content: the boy did as he was bid , for he was a willing enough little fellow ; but when he entered the barn his brothers , in revenge for his having run away from them in the afternoon , set on him and pulled him down , and piled so much straw on top of him that , had his father not come from the house to see what they were all waiting for , he would , of a surety , have been smothered . but when , at supper - time , his mother was quarrelling with the other lads for what they had done , and saying to them that it was only cowards who set on bairns littler and younger than themselves , assipattle looked up from the bicker of porridge which he was supping .
answer: angry .
question: how did assipattle's mother feel when his brothers tried to take revenge on him ?
target: how did assipattle's mother feel when his brothers tried to take revenge on him ?
references: how did assipattle's mother feel when his brothers tried to take revenge on him ?