Miyasaki's first solo director gig. This is a short that seems to serve as a pilot for the manga, but is more like a quick trailer of a larger story. Perhaps they were hoping to make a full series out of this, which would've looked like many other anime of the time: era animes showcasing the rural life in either Japan, Europe or the United States such as Rascal the Raccoon, Candy Candy, Haha o Tazunete Sanzenri, and many others that were popular at the time. We're immediately presented the main character and within a minute we're shown her personality, what makes her lovable and whatgets her in trouble. We're presented conflict by the third minute and somewhat lacking resolution by the fourth.

This could've been a larger anime filled with friendship, coming-to-age and rural themes, but for all we know it just got rejected and we got this short and rushed story instead.

Not a bad watch, and you might want to give it a try for historical reasons. It's not hard to find it posted everywhere online with English subs.