Original subtitles

[guitar music]

[theme music]

[car honking]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

Usually, each family has its own special folklore.

Stories and anecdotes polished smooth with the telling.

The setting for most of our legends was Walton's Mountain.

But one favored part of our folklore took place

far from the Mountain...

when my father had served overseas

in what was then called the Great War.

To us children, my father's stories

of the places he'd seen...

and the men he'd known were endlessly fascinating.

And then one day, a legend came to visit us.

Daddy!

[dog barking]

Look, right there.

It's that fox again.

They've been right under here.

Did the fox eat the chicken right here?

No, he took it home to his wife and children.

They're sitting down to chicken and dumplings right now.

Hush, Reckless.

He's barking 'cause he smells the fox.

We could use a little less barking the morning after...

and more while the fox is on the premises.

I'm gonna have to go after that critter.

Are you going to track him down?

Not today. Too many logs need sawing.

John-Boy, tomorrow you and me go hunting.

-How about me going along? -I don't know, son.

Can't there be a place for next-to-oldest sometimes?

Hunting needs growing into, son.

Maybe I'm not up to it. But maybe I'm.

We'll see.

How will I ever know if I don't get a chance to try?

Mary Ellen, finish gathering up the eggs.

Jason, as far as I'm concerned, you can take my place tomorrow.

I don't want to take your place, John-Boy.

I just want a place of my own.

Now let's see who's missing.

John-Boy. It's not like him to be late for lunch.

He's at Ike's getting the mail.

I just have to start without him.

Grandpa?

Dear Father of us all...

we thank thee for the many blessings you've seen fit

to bestow upon us.

Daddy--

We thank thee for our riches.

We thank thee for our children.

We thank thee for the good earth.

We thank thee, O Lord...

for the many blessings which you have chosen

to bestow upon us.

We thank thee for the weariest of nights

and for the restful....

Please don't interrupt when I'm addressing the man upstairs.

We thank thee also, Lord...

for this dear woman who wants us to cut it short.

Amen.

Daddy, would you look at this?

-What am I supposed to look at? -On the top.

Who'd be sending me a telegram?

You want me to open it?

I'll open it.

What is it?

-Do you know who sent me this? -No.

-But we'd like to know. -Come on, son.

Theodore Roosevelt Harrison!

Just like him to send me the first telegram I ever got.

What does it say?

-Read it. -All right.

"Attention, Corporal Cootie-Bait."

Just like Tip.

"The caissons will be rolling through your sector tomorrow."

He's coming here.

"Like to share your bivouac for an hour or two.

"We'll win the war all over again. Always, your buddy, Tip."

We'll really see him!

Been years since Tip and I were let out of the Army.

Sounds just the same to me.

Daddy, tell them about the time he stole the train.

First tell why he's called Tip.

That's the idea. I'll tell you why he's called Tip.

Sit down now.

Now, let's see.

We all went to Fort Dix, right? Everybody is doing fine...

except this one fellow. He's kind of--

Different.

Everybody is writing home to their girlfriend.

Not Tip.

He goes and gets eight Ziegfeld Folly girls

has them over to the barracks...

and has a big party.

Everybody is singing K-K-K-Katy.

But Harrison's singing It's a Long Way to Tipperary.

Right. So we called him Tipperary.

But that was too long a name.

And you decided to settle on Tip.

My favorite story is about the time

he borrowed the railroad train.

I like the time when he stole the town.

That's not near as good.

You all know these stories better than me.

But we like to hear you tell them.

You can hear them from the man himself tomorrow.

You won't have to wait till tomorrow.

Why?

This telegram took a while getting here.

Looks like your friend Tip will be rolling through here

sometime today.

Today!

I forgot you still had that.

I don't even know why I saved this.

You wore it well.

I never was very comfortable in this uniform.

You take Tip, he looked like he was born in one.

But then everything about soldiering came natural to him.

So I've heard.

I do go on about him, don't I?

It's just that in my whole life, Livie

I never met anyone quite like him.

He wasn't afraid of anything or anybody.

You don't strike me as a man who scares easily.

Tip's special.

You're not bothered about him coming, are you?

Of course not. I'm looking forward to meeting him.

Those months you were away during the war...

that's a time of your life I know very little about.

Except for those funny stories you tell the children.

It's as if you had a separate life

and I hadn't any part of it.

Hey, now.

Everything worth knowing about me you know better than anyone.

Besides, best part of the war was coming home to you.

I hope Mr. Harrison likes plain home cooking.

He will. Don't you mind.

Come on, Jim-Bob, off.

Why are you children all moping around the porch?

Now run on and play.

We're waiting for Tip Harrison.

I want to see him the minute he gets here.

I don't see what all this fuss is about.

You'd think President Roosevelt was coming by.

More likely Mrs. Roosevelt.

What if he can't find our house?

-Tip Harrison can find anything. -Right.

Remember the time he got lost in France?

Yeah, but it turned out that he knew where he was

and everyone else was lost.

Yeah.

If Mr. Harrison does come, just remember....

Remember he's coming here to see Daddy.

So don't you children be pestering him all the time.

[car honking]

"Lafayette, we are here!"

Tip Harrison, how are you?

John Walton, you ornery backwoods son of a gun.

-How are you? -Never better. Look at this!

And look at this buggy.

It handles a lot easier than that Army mule

you and I shoved halfway across France.

Tip, I want you to meet my wife, Olivia.

Mr. Harrison.

John always did have more than his share of the luck.

-Tip, my parents. -How are you, sir?

Theodore Roosevelt Harrison.

-You call me Tip. -Okay, Tip.

-How are you, ma'am? -That telegram you sent....

It didn't get here until this morning.

I knew I should have sent it by carrier pigeon.

These are my children.

No need to ask what you've been up to.

Oh, doggone.

John, I didn't know how many kids you had...

or how old they were, or whether they were boys or girls...

so I figured...

a little candy would be the safest kind of present.

Now you children be sensible.

Hey, listen, for the rest of us:

champagne.

-It is a special occasion. -A very special occasion.

Remember the first time I had that French champagne?

Crouched in a bombed-out wine cellar near Chacteau-Thierry.

You drank it out of a German helmet.

And it tasted like vinegar.

So then Mr. Harrison said,

"Maybe it was a very bad year for wine."

Somebody's been telling stories.

Come on in. We got your room all ready.

I don't know if I'll be able to stay, John.

You have to stay!

-Change your mind? -All right, I'll stay.

-Good. -Besides...

I never could stand to disappoint a lovely lady.

John-Boy will get your luggage. Come on in.

Yes, sir.

John Walton, you old cootie-bait.

The only sound was this...

heavy breathing.

So I whispered....

"Miss, please do not be afraid."

Come here.

-Heavy breathing. -You listen to that.

I moved closer.

He hasn't changed a whit.

After all these years it doesn't seem natural.

Heavy breathing.

I leaned nearer.

And then suddenly there was a flash of light.

A Very shell.

And I was gazing tenderly...

into the warm brown eyes of my mademoiselle.

A very solemn and completely indifferent French cow.

"Moo-moiselle."

Your move, Mr. Harrison.

I better pay attention to my game here.

Looks like I'd better call out the Marines.

-You give up? -Never.

I mean, we may have lost the battle

but we haven't lost the war.

Yeah, you just watch my strategy here any minute.

What kind of business are you in, Mr. Harrison?

Business? Investments.

And John-Boy, you call me Tip, you hear?

You mean stocks and bonds and suchlike?

Investments of all kinds.

When are we gonna see your strategy?

Easy, honey.

That's all right. I know right where they were.

That's all right, there's no point setting them up again.

John-Boy was winning.

Are you kidding? I'd have swept the board in two more moves.

-Didn't look that way to me. -Take my word for it.

Chow line's forming.

That's one place you'll always find Tip Harrison up front.

Come on, now.

[everybody singing "It's a Long Way to Tipperary]

* It's a long way to go *

* It's a long way to Tipperary *

* To the sweetest girl I know *

* Goodbye, Piccadilly *

* Farewell, Leicester Square! *

* It's a long long way to Tipperary *

* But my heart's right there *

[all laughing]

Come on, let's hear it. Come on.

Play another one.

* Mademoiselle from Armenteers, parlez-veus *

* Mademoiselle from Armenteers, parlez-veus *

* Mademoiselle from Armenteers *

* She hasn't been kissed in fifty years *

* Hinky, dinky, parley-voo *

* Mademoiselle from Armenteers parlez-veus *

* Mademoiselle from Armenteers parlez-veus *

[everybody singing]

John, maybe I think we've heard enough

about that particular young lady.

I guess maybe you're right.

What was her trade?

That will be enough out of you.

We never had time for much singing in my war.

-What war was that, Mr. Walton? -Spanish-American.

Teddy Roosevelt.

I'll never forget that landing in Santiago Bay.

Why, they had to push the horses off

and swim through the water to the beach.

The only way we could get them going...

was to have the buglers stand on the shore and blow, "Charge!"

It's a lucky thing women are too smart to get into wars...

otherwise we'd be here all night

telling stories and singing songs.

Come on, give me that glass.

You wouldn't be so full of vinegar

if you just had a little champagne.

It sounds like the soldiers have been outshouting everybody else.

How about giving the children a chance to brag a little bit?

All right now.

What have you two got to say for yourselves?

-Me? -Yeah, come on.

We haven't done anything as exciting as you, Tip.

Nothing.

You just let me decide what's exciting.

You think of something. I may be back.

All right now.

You?

I'll bet you've had some adventures.

I swallowed a tooth.

A tooth! That is pretty exciting.

I tell you, that is awful exciting.

Come on, let's hear it for the little lady.

Come on, a round of applause.

All right now. Let me see who I'm going to get next.

What about you?

Mary Ellen pitched a no-hit game.

That's pretty good. I'll drink to that.

John-Boy killed a bear.

-A bear? -He surely did.

He went out hunting for turkeys and came home with a bear.

Lucky he got it, too, or I wouldn't be here today.

-Congratulations, John-Boy. -Thank you.

I didn't know there were still bears here.

Plenty of bears still up here on old Mountain.

There will be one big bear at the breakfast table

in the morning...

if you don't get some sleep, old man.

Just keep in mind the old bear is easily tamed

with a little honey.

Did I do that right?

Let's do K-K-K-Katy again.

Any more singing you'll be doing will be in your dreams.

Come on, everybody.

Get to bed.

[speaking indistinctly]

-Good playing there. -Thanks.

Can't we stay just a little while longer?

No, you can't stay up just a little while longer.

Yeah, you get to bed.

Good night, John-Boy.

Good night, Tip. I'm glad we finally had a chance to meet.

It was my pleasure. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I'll be right up, honey.

Come on up. Give me that, John-Boy. Upstairs!

Hurry up. Up you go.

Good night.

It's way past your bedtime. Hurry up.

Walton, you are a lucky son of a gun.

Do you know that's a wonderful family you've got there?

I'm telling you.

They are something else. You know the youngest--

John, it's really good to see you, you old rascal.

Tip, it's good to see you, too.

I mean, this is just like old times, isn't it?

You know, I missed you at the Legion conventions every year.

What with one thing and another

I just can't seem able to get away.

The last one, I organized my own platoon.

Took over the whole hotel.

It was almost as much fun as the time I set myself up...

as mayor of that French village.

Yes. Started collecting a kiss tax from all the mademoiselles.

I could always count on you, John Walton, to back me up.

We really had some times, didn't we?

-We surely did. -We can again, too.

You're going to come to that Legion convention next year.

Now, that's an order. That's all there is to it.

-Sounds good. -Sleep well.

Good night, John.

I'm just getting my things together.

I sure feel bad about putting you out of your room.

Don't worry. I hope you'll be comfortable.

I'll be fine.

-I put your luggage over there. -Thanks.

-That's nice leather. -That's cowhide.

I thought I'd see that bearskin of yours up on the wall.

Oh, no. Not that.

-How big did you say he was? -He was a fair-sized bear.

I got a few trophies myself. Hey, you know, listen...

maybe one of these days you and me and your dad

can go hunting up in Canada.

They've got some real bears up there.

This old silvertip rushed my guide once

caught him off balance.

Would have finished him off right there if I hadn't slipped

a knife between his ribs.

I'm telling you, that bear measured over 7 feet...

weighed more than 600 pounds.

The one I shot wasn't nearly that big.

Don't worry, you'll get one that big before long.

Certainly hope so. Good night now.

Listen, I really do hate to put you out of your room.

-It's nothing, Mr. Harrison. -Are you sure, now?

What did you say? You called me Mr. Harrison.

-I told you to call me Tip. -I forgot.

I'll put you on KP if you don't get my name right.

-All right then. -Good night, Tip.

See you bright and early.

Don't you forget, you call me Tip.

John.

Thought you were asleep.

You all right?

Livie, I didn't have that much champagne.

No, I don't mean that.

I'm fine.

Must be hard for you.

Having Tip here, just as carefree...

and happy as in your Army days...

while here you are, slaving away to feed

and clothe a wife and kids.

Do you hear me complaining?

No, that's not your way.

-But all the same-- -Livie, hush.

John.

Livie...

Hush.

John-Boy.

Need to deliver some lumber. Need your help.

I promised Mama I'd watch this trash fire.

I'll take over.

I don't know, Jason.

Daddy, John-Boy isn't the only Walton who can do anything.

-I never said he was. -I sure never said he was.

But it's the way you treat me, like I'm still a kid.

I'm 15 years old.

All right, Jason. You take over.

Thanks, Daddy.

Keep a good eye on that fire.

-Don't let the sparks fly off. -I won't.

Make sure that you got dirt covering the ashes.

They scratch like tinder.

I will, just like I've seen you and John-Boy

do hundreds of times.

All right, son. Let's go.

[dog barking]

You want to help me stand guard, Reckless?

-Good morning, Tip. -Morning.

Somebody's been sleeping past reveille.

Winning the war all over again really tired me out.

Here you are hard at work.

I got to deliver this stuff before noon.

Why don't you come along, take a ride?

I was thinking I should be on my way, John.

Not so soon.

I don't want to wear out my welcome.

Maybe you should stick around.

Olivia's been cooking up a marvelous lunch.

I mean really good.

Carrots.

Carrots?

John Walton, you know we took a solemn oath...

if we left the war alive, we'd never look at another carrot.

One whole week all we had to eat...

morning, noon, and night was carrots.

Carrot soup, carrot salad, carrot stew.

And we finally got some real good meat. Tip's favorite.

Rabbit.

Come on, Tip, don't leave so soon.

John, I don't know.

Stick around a little while longer. Come on.

When you dangle a carrot in front of my nose, what can I do?

-I'll stick around awhile. -Come on, have a ride with us.

Maybe I'd better take it easy.

Reconnoiter a little.

All right. See you real soon.

See you, Tip.

[harmonica playing]

Good morning.

The kids are looking for you.

Do me a favor. Don't tell them you saw me.

Ready, Reckless?

Daddy, can I ask you a question?

Why, sure, son.

Let's take a minute.

Shoot.

Well, I've been thinking.

Whenever there's talk about the war

between you and Mr. Harrison...

it's always been happy stories about the fun

and the good times you had.

Stories tend to get better and better as the years go by.

Mainly, they're true.

I know that.

That isn't all of it, is it?

No.

Like the Battle of the Argonne

that you're always talking about.

I know that more than 40,000 men were killed in that battle.

Forty-thousand men. That's more than twice as many people...

as there are in the whole town of Charlottesville.

Son, a man who's there, he doesn't need to talk about it.

If you won't talk to me about that part of it...

then how am I supposed to understand what it's all about?

No way I can make you understand.

What am I supposed to do? Just go and fight a war?

What I went through in Argonne, son...

is experience I hope you never have to have.

Come on, Reckless. Let's go, boy.

I thought you were watching the trash fire.

It's all out, Mama. And the ash is covered.

-Any jobs you want doing? -Yeah.

There's a loose hinge on this door

that's been driving me crazy.

I've told John and John-Boy to fix it

but they've been too busy.

Well, I'll do it, Mama.

-Thank you, Jason. -You're welcome.

He's let that fire get out of hand.

Go on, right over there. John-Boy, get the shovels.

Livie, we're on fire!

It's a fire!

Children, stay back!

There you go.

-You got it? -I'll put some dirt on it.

-It's all out. -Yeah.

-I sure wanted to help. -Me, too.

Everything's out back here.

No real damage done.

That's about it, John.

Another minute or two and it was a real fire.

Sorry, Daddy. I tried to be so careful.

When you're watching a fire, you can't be too careful.

I know.

I was just sure there wasn't one spark left.

I let you down.

Yes, son, I reckon you have.

Well, everybody's entitled to at least one mistake.

-John, remember Bummer McBride? -Who?

Bummer McBride. You remember Bummer?

Bummer dozed off on sentry duty. You remember that.

That's the time that hard-nosed major, what's-his-name--

Rittenhouse.

He comes on Bummer, he's snoozing.

Just then the Jerries whizzbanged us--

That's right.

When the dust settled and the Major dug himself out...

he was in such a daze...

we all convinced him he's the one who was asleep...

and dreamed the whole thing.

Why don't you two men exchange war stories over lunch?

Remember that?

Unloading that lumber and putting out this fire...

I have worked up a little appetite.

I think right after lunch, John, I will have to be rolling on.

Shoot.

Jason.

Do you remember which way the wind was blowing at the time?

It was coming from the west.

From the west?

How did one spark get carried

all the way over here against the wind?

I don't know.

It had to. I mean, how else could the fire have started?

Daddy!

It's been at them again.

-It's that fox. -In broad daylight.

-John-Boy, let's go. -Yeah.

We'll get a gun for Tip, too.

No, John. I'd like to, but I really got to get going.

It'll be like old times, only nobody shooting back.

Mr. Harrison doesn't want to go traipsing around

in those nice clothes.

That fox wouldn't have a chance with you after it.

-Yeah. -Tip?

Now let's get that fox.

[dog barking]

John-Boy.

You two set a pretty fast pace for a city fellow.

Catch your breath.

That old hound dog is still on the scent.

Yeah. He thinks he is.

We'll be turning around up here for hours.

Running that fox to ground is no concern of yours.

You can head on back if you want to.

Give up?

Just because I haven't caught my second wind?

You know me better than that, John Walton.

This jaunt's child's play

when you've hunted the Canadian Rockies.

Maybe I'd better just run on ahead.

I'm ready.

What happens if we run into the big brother

of that bear John-Boy shot?

We'll give you first crack at him.

-Whenever you're ready. -Come on. Over the top.

Reckless is getting faint.

Take the right, son. You go on off to the left.

Suits me.

[leaves rustling]

-Can you see that old fox? -No, no sign of Reckless either.

I know that old hound. He and the fox are off

playing pinochle somewhere.

Wonder where Tip is.

I'm gonna ask you another question.

Who is Harold Harrison?

Harold?

Why, that's Tip's younger brother.

Tip always said he didn't have enough gumption

to tie his own shoes.

How do you know about him?

I just happened to notice that the car was

registered in his name.

And the luggage had his name on it, too.

-Is that right? -Yeah.

Daddy, I hope you don't mind my saying this.

There's times I can't believe

Mr. Harrison is as old as you are.

In some ways, he seems even younger than me.

You noticed that, did you?

It's as if when the war ended...

he just stopped, too.

He just kept going over and over those same adventures.

At least you've been making something good for yourself.

Something good for all of us.

Let's go look for old Tip.

[leaves rustling]

Who's there?

Who's there?

[gunshot]

[dog whimpering]

-You get the fox? -No.

What was that shot?

I thought I saw something, but it was just a shadow.

Wasted your ammunition.

That's a smart one. What do you think, boy?

I think he's probably halfway across the county by now.

I reckon you're right. Might as well head on back home.

Yeah, it's getting late.

I'm gonna wait on Reckless, Daddy.

He can outrun us all. Come on, he'll beat us there.

-I wanna carry them. -No, I wanna carry them.

Ladies, look, you're gonna scuff 'em.

All right. You carry that one, and I'll carry this.

I get the small one.

First time I ever heard Erin begging to do some work.

She and Mary Ellen sure are gone over Tip Harrison.

Mary Ellen even took down her picture of Babe Ruth.

I sure wish you didn't have to go so soon, Tip.

The time to leave is when a host can still say that and mean it.

Now, you know you're always welcome.

I know that, John. I know that.

Careful of your hand.

John.

Your regard means a lot to me.

Tip, the whole family feels the same way.

You come back real soon.

Thanks.

Think about meeting me at the convention next year.

-All right. -Okay.

Stay away from the car, children.

Take care. So long, sweethearts.

So long.

-Bye. -Take care.

-Watch it. -Bye-bye, Tip.

That sure is some car.

Feed this family for 10 years on what that machine costs.

He doesn't have to worry about feeding this family.

No, nor any family.

It's gonna be so boring around here without Tip Harrison.

Come on inside, Mary Ellen.

I think I can find something to cure your boredom.

Mama, that's not what I meant.

Run along.

Daddy, you know Reckless hasn't gotten home yet.

It's not like him to stay up there by himself.

Come suppertime, he'll be standing ready.

John-Boy, we gotta buy some heavy wire

to fix that chicken coop.

Maybe someday Daddy will have

a big shiny car like Mr. Harrison's.

Daddy doesn't need a shiny car.

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

Tip, what's the matter? Forget something?

Tip, what's the matter?

John...

-John, it's about your dog. -Reckless?

I shot him. I shot your dog.

Up there, I heard something in the bushes

and I just blazed away.

-Did you kill him? -I don't know.

-Daddy, I'm gonna drive on back. -Just a second, son.

Tip, I'm your friend.

Why couldn't you come to me?

I don't know.

I just couldn't.

And another thing.

The fire.

I let the boy take the blame, but it was my fault.

A cigarette.

You did that to my Jason?

I'm sorry, John.

I shouldn't have come back.

I should've left things like they were.

-But I keep looking. -For what?

Well, for me.

I mean, the way things used to be...

when everything I did was right.

That's the way it was over there, wasn't it, John?

Yeah.

I want it to be like that again.

But it won't.

Not now.

Listen, Tip...

what you are talking about is memories.

That's all they are. Memories.

Good memories, but just memories.

You got to put them away in a shoebox. You got to retire them.

Tip.

One thing I've learned is every day is a new thing.

A chance to start again.

Hey, boy, give life a chance.

Grab a hold of now.

Huh?

...down in there, back of the fan belt.

-Don't lose any of the parts. -That's right, Grandpa.

-John-Boy, get my gun. -Yes, sir.

What's wrong, John?

Grandpa, I just ran into a fellow down the road.

Said he saw Reckless up in the mountains

and that he has been hurt. Maybe shot.

-Shot? -I knew something was wrong.

Let's get up there in the mountains, see if we can

find him before it gets dark.

Reckless!

Here, boy.

Reckless!

Reckless, here, boy!

Grandpa, what's the matter? Did you find something?

I seem to have lost the tracks.

Should be heading out that way.

Must have been chasing something.

But could be he doubled back on himself.

Come on, let's go.

Reckless!

Here, boy!

You take a look over there.

Here, boy!

Reckless!

-Any sign of him? -No, sir.

I should have known.

Deer tracks.

Reckon we'd better head on back home.

Yeah, I suppose so. Light is fading fast.

We can't leave Reckless here in the dark.

I don't like it any better than you do.

It's not gonna help matters to get lost up in the mountains.

We'll come back as soon as it's daylight.

Poor Reckless.

-Jason? -You go on ahead. I'll catch up.

I'm just gonna look in this gully over here.

Here, boy! Reckless!

Reckless!

Here, boy!

-Jason! -Coming, Daddy.

[harmonica playing]

[Reckless barking]

Reckless.

What happened? Who did this to you, boy?

Daddy, John-Boy, come quick! I found Reckless.

Just take it easy, boy.

It's going to be all right. That's it.

Just lie down. Good boy.

Daddy, I found him. I found Reckless.

I found Reckless, Grandpa.

Take it easy, boy.

Reckless looks so sad.

He's got a right to look sad. Being shot and left for dead.

He'll be okay.

I'm sure he will.

He'll be as lively as ever in a couple of weeks.

I think he's enjoying all the attention.

Look, he's thanking Jason.

He ought to.

If he hadn't found him, he might have bled to death.

I still wonder how that fool dog managed to get himself shot.

Likely we'll never have an answer to that one.

Reckless isn't going to tell us.

I don't like the idea of strangers up there

firing guns in those mountains.

Daddy, you never did say who it was that told you

about Reckless being shot.

That's right, son. I never did.

It's nice and quiet around here without Tip tonight.

I don't know. I miss the singing and the stories.

-I miss the champagne. -You would.

I must confess I had a few misgivings...

when I heard we were gonna meet the living legend.

Now I'm real glad that he came.

So am I.

Except, I think you all should know one thing.

Jason didn't start that fire. Tip did.

What?

We knew that, Daddy. John-Boy and me.

Then why didn't you speak up, son?

Just knowing seemed enough.

The boy would have spoken up.

But the man didn't.

Packing it away?

I guess it's nice to know it's there.

Once in a while, it's a pleasure to take it out and look at it.

Try to remember the youngster who wore it.

But I sure don't have time to live with it 24 hours a day...

three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

The gallant gesture made in the face of great danger...

the flamboyant exploit that shocks and delights...

these are the usual materials for building a legend.

But as I was growing up...

I was privileged to watch the day-by-day growth

of another kind of legend.

Fashioned out of long years of bone-tiring work...

good humor in the face of daily hardship...

and unfailing patience, understanding, and love.

The quiet legend of John Walton, my father.

"Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep."

Mama, what is my soul?

It's your spirit, darling.

Well, that explains something.

What's that, Elizabeth?

I always wondered what the Lord wanted with a piece of my shoe.

-Good night, Elizabeth. -Good night, Mama.

In a moment, some scenes

from the next episode of The Waltons.

[music continues]