Original subtitles

Good evening.

As you can see, I'm in training for a pie-eating contest.

I take all athletic matches seriously. I've been practicing for some weeks now

and have myself honed to a razor-sharp edge.

Furthermore, I do not expect to have any trouble making the weight.

This evening, in addition to a pie-eating contest, we are presenting a

story entitled Where the Woodbine Twineth, or, as our network insists on

calling it, WT2.

Where the Woodbine Twineth is about a little girl who had some imaginary

playmates. This would not seem to be a very serious problem.

But it was.

It was.

We now have a different kind of competition, an endurance contest.

The question is, how many of you can endure the next 60 seconds?

To everything there is a season.

And a time to every purpose under the heaven.

A time to be born.

And a time to die.

A time to plant.

And a time to pluck up that which is planted.

A time to kill.

And a time to heal.

A time to break down and a time to build up.

A time to weep.

And a time to laugh.

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to get and a time to lose.

Want to see your room either?

Come on, honey.

I'll show it to you.

Jesse, give me a bag.

I'll carry it, Miss Nell. I'll carry it.

Poor baby.

Fix me a cup of coffee, Suze.

Yes, Captain Key.

I'm awfully sorry, Captain King.

I sure admired Amos.

Thank you, Jesse. Thank you.

My room's through there.

Right next door.

This used to be your daddy's room, once upon a time.

Do you hear me, Eva?

Yes, Aunt Mel.

He's never coming back, is he?

Even if I pretend he'll never come back.

Even if we all pretend.

Look at all the bumblebees out in the garden.

Do bumblebees die?

Yes.

Am I an orphan?

Who told you that?

I heard someone at the church say I was an orphan.

That they didn't know what was going to become of me.

going to become of me?

Am I going to die?

Not for a long time. You're going to live here with me and we're going to

have a very nice life.

Is it dark where Daddy is?

I hope not.

I don't know.

Mingo knows.

Mingo says it's brighter than day.

They have bumblebees there too.

Who's Mingo, honey?

A friend of mine.

My best friend.

Can I have some iced tea?

With four spoonfuls of sugar?

Soon she'll make it, Sam.

But I want to put the sugars in myself.

What is it?

Nothing.

It's just that I'm expecting someone.

And I thought for a minute I saw them.

To reroute the front porch, $43.71.

$25 to...

Burn off the back lot.

The funeral will be at least 7.50.

You just make out the checks. I'll sign them.

Well, they're all made out.

Now... Yes?

I'm just bringing it up one more time.

And I'll never mention it again.

Now you just listen.

Are you absolutely sure you want to keep Eva here?

I could take her with me in the morning and leave her with the mother's people.

She's Amos' child.

I know you'd have wanted me to take care of her.

It's a big job taking care of a six-year-old.

Things aren't going to be as quiet around here.

I'm aware of that.

I'm even looking forward to it.

It's been too quiet around here for a long time.

You aren't doing this out of a sense of duty, are you?

I don't know.

I never thought about it like that.

But it'd make no difference if it was.

And I think... Well, I suppose... We do a lot of things out of a sense of duty.

I never asked you to stay here and manage this house.

Never kept you here for one minute.

I never said you did.

But someone had to stay with Mum until she died.

Amos was so busy.

Going to school and getting married.

Nell. I'm sorry, Father.

I haven't been able to cry about Amos yet.

And I need a good cry.

Oh, I'll be fine.

What time will you be leaving in the morning? Nell.

I have to tell Susan what time to fix breakfast.

What time?

What time?

Here we are.

All washed and ready for bed.

Come, give your old grandpa a big hug goodnight.

Because he'll be way down river before you wake up in the morning.

Want to come and go to New Orleans with grandpa on the boat?

with Aunt Nell.

Well, you better get to bed.

Aunt Nell won't want a cranky little girl on her hands. You'll be cranky if

you don't get to bed.

I'm afraid of the dark.

Will you stay in my room?

Yes, tonight I will.

Yes.

Is that a hundred almost, really?

Are you getting tired?

My arm feels like it's about to fall off.

If my arm ever fell off, would I grow another one?

I don't think we have to worry about that.

Mingo told me it would.

I'll be glad when Mingo comes so you can meet her.

I'd like to meet her very much.

You would?

Of course.

Hobbies.

She's big enough to live in a birdcage, but little enough to have a frog for a

horse. I see.

Not the frogs.

Now, by the river.

Croak, croak, croak.

That means that Mingo's coming.

She'll be here sometime tonight.

Go to sleep, Eva.

Am I turning out the light now?

No.

Do you believe me about Mingo?

I think you're a very sweet girl with a wonderful imagination.

That means you don't believe me.

I knew you wouldn't believe me when I tell you things are real.

Daddy doesn't believe me either.

And Daddy's dead.

Turn out the light.

Eva... Turn out the light. I want to go to sleep.

Come back into bed, Eva.

You mind me?

No. Eva?

either i don't like you i was having fun

you mustn't talk back at me why

my mom had to wash my mouth out with soap so i talked back at her like that

you're not my mama my mom is dead mingo saw her

bingo said her eyes were open she said she thought Daddy and

Mama dancing together down in the ground.

You mustn't make up things like that.

It's not made up.

What Mingo says is so.

Mingo brought her whole family with her because her house caught on fire.

They didn't say the thing.

Not even a pair of shoes.

Mr. Peppercorn is her father.

He has a beard very much like the way Grandpa used to wear on his chin.

Except, Mr.

Peppercorn's is red.

Same color as his eyes.

work for Mr. Peppa Queen.

So, will they all live here under the davenport?

No.

No, Susan.

What is it, honey?

That's where they all live.

Nothing's vacuum under there. Give it to me, because I know how to keep from

hitting them.

Nice to see you helping, Eva.

Eva?

What?

I said it was nice to see you helping.

Oh, she's lots of help, Miss Nell.

They don't like Aunt Nell.

They always hide when they see her coming.

I keep telling them that she's really very nice down inside and that they

mustn't be afraid of her. Uh-huh.

Is Aunt Mel an old maid?

And what is it?

Is it when they're snippy?

Does loving someone make you not snippy, Sue?

I love Mingo.

And Mr.

Peppercorn, Sam, and Popo.

And I don't feel snippy at all.

So there must be some truth in what some folks say.

But it was a long, green sun lizard.

And the cat came, pat, pat, pat, and jumped

up on the bed and put it under my cover.

And I touched it with my toes.

Eva!

Who were you talking to, Eva?

Have you heard me?

Tell me the truth.

To my friends, Mingo, Mr.

Peppercorn, Sam.

Oh, Eva.

Yes, ma'am?

There's no one in this parlor but you and me.

You never believe me when I tell you things are real.

They aren't real.

They are.

They aren't. It's not the truth.

They are.

They are not.

Either. They are real. They live under the Davenport.

Oh, either.

They're little.

Well, you just show them to me.

No, they don't like you.

Well, that's just too bad, because I want to see them.

No. Why not?

You just can't. Because they aren't there. They are. They are.

Well, we'll see about that.

There's nothing there.

Nothing.

They're gone.

They're gone?

Because they were never there.

You did it.

You made my friends go away. They're gone.

You did it.

You're an awful, snippy old maid.

I'll rinse your mouth with soap so hard it'll make your head swim.

You did it. You did it. You made my friends go away. You did it.

Not since breakfast.

She better come on.

Have you looked out under the puzzle tree?

Eva?

Jesse? Yes, ma'am.

Have you seen Eva?

No, ma'am. Not since breakfast.

Oh, you better get the car out of the garage now. I don't want to be late.

Yes, ma'am.

Well, she kept crying because she didn't get to see the boat and meet her

grandpa.

It's her own fault.

I'm not playing hide-and-seek with her.

We're going to have raspberry cobbler baked ham, corn on the cob, fresh

tomatoes and spoonbread.

Everything the captain's fond of.

There's Jesse with the condom now.

I'll hear him.

Where'd you put the ham, Jesse?

What ham?

I asked you earlier to get me a ham out of the smokehouse.

You didn't ask me?

Jesse. I told you the first thing this morning.

Not me. We need anything from town.

Just about out of cornmeal, Miss Nell. You didn't tell me, Julie. You bought no

ham. I told you before I poured you your coffee.

Come on, come on. We'll be late.

They can't be waiting on the dog.

I'll remember if you told me, Suze.

Never mind.

I'll get it myself.

Who's in here?

Is that you, Eva?

No.

Your Aunt Nell's been looking high and low for you.

I know.

You missed going down to the dock and seeing your grandpa come in on the boat.

I know.

Didn't you want to go?

Why didn't you answer then and make your went-bouts known?

I couldn't.

Why not?

Because Mr.

Peppercorn came.

And I couldn't be rude to Mr.

Peppercorn.

He came back on a butterfly for just one minute to tell me something.

You better come on, get out from there before you break your neck.

Just look.

Just look at them hands.

Oh, and that face.

And you smell like a piece of smoked meat.

I was pretending I was the string of peppers.

Oh, yes?

Well, we're just going to have to throw you in the tub and clean you up before

they get back.

What are you grinning about, young lady?

Oh,

you better stop that. You're going to make yourself dizzy.

Now, come on. Come on. Come on.

Captain King!

Captain King!

How's my girl?

I'm fine.

Jessie, hand me the big box on the front seat. All right, Captain.

I got something here for you.

Put

me

down, Grandpa. Put me down.

Numa. What did you say, Eva?

Don't mumble.

Thank your grandpa nicely now.

Oh, you think I haven't taught you one shred of manners.

Numa.

It's Numa.

He told me she'd be coming, but I wasn't sure it was Grandpa bringing her.

Mr. Peppercorn said... Oh, Eva.

I don't want to be a tattletale, Grandpa.

But Aunt Nell made them all go away.

She took an umbrella and poked at them.

But this morning, Mr.

Peppercorn came back for just one minute.

He said when she poked at them, she broke Sam's foot and that none of them

would ever come back with her in the house. No matter how much they loved me,

they were sending me Numa instead.

He's just like he said.

Take it all and go to your room, Eva.

Eva, take it all and go upstairs. You heard me.

Yes, Aunt Mel.

Thank you, Grandpa, for bringing me new mugs.

You're very welcome, I am sure.

I want to talk to you.

Talk to me over a nice mint julep.

I've been almost out of my mind all summer long.

It just doesn't stop.

There's a whole community of them living under the Davenport.

They all rode frogs.

It's not too funny.

She's just a baby now.

I know, but it's all she talks about, all she thinks about.

She never lifts a finger around the house.

When I was her age, I made myself very useful.

Now, you know I did.

Yes, you did.

Mama'd have taken a switch to me if I'd acted the way she acts.

You aren't sorry you took her in, are you, Nell?

She's Amos's child.

You're not answering my question.

No, I'm not sorry.

But I intend to do something about it.

A child must learn to live with the reality of the world.

Sounds like something you said to me once upon a time, doesn't it?

Sounds familiar.

I'd be grateful if you'd brush up that particular lecture.

It was pretty effective, as I remember.

I'll go get her.

You might also tell her that...

I'm not a snippy old maid, an impossible ogre.

Who was in here with you?

There was someone in here with you.

I distinctly heard two voices.

Who was it?

Now, you answer me.

You never believe me when I tell you things are real.

Now, you tell me the truth. You hear me?

Just me.

Just me, Enuma.

How does one improve each shining hour?

Some say by injecting a station break in the center of it.

I shall allow you to judge for yourselves before rejoining us for the

second half of Where the Woodbine Twineth.

What does Numa say today, Eva?

Today Numa says that she misses Grandpa.

And that she's sorry he had to go away so soon.

And that she'll be glad when he comes back up the river.

Yes.

And that summer's just about...

Mm-hmm. And life is very hard.

Oh, yes.

Life is hard.

That's what Numa says.

I'm on my way to choir practice. Isn't there any need?

You look pretty, Miss Nair.

We're just about out of cinnamon.

Do you want to come into town, Eva?

Can I bring Numa?

I don't want everyone in town to see my niece walking around talking to a doll.

Then I'd rather stay here and play.

Wait, Jessie.

I'll get it.

You can make up the bed this morning.

I will. I forgot.

I'll put it to work, Miss Nell.

I'll see that she sweeps the porch and she can help me make... Pie crust and

I'll see that she makes a bed.

Tonight is missionary meeting.

I'd like an early supper.

Yes, ma'am.

Aunt Nell doesn't like Numa any more than she likes Mr.

Peppercorn.

Let me sift it some.

All right.

Grandma says if Aunt Nell ever made her go away like she did the others, she'd

take me with her.

And where would that be?

Where the wood behind twine is.

Where?

Where the wood behind twine is.

I don't recollect ever hearing of that place before. How far from Cleesops

Landing is it?

I don't know, but I expect it's far away. So far away you never come

back.

Never come back. back where the wood barn trine has never come back.

Don't do that, honey.

We don't just always talk.

Sometimes we get tired of that.

When we do, we just play.

What do you play?

Jacks, bum-bum, house, dress-up, doll.

Sometimes we just play doll.

Just play an old doll?

Sometimes Noomi gets tired of being a doll.

Oh, she does?

Let me roll some.

All right.

Mm-hmm.

Real tired of being doll.

So, I play doll, and she puts me in the box and plays with me.

She puts you in that box?

Mm-hmm.

And you're the doll?

You'd better get that bed made up first.

Oh, yes.

I forgot.

Eva? Who were you playing with?

I'm not going to tell you. You were playing with one of those children from

down by the river. Where did she go?

There was no one here but me and Numa.

Now, don't you set out to aggravate me.

I suppose you're going to tell me that it was Numa I saw.

You never believe me when I tell you things are real.

Well, we'll put a little stop to this nonsense right now.

Behave yourself.

I want Numa.

I want my Numa. No.

I want my

Numa.

You can have her back when you tell me who you were playing with just now, not

before.

Don't you talk that way to me.

Shut up.

Don't you sass me.

Oh, Ava.

You better not bite me.

I'm going to. You just do and see what happens, Miss Lady.

But Luna said, she said if you ever made her go away, she'd take me with her. Oh,

Ava.

Stop it, Eve.

Miss Ness.

Put her to bed.

But she hasn't had a supper, Miss Ness. Put her to bed.

Yes, ma'am.

Come on, baby.

Come on.

Jesse? Jesse?

Well, I finally found out what was wrong.

It was just that old spring that needed tightening up real tight.

Well, thank you, Jesse.

I'm sure glad it didn't happen when Suze was in here cleaning up.

She'd have climbed right up that wall.

Thank you, Jesse.

You're welcome, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am.

I'm going now. You sure you don't want Jessie to drive you? It's just over to

Nan Foster's.

You taking that up to Eva?

Yes, ma'am. It's all right, is it? She didn't have any dinner either.

You think I've been too strict, don't you?

Don't ask me, Miss Nell.

She talked back to me.

That's not to be allowed.

No, ma'am.

I'll be home early.

Have a nice evening, Miss Nell.

Look what I brought you.

Chicken and dumplings and a glass of milk and a big piece of pie.

I'm not hungry.

Well, I'll just leave it anyway in case you get hungry.

I don't want you knocking on my door in the middle of the night and waking me up

and looking pitiful.

What you mad at me for?

I'm not.

You're not?

You sure?

Help me.

Goodnight, baby.

Jesse?

Jesse!

Listen.

Oh, that old pianola spring done got untied again, Mama.

I thought I had it big for sure.

Well, I see what I can do about it this time.

you

Jessie! Sue!

You home already, Miss Nell? What is it, dear? Where's Eva?

Up in her room, I reckon.

Well, how'd the parlor door get unlocked?

Who locked it? I did.

Well, I wasn't there when it wasn't locked, Miss Nell. It wasn't locked at

all.

you want to play anytime you want to play it.

So you're the child who's been sneaking up here to play with Eva.

Not that.

You're going home.

Go on.

Go on home.

Go on.

You're going home where you belong.

Never come back.

Now don't you hide from me. Do you hear me?

If you... If you know what's good for you, you'll come to me right now.

Eva.

Eva.

That concludes tonight's story.

Next week we shall return with another.

Until then, good night.