Original subtitles

THE OLD RANGER: And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! Yah!

Yah! Yah!

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another interesting true story for you

about the historic Death Valley country.

The name of Kit Carson stands as a symbol

of all the dauntless heroes

who conquered the wilderness when our nation was young.

So now I'’m going to tell you a little-known true story

about Kit Carson'’s early days--

an adventure that took place at...

It is the summer of 1825,

and the mountain men are heading for the big rendezvous

in the Valley of the Green River.

It'’s been a fine season for the trappers,

and the boys are busting for a bit of summer fun at the rendezvous,

where traders and Indians and trappers meet to exchange goods.

Vamoose, yellowbellies!

Make way for the bull moose!

Aye, got bit dry.

Give me long drink, lightning.

[ chattering ]

T'’ain't far now, Kit. It'’s what I've been living for.

Well, I just hope things is as shiny at this rendezvous as you make out.

Oh, you'’ll see. There'’s Taos Lightning down there,

Indian girls all prettied up just waiting for the dance.

Well, come on, boy. Let'’s get going while we'’re still sassy.

[ men whooping ]

[ rifles firing ]

[ chattering ]

Eh, sound like somebody think he'’s big bull.

I show him quick.

There'’s only one big bull and he'’s stompin'--

me, Shunar!

[ chattering continues ]

Dogged if it ain'’t Kit Carson!

Kit Carson? Who'’s he?

Ah, there'’s a man now. He'’s something, he is.

He never do nothin'’ I heard about.

And you ain'’t been listenin'’.

Why, just the last time I seen Kit Carson--

at the rendezvous a year ago, it was.

Him and his five trappers had fought off 200 Comanches.

Killed 42 of '’em.

Six men against 200? Is lie talk.

Is true talk.

Any one of them trappers will tell ya.

It was Kit being their leader what brought '’em through in one piece.

[ chattering continues ]

How, Kit!

Jim Peters! How, you old coon![ laughing ]

How was the beaver?Oh, we got ourselves a few plumes.

[ mutters ]

I think I'’ll take a look at this big bull.

Eh, Peters, I think you make joke with me.

This little runt is not the Carson you brag on.

If it'’s Carson you'’re looking for, you'’re talking to him.

You, I don'’t bother to talk to or fight.

I cut stick and switch little runt like you.

Hey, I don'’t know who you are, mister,

but nobody calls Kit Carson a runt and stays healthy.

Why, every inch of him is worth 20 of you.

You don'’t know who I am? I tell you.

I'’m Pierre Shunar, the biggest man in these mountains!

And no American skunk talk to me like you do

without I rub his face in the dirt

and maybe cut off his scalp.

If it'’s blood you'’re looking for, you'’ll get it,

but some of it will be your own.

Hold on now, Shunar. These men are friends.

We'’re plumb glad to see '’em.

Summer rendezvous'’ a time for trading, having fun.

Let'’s keep it nice and social.Nobody talk to Shunar like--

You did your share of talking first!

Let'’s break it up.

Big drunken bully.

Been nothing but trouble since he come.

Strong as a buffalo, and he'’s always beating some poor guy to a pulp.

Well, it looks like him and me is heading for a showdown.

Snug here, ain'’t it?

Makes a man feel mighty satisfied.

Looks like you done mighty good for yourself, Jim.

JIM: Indian girls don'’t have much heart for frolickin'’.

Settlin'’ down steady is what they like.

Take my squaw now.

You could hunt from here to Timbuktu

and never find a better wife than she is.

You trying to sell me a bill of goods?

[ laughs ] When a man strikes gold,

he kind of likes to think his friends might have the same kind of luck.

I recollect all the years I lived just like you, Kit.

Coming in at night half-froze, starving for some hot grub.

What did I find?

Drafty shack full of leaks, and your fingers too cold to light a fire.

You know how it is now, Kit?

When I come home at night, starving and half-froze from the beaver traps,

here'’s my teepee, all lit up, and my woman in it.

With a fire burning and the smell of dinner cooking in a pot.

And before I can get a chance to set,

she'’s at my feet, waiting to take off my wet moccasins

and put on dry ones.

If you'’re aiming to make marriage sound good--

I tell you, Kit, there'’s nothing like a squaw.

They'’re really something, they are.

Now, what I figure is, it'’s time you trapped one for yourself, Kit.

Your squaw has made you a real good way of living, Jim. There ain'’t no doubt of it.

Me? I figure I ain'’t ready yet.

Ain'’t ready to quit being lonesome? You'’re plumb crazy, Kit.

Lonesome?

How can a man be lonesome with the mountains around him?

And there'’s the sound of the rivers running all night.

The wind singing in the trees.

Those everlasting stars overhead.

And maybe-- maybe a yellow moon.

And all around, the feeling of danger, freedom.

Ah. If that'’s loneliness, that'’s the kind I like.

You'’ll change your tune.

Huh? Maybe.

But right now,

I'’m figurin' this rendezvous is the time to be doing things.

Well, if you'’re not above looking at a pretty girl, there'’ll be dancing tonight.

The Arapahoe camp a bit downstream.

I ain'’t above looking. [ chuckles ]

♪♪ [ Indians chanting ]

♪♪ [ chanting continues ]

[ trappers whooping ]

Sounds like the fellas have taken over.

You wanted to get going.

Well, here'’s your chance.[ grunts ]

[ whooping continues ]

Well, it looks like Joe'’s having himself a time.

Kit, get yourself a gal and get in here.

There'’s a gal that'’s really somethin'.

It'’s too bad she's got herself a beau.

You can cut in. Go on.

Wantin'’ is one thing, doin'’ is another.

♪♪ [ new song ]

Hold on, Kit. That drunken giant could break your neck

with one twist of the wrist.

I got ways of taking care of him.

Hey!

[ grunts ]

[ exclaims ]

[ laughter ] ♪♪ [ chanting, drums stop ]

[ chattering ]

[ laughter continues ]Who did it?

Who did it? Show me!

I break him in pieces, bone by bone!

Nobody did it, Shunar. You tripped over your own feet.

Who did it? It was you!

It was the lightning in your belly what did it!

[ laughter, chatter ]

You were stepping too high.

Many'’s the time I fell on my face.

You lie! It was some skunk!

The skunk was the lightning that done it!

The lightning was the skunk![ laughter ]

♪♪ [ chanting resumes ]

Come on. Let'’s beat those drums and get on with the dancing!

Wait! Where'’s my Indian girl?

Looks like she got away from you, Shunar.

You'’ll have to trap another one.[ laughter ]

When Shunar traps squaw, he keeps squaw!

[ laughter ]

♪♪ [ drums, chanting continue, faint ] [ men whooping, faint ]

[ quietly ] Look behind you.

The bad one.

♪♪ [ continues ][ whooping continues ]

What'’s your name?Waa-Nibe.

Waa-Nibe?

What does that mean in my language?

It mean... grass singing.

Waa-Nibe. Grass singin'’.

That'’s real pretty. I like it.

Have you got a husband?

A man thinks he wants to be alone and free,

and then he looks into the eyes of a girl,

and that whole world changes.

Waa-Nibe, I reckon I want you for my wife.

Niekaho is name of my father,

and my brother is called Detenin.

You Niekaho?

I bring you a gift-- this fine horse.

I give to you.

Gift?

Oh, this is only the first one.

Later, I bring you more.

I want your daughter Waa-Nibe for my squaw.

I wanna marry her.

You think about what presents you want,

how much it would, um, take to make your heart glad

to have me for a son.

The horse is yours now.

I will wait, and when you are ready,

you come to me and you tell me what presents you want.

Huh?

It'’s a full day now since I gave the Indian the horse.

Still haven'’t heard nothing.

What'’s your hurry?

Yesterday, you didn'’t want no part of getting married.

Well, that was-- that was before I saw Waa-Nibe.

What do you figure'’s holding things up?

Well, maybe her old man just ain'’t had time yet

to think up all the presents he'’s gonna hit you for.

The old coot'’s already got my best horse.

I seen Waa-Nibe giving your horse a workout.

You did? Which way was she--Now just sit down.

You can'’t catch her.

Been over an hour since I seen her.

She'’s probably miles away now, riding like the wind.

[ whinnies ]

[ laughing ][ screams ]

Go on. Scream. Is no one will hear you.

[ laughs ]Let me go!

You don'’t get away this time.

I make you pay for stick feathers in eye of Pierre Shunar.

Ha! You think you bite me?

You fight like ten wildcat. You will not get away.

You are with strong man now.

I make you know it.

[ shouts ]

She-devil!

[ hoofbeats departing ]

How.

I come to find out what presents

you set your mind on for Waa-Nibe.

No presents.No presents?

Brother of Waa-Nibe say no.

I say no.Why?

What have you got against me?

White man bad medicine.

Arapahoe go on warpath.

Kill all whites.

Something'’s wrong.

What is it? What'’s happened?

Waa-Nibe-- where is she? [ Waa-Nibe crying ]

Waa-Nibe, what'’s the matter?

No white man touch my sister again.

"Again"?

Shunar.

Waa-Nibe--

I stab him with knife and ride back.

He not catch me.

[ crying ]

Put your knife away, brother of Waa-Nibe.

There is no need to go on the warpath.

I will avenge girl I want for my wife.

[ men shouting ]

[ blow lands ]

[ laughing ] JIM: Fool Joe.

Had enough?

Go get him! Get him, Joe! Now that'’s it!

Come on, Joe! Come on! Get him!

Come on, Joe. Get up.

[ men shouting ]

[ chattering ]

I'’ll lick every American skunk in these mountains!

Come on! Who'’s next?

[ chattering continues ]

I'’ll lick every man in this camp.

Americans... [ mutters ]

So, this camp of yellowbellies afraid of Shunar.

Here'’s an American that ain'’t afraid of ya.

Kit Carson, you I fight to kill.

[ chattering ]

He'’s gone to get his gun.

He'’s gonna challenge you to a duel.

That'’s just what I had in mind.

[ chattering ]

Hey!

Here'’s the fighter.

Where is man who say he fight me?

I make challenge for duel.

You, Frenchman!

Spaniard! Frenchman!

I fight to kill.

Where is dirty American skunk who say he fight me?

I'’m the man you'’re looking for?

No, I, uh...

[ rifle fires ][ gunshot ]

[ men murmuring ]

Well, you can hammer another brass tack

into the stock of your rifle, Kit.

He asked for it.

More than you know.

Looks like you had a close shave.

Yeah. If I hadn'’t kept my eye on his trigger finger,

that'’d be me down there instead of him.

Well, I reckon we all need a drink.

Come on, fellas. They'’re on me.

[ chattering ]

And ten beaver blues, right?

Moccasins.

Blankets.

Well, a man can'’t have too many blankets,

dry moccasins, when he comes in cold and wet

from the beaver ponds.

[ clicks ]

I give you my sister.

Now she your wife.

Hey!

What'’s going on here?

What are they doing?Wait.

[ clicks, fires ]

What was that?

My father fire gun into the air. Listen.

[ Niekaho speaking in native language ]

[ Niekaho continues ]

Well, what'’s he saying?

He tells my people we are married.

Invites them to come to the feast.

You mean when they threw that blanket over us, we were married?

Well, why didn'’t somebody tell me?

Kit Carson'’s marriage to the lovely Arapaho girl

lasted only a few short years.

Waa-Nibe made his life happy and bore him a daughter.

And after Waa-Nibe'’s death,

Kit took his little daughter Adeline

to Taos, New Mexico, to live.

But that'’s another story I'’ll tell you sometime.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]