the sixth and last story in the Adam/Hoss/Joe “Destiny” series.
Rated T 21,335 words
Destruction of Joe Cartwright (the) – by VCLS
Summary: An unspeakable tragedy threatens to break apart the close-knit Cartwright family.
Rated: T WC 14,500
Detour Home (The) – by DebbieB
Summary: When Joe becomes dissatisfied with his lot in life and decides to leave home for good, he soon learns that not all roads lead home, sometimes you have to take a detour.
Rated G WC 20,000
Detour Through a Snake Pit – by MissJudy
Summary: 15-year-old Adam is awaiting a letter from San Francisco, but his plan to check for its arrival at Cass’ store are detoured by his father’s directive to head the opposite direction for the day instead. Something about this feels off to Adam, and he lets his frustration at being kept from his simple request billow into anger. After hearing something that seems to confirm his feeling that all is not right with this situation; he lets his emotions ride unchecked, causing a chain of painful events he has to sort through. He settles on writing it all out just as it happened, including each step and misstep he made and the feeling that drove it. Meanwhile his father will have to examine his part it what happened as well, and we see this conclusion through Adam’s eyes as well.
Rating: K Word Count: 16841
Devil Among Us (The) – by Cheaux
Summary: A missing scene from Season 12’s The Night Virginia City Died.
WC 2800 Rated: T+
Devil and Miss Jones (The) – by JennieA
Summary: Little Joe’s first days of school isn’t what he thought it would be.
Rated: G 15, 510 words
Devil in Disguise (The) – by BluewindFarm
Summary: Learning bits and pieces of the past enforces a difficult lesson regarding thinking before one acts, and the need to hear both sides of a story before reacting. With the family poised to fall apart, can harmony be restored?
Rating: T 16,335 words
Devil’s Angel (The) – by ansinico
Summary: Halloween Night Fright
Adam Cartwright’s account of the conspiracy and chain of events that led up to the night of the 31st October 1852. We knew what had to be done. We knew that in a civilised society we would be deemed as murderers, assassins . . . . What had driven three law-abiding men—Sheriff Roy Coffee, Doctor Paul Martin and I—to become co-conspirators? We let you, the reader, be our judge and jury. You tell us, would you have done things any differently?
Rated: T WC 2525
Summary: WHI for Death at Dawn
Rating: T WC 6100
Summary: A man of God who lacks true faith heads into the desert on a quest for miracles — catching the Cartwright brothers in his flawed pilgrimage. A story of faith, free will and divine intervention
Word count: 22,000. Rating: T.
Devil’s in the Details (The) – by McFair
Summary: Ten year old Joseph Cartwright has been assigned a project by Miss Jones to write a paper about his mother. The trouble is, he’s not quite sure what he knows so he asks for her help.
Rated G 2,100 words
Summary: Did Amy Bishop know of Joe’s love affair with Julia Bulette? If she did, what did she think and how did she come to terms with it? Written in response to the ‘Missing Scenes’ challenge here on BB, and inspired by a question posed on another site.
Rated: K+ WC 7900
Did I Hear You Mention Boston? – by DJK
Summary: One Cartwright, two Lancers, and a chance meeting equal a little crossover story.
Rated: K+ Word count: 1032
Summary: Adam has been shot, did Little Joe do it?
Rated: PG 10,950 words
Summary: As Adam and Joe sit round the campfire, Adam regales an incredulous Joe of their first meeting with Julia Bulette. A meeting that got both Adam and his Pa into big trouble with Marie.
Rated: K+ WC 9300
Summary: The Founders Day horse race was a tradition for Adam and Joe Cartwright, but the question always is – which brother will win?
Rating: G, Word Count: 772
Didn’t See That Coming – by Stetson1859
Summary: It’s not long after Marie enters the lives of the two Cartwright boys when Adam is confronted with an unexpected question by Hoss. Learning more about Hoss’ deepest wishes, will Adam be able to ignore them just out of his own stubbornness?
Rated: K+
Die heiligen drei Könige – by Sibylle
Summary: Die kleine nachweihnachtliche Geschichte spielt in der Nacht zum sechsten January 1846 auf der Ponderosa. Und beginnt damit, dass Adam aus dem Schlaf gerissen wird ….
Erstveröffentlichung in der deutschen Bibliothek im Dezember 2011
Rated: K+ WC 2300
Die Upon a Kiss – by Shaan Lien
Story Summary: A friend from Adam’s past emerges with a common foe on her tail and though the attempt is made, Adam is unable to save her and fall victim to his own grief that Ben must now save him from.
Rating and Reader Alerts: PG-13 for violence description of wounds.
Words: 15,800
Summary: “What’s it gonna be? Pie or Mary Alice?” Hoss enlists Joe’s help when he decides that he needs to lose weight to win a girl’s heart.
Rated: K+ WC 8300
Summary: People have pegged Hoss as different his whole life. Is he really that different from his father and brothers?
1824 words Rating K
Summary: Ben Cartwright’s young sons are under threat. Could a secret long buried be the reason? And if so, just whose secret is it?
Word Count: 66,559
Rated PG-13 for racial slurs and western style brutality and violence
Summary: Roy Coffee has his reasons for doing what he does. Really, he has.
700 words, rated K
Summary: Something terrible happens to Joe’s girl.
Rating: PG Word count: 7100
Dime Novel #1 – Question – by BettyHT
SUMMARY: Little Joe finishes a dime novel, and in his enthusiasm to share it with his family, he stirs a philosophical discussion and reflection on a deep moral issue.
Rating: T Word Count: 1086
Dime Novel #2 – Disaster – by BettyHT
Summary: Little Joe Cartwright loves dime novels with all the action and adventure, and that becomes the center of his latest ‘brilliant’ scheme that has the usual unintended and unfortunate consequences.
Rating: T Word count: 10,599
Dime Novel Rescue (The) – by freyakendra
Summary: A complete tale told in 5 progressive short stories each of which can stand alone
Wounded, trapped in the desert and surrounded by a renegade band of Bannocks, Paiutes and Shoshones, Adam and Joe prepare for death, unaware of the unfolding chain of tiny miracles that is setting them up for an improbable, last-minute rescue.
Rated: T Word Count: 23,500
Dimming World #1 – Hope in a Dimming World – Patina
Summary: Roy Coffee, faced with losing a job he loves, must learn to prepare for the future with Joe Cartwright’s help. References to the episodes “The Stillness Within” and “No Less a Man.”
Rating: G 2,970 words
Written for the 2024 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
Dimming World #2 – Life in a Dimming World – PSW
Summary: A continuation of Patina’s Hope in a Dimming World story
Rating: 1,375 words
Written for the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar
SUMMARY: One son is in terrible trouble, but Ben doesn’t know which one. One by one, they come home until there is only one missing.
Rating: PG Word Count: 2443
Summary: Influenza on the Ponderosa
Rated: K+ 8,985 words
Discernment #1 Lessons Taught / Lesson Learned – by MissJudy
Summary: This prequel set a few weeks before Adam’s departure for school, has him pick up Little Joe after an afternoon of play at the nearby farm owned by one of his father’s oldest friends.
Rating: K (general) Word Count: 26419
Discernment #2 – The Homecoming – by MissJudy
Summary: Instead of excitement and joy over Adam’s imminent return from school in Boston, unexpected emotions and personal fears leave the Cartwrights struggling in their welcome. This story is comprised of chapters told from a family member’s POV.
Rating: G Words: 26442
Summary: When Ben advertises back east for a new school teacher and gets a mail order bride instead, things start going haywire for the four Cartwrights, especially Ben.
Rated: PG 8,000 words
Summary: Ben comes home from San Francisco early because he has an uneasy feeling about his home and his sons. But is it just his imagination or is there really something to worry about?
Rating: G 16,500 words
Synopsis: Adam receives devastating news from the Ponderosa.
Rating: PG
Words: 2,500
Summary: di-ver-sion noun 1. An instance of turning something aside from its course. 2. An activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.
Rating K+ Words: 6673
Dividing Line 1 – Prelude – by dbird
Summary: Ben fears for his sons in the face of imminent civil war. This story takes place before my “Dividing Line” series and before the events portrayed in the episode, “A House Divided.”
Rated: K+ 4,570 words
Dividing Line 2 – Dividing Line – by dbird
Summary: Adam and Joe return from fighting in the Civil War only to find a different kind of battle waiting at home. A “WHI” story for “A House Divided”.
Rated: T Word Count: 16,900
Dividing Line 3 – The Telling – by dbird
Summary: Sequel to “Dividing Line.” Adam and Joe learn that living with the memory of the War may prove as difficult as surviving it.
Rated: K+ Word Count: 16,675
Dividing Line 4 – Peace Offering – by dbird
Summary: Adam and Joe continue to come to terms with their wartime experiences. This is the fourth story in my Civil War series.
Rated: K+ Word Count: 15,000
Dividing Line 5 – The Quickening – by dbird
Summary: For Adam and Joe, life after the war is fraught with trials and possibilities. The fourth story in the Civil War series.
Rated: T Word Count: 12, 400
Summary: Ben has always tried to teach by example, tried to get it through to his sons how he expects them to act. But do they ever listen? A 2015 Camp in the Pines story and a WHN for Quality of Mercy.
Rating: K+ 1,255 words
Do Poppies Still Bloom in Boston? – by Krystyna
Summary: Some interesting people come to the rescue of Adam Cartwright and his friend, Jane Waumsley.
Rating: K+ 16,845 words
Do They or Don’t They – by ACSPeej
Summary: A Challenge to use “Damn, He Smells Good” (Oh yeah! What cologne do the boys wear?)
Rating: G Words: 1,315
Dock of the Bay – by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: A dock, a boat, and a conversation between brothers. Tissue Warning.
Rating K Words 1156
Summary: Ben and Adam face off over the doctor’s orders
Rated: K+ Word count: 887
Does Clemmie Get Her Man? – by Krystyna
Summary: Are the rumours and newspaper reports circulating among Virginia City’s citizens concerning Ben and Clementine Hawkins true? Or, might there be something more sinister afoot?
Rating: K+ 5,400 words
Does He Like Women? – by BettyHT
Summary: Joe’s lady friend has a question about Adam and Joe hatches a scheme to give her the answer, but there are complications.
Rating = PG WC = 1857
Does the Heart Ever Heal? – by TracyT
Summary: Three years ago, Adam Cartwright left the Ponderosa. As Hoss and Joe struggle to help Ben with his depression, a chance encounter in a nearby town just might be the answer they’ve been waiting for.
Rated: K+ WC 5300
Summary: An old storyteller tells tales of the family to Hoss and give a refrain for each Cartwright and why they have it, and one story sets off an explosive change in the family.
Rating T words 5525
Dogwoods in Bloom (The) by Annie K Cowgirl
Summary: A WHN for “The Newcomers”. Hoss finally visits the canyon.
Rating: K+ Word Count: 913
Doing the Right Thing – by HazelMom
Summary: Word reaches the Ponderosa that Hoss was legally hung, setting off a chain of events that sets the law against justice when it comes down to doing the right thing.
Rating: K+ 11,035 words
Doing What Had to be Done – by Rona
Summary: A fall from a horse leaves Joe laid up. When disaster strikes, can he do as he was told and just watch from the sidelines?
Rated: K+ 9,980 words
Don’t Forget the Stars – by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: Genre should say angst too. A ‘what if’ off “Look to the Stars”.
Rating: K+ 10,801 words
Summary: This is my contribution, with the words I received, including the Petticoats. Enjoy. It’s short, this is what I managed to do. I have plenty of ideas and possible scenarios, and I had major troubles putting it together.
Rating: K 805 words
Don’t Let Him Kill Us – by JoaniePaiute
Summary: A comedic prequel featuring 5-year-old Little Joe and introducing Tommy Coffee, Roy’s 7-year-old son. Oh, Hoss…why did you take your eyes off those two? Poor Adam…
Rated: K WC 3400
Summary: Ben waits for Adam on his first day at school. Prequel, 1837/ Seedling Challenge
Rated: K Word count: 1660
Summary: Little Joe’s discussion lands him in trouble with his teacher and older brother.
Rated: K+ Word count: 1250
Don’t Take Nevada’s Children for Geese – by ViveAdam
Summary: While dating a beautiful Irish girl, Joe is trapped.
Rated: K+ WC 5300
Summary: “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” ~Dr. Seuss~
Rated: Family Friendly / Word count: 1131
Summary: WHI for Death at Dawn in which the plot by Bryant is more complex than simply trying to save Farmer Perkins. Adam’s apparent failure to save his father as well as other events shake his confidence in his abilities, and it will take several crises and support from his family for him to regain his self-confidence. A big thank you to Sylvia for the story idea.
Rating = T WC = 38683
Doppelganger: The Return – by BettyHT
Summary: A troublesome spirit invades the Ponderosa and all the family hopes he will be gone on All Saints Day.
Rating PG WC 1341
SUMMARY: This started as a pinecone, Cousin Bette, but needed closure. This is it. Adam met a beautiful woman and the romance progressed rapidly. But was it too rapid, and what else was going on?
Rating = T Word count = 1667
Summary: A What Happened Before the Opening Scene. The writer has no idea how the ride-up would have actually been filmed. I imagine it was a lot more complicated than I depicted.
Rating: K 2800 words
Summary: A glimpse into the future with grandchildren on the Ponderosa. Ben gets more than he bargained for when he offers to keep Joe’s twins while their parents are away. (Part of the Jacob’s0 Ladder series, links below.)
Rating: G WC: 520
Doubt (The) – by Jeanie Cartwright
Summary: A Missing Scene for “The Legacy”
Rating: PG
Words: 6,850
Dr. Martin’s Casebook – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: In the 21st century, Paul Martin’s great-great-great grandson discovers his illustrious ancestor’s casebook.
Rated: K+ WC 2300
Dr. Michaela Quinn – a Bonanza / Dr. Quinn Crossover – by Ahdavis
Summary: When Little Joe is seriously injured following an attack by bandits, Ben must rush him to the nearest doctor for immediate medical attention. Ben Cartwright is stunned to find that the doctor is a woman and he hesitates to let her treat Little Joe.
Rating: T/PG-13 Mild language and brief sexual innuendo. Word Count: 19,190.
Summary: Hop Sing adjusts to his first year with the Cartwright family.
Rating: K+ 9,990 words
Summary: in Bustin’ Loose — Broken Dreams, Adam leaves the shambles of his dream in Boston to take an entirely different direction for his life in Colorado but doesn’t tell his family what he is doing. Meanwhile, Joe has a romance. In a Dream Catcher, Adam’s former fiancé creates trouble for him but the solution is one that no one anticipated. In By Chance To Dream, a troublemaker, a gang, and babies on the way complicate life for the family.
Rating: T Word count: 65,898
Summary: An unlikely alliance between two people spells deadly trouble for Joe. His survival depends entirely upon the strength of family bonds.
Key words: SJS, ESJ, SHS, Julia Bulette, kidnap, drugs, drugged, hallucinations, indians, ropes, seduce, hurt, Joe gets hurt, Joe gets kidnapped Rated: K+ WC 31,400
Dreaming Eagle (The) Book 1 – As it Began – by Hooded Crow
Summary: Adam falls in love with a rather unusual young lady and has a lot of trouble come his way. While facing his father’s strong disapproval, he will have to confront his own deepest feelings and find out what he really wants in his life. Matters are complicated by an unknown foe who wants to destroy him, just as his struggle with his father comes to a head.
Rated: T 128,600 words
Dreaming Eagle (The) Book 2 – Through the Shadows – by Hooded Crow
Summary: Adam has a hard time with his father still disapproving of his love, he is torn apart by his loyalty to the Ponderosa and his desire to live his own life, be his own man. When a devilish plan leads him into a vicious trap, he goes through a hell of pain and despair, through an ordeal that threatens to break his spirit and jeopardizes his future with the woman he loves.
Rated: T 128,060 words
Dreaming Eagle (The) Book 3 – Spreading Wings – by Hooded Crow
Summary: Adam has overcome the ordeal that nearly broke him and now sets out to find the woman he loves – and then try to set things straight with his father. A flock of sheep gets in the way and sparks off a bitter power struggle between father and son. Adam won’t give in anymore, and Ben cannot accept that his son isn’t a boy any longer. And in the background, Adam’s unknown foe is pulling some strings of his own.
Rated: T 132,835 words
Dreaming Tree (The) – by chellek
Summary: The boys are given the unpleasant task of cutting down a tree that holds special memories for the whole family.
Rated: K+ 8,070 words
Summary: A dream is a wish your heart makes. But what happens when your heart is broken?
Rated: T Word Count: 4988
Summary: A WHN For My Brother’s Keeper
Rated: K+ Word Count 9000
Summary: Hoss has a VERY bad dream…
Rating: T for reference to character death. (1,298 words)
Dressing for Success – by the Giggly Sisters
Summary: The Giggly Sisters have a rewarding time as they rifle through Joe’s wardrobe.
Rated: T WC 2200
Story Summary: Joe assists Dr. Paul Martin, a recent widower, on his rounds.
Rating and Reader Alerts: G
Words: 6,500
Driven by Hate – by StephanieJ
Summary: A man driven by hate uses Joe as a weapon to bring Ben to his knees.
Rated: PG Words: 6,100
Summary: Understanding finally trumps anger and hurt after a Cartwright rights a wrong.
Rating: G 660 words
Summary: Two year old Hoss comes across some hatching ducklings. Will Pa let him keep his new friends?
Rating: K Word Count=2177
Summary: This is a WHB The Burma Rarity. All we know is that Ben drew Clementine’s name from a fish bowl at a picnic prior to the episode. This story attempts to shed some light on what happened at that picnic to make Ben so non eager to be around the Widow Hawkins.
Rating: G 9,060 words
Summary: Adam cannot avoid singing a duet on Christmas Eve, and Hoss cannot avoid a damsel in distress.
rating K words: 1158
Summary: This sequel to “The Duet” has Martha Louise singing with both Adam and Hoss one fine Easter.
Rating: K+ word count: 2666
Summary: This is a prequel story in which the brothers have a discussion before Adam leaves for college.
Rating: PG Word count: 1,325
Summary: Adam and Joe struggle to avoid the unthinkable . . . dying alone!
Rated: T WC 8800
Summary: On a battlefield, Joe carries out a disorienting search for his brothers among the dead, but instead he discovers something entirely unexpected.
Rated: T (6600)