The names One Ox, Two Ox, and Three Ox are odd children's names, but they were given with a purpose: "When his wife gave birth to a son, the farmer insisted on calling the boy One Ox. 'For,' the farmer said, 'someday he will work with me in the field.'" When a second son is born, he is named Two Ox, and the third son is named Three Ox. Their father seems like a very pessimistic man, but his life was hard and, after his death, the sons and their mother work very hard just to survive.

The small farm is not particularly fertile.

According to the mother, '"The farm is so small and so poor, it cannot be shared. Only one of you can inherit it when I die.'" This is a bit of subtle misdirection on Yolen's part...