All language subtitles for Little House on the Prairie - 9x07 - The Wild Boy (Part 2)

I give you,
ladies and gentlemen,

the wild boy

of the north!

Stand back,
stand back.

McQueen:
Go on, move back.

Let go. Somebody
give me my other cane.

Ow! Ohh!

Shut up in there!

My god.

It's him.

It's the wild boy.

His name
is Matthew.

He can't talk,
but he can hear.

Jenny: He scratched his
name in the dirt over there.

The reason he acts
this way is because

Dr. McQueen keeps him
locked up in that cage.

You'd be that wild,
too.

Dr. McQueen.

Ah, ah.

Did you get... did you
get your parties all right?

Yes, I did. I notified the
authorities in mankato

and sleepy eye
to keep a look out,

and if I can impose on you
to tell people around here:

I am offering
a $50-reward

for the recapture
of the boy.

- Uh, $50?
- That's right.

Isaiah,
that elixir that McQueen's peddling

probably has
a morphine base.

I'd have to test it
to be sure.

Anyway,
all he had to do

was to give the boy
large doses of the elixir

and he was able to
control his moods.

You mean, that's why
the boy was acting crazy.

Exactly.

I can teach Matthew how
to talk with his hands.

And I can teach you and
Jenny how to understand him.

You think you can?
I'm kind of a bonehead.

I know I can.

You know, I was out
at Isaiah's this morning,

and it's hard to believe the
change that's come over Matthew.

He doesn't look anything more
like that wild boy now than I do.

Yeah,
it's amazing.

Isaiah wants to bring him into
town to meet some other folks.

I thought sunday at church
might be the best place.

That sounds
safe enough to me.

McQueen's long gone. I don't
think he's going to be coming back.

Yeah. Well...

I got to get going. I got
an office full of patients.

- Well, we'll see you, doc.
- Mm-hmm.

I'm going to have $50

to spend on anything I want.

Hey! Hey! Hold on there.
What's the matter?

Oh, this?

Oh. That there's called
whistling, see?

All I'm doing is I'm
puckering up my lips a little,

blowing some air out of there,
and it makes a sound.

No, no. Here.

Here, watch what I'm doing,
okay?

See? You got to pucker
up your lips proper.

The whole key to getting
the right sound is the pucker.

Now,
pucker up some there. Pucker up your lip.

Now blow some air
through there real slow like.

Uh-huh,
well...

You ain't quite got it,
but it'll come.

Remember, the most importantest
thing is the pucker. All right?

Oh, say, by the way,
I'm taking you into town tomorrow

for church services.

About time you met
some other folks.

But of course,
it's going to be all right.

Don't you worry
about a thing.

It'll be fine.
I promise.

Ho! What the...

What's the matter?

Oh! You finally
learned it, did you?

Oh, yeah. You got yourself
a fine whistle there. Fine.

Good pucker, too.

Here,
tell you what.

Why don't you go
on back to bed,

get yourself some sleep while
there's still some night left? Huh?

Yeah,
that's good.

Congregation: ♪ yes,
we'll gather at the river ♪

♪ That flows by
the throne of god ♪

Well!

I must say you're in
very fine voice today.

No, they're very fine voices,
and...

You know, a voice is
a wondrous thing.

It enables US to talk
to our fellow man,

and we can express
our feelings to each other.

It enables US to praise
the lord in prayer and song.

Where would I be
without a voice?

No, it... a voice is...

Is a marvelous gift from god,

but too often it's taken
for granted.

I'd like to tell you a story that
was told to me the other day.

It's about a young boy.

He's an orphan.

He can't talk,

but he can hear.

Now, it was due
to this inability to speak

that he was placed
in an asylum...

Not because he was demented
or mentally ill,

but just because
of the silence.

Now, about... two years ago?

About two years ago,
he was placed in the care

of a man who promised
to help him.

Instead, he used the boy's
silence for his own financial gain,

displaying him
like a wild animal...

Calling him a wild
boy of the north.

Rev. Alden: We now know
that he was not wild, just mute.

But thanks to some

Christian generosity
and guidance,

he has now learned not only
how to talk with his hands

but also how to live
a normal human life.

Now, he's here today
asking acceptance

as a member of the community.

I, for one,
want to welcome him.

Matthew?

Ladies and gentlemen,
this is Matthew,

and he would like to say hello
to the people of walnut grove.

Well, before we conclude
today's service,

I had one more thing to say.

I promise you,

it's not going to be long.

Some months ago,
there was talk of a reward.

Well, my friends...

You didn't say
anything, did you?

Today, I say the wild boy

does not exist anymore.

Now, would you all stand and turn
to page 34 for our closing hymn?

Come on, Jeb,
there's hundreds of them.

Thousands, maybe.

No, tad-poling
is for kids.

Bounced a rock
for 10 times once.

You ever done
that, Matthew?

Caught me an 8-pound
catfish once, too.

What do you think
of that?

Matthew's never
been fishing.

Ain't skimmed a rock?
Ain't been fishing?

How about arm wrestling?
Ever done that?

Well now, let's see if you
can beat me at arm wrestling.

Don't be silly! Matthew just
said he doesn't know how.

I'm showing
him how.

Jeb,
come on. You're just being a show-off.

All right.
Get a good grip.

Now, when Jenny says "go,"
you try and pull me down.

I'll try to do
the same to you.

Jeb:
Understand?

Jenny, you say when.

On your Mark,

get set,
go.

Jenny: Jeb Carter,
you're about the rudest person I know!

You did that on purpose!

Well, now,
no hard feelings... oh!

You think that's pretty clever,
don't you?

What's he saying?

"I may not be able
to fish or skim rocks,

but I just caught a 110-pound
boy and bounced him twice."

What do you say...
Friends?

Friends.

Oh, don't you dare!

Isaiah, by my count,
that finishes up this order.

Oh, glad to hear that. Feel
like I've been cutting for a week.

Don't stop now,
we still got the Johnson order to fill.

- You're not serious?
- I'm afraid so.

Ohh.

- What's the matter?
- McQueen. He's back.

Which one of you
is Edwards?

I am.

I hear you got my wild
boy down on your farm.

I got a boy out there,
but he isn't wild,

not anymore.

His name is Matthew,
but you probably already know that.

Not wild, huh?

You think you can lock
him up in a barn, tame him?

Look here, McQueen,
we know all about the boy's problem

and what you've done to him,
so I suggest

you just turn around
and leave.

McQueen, you get
out of here.

That boy's got
a normal life now.

He's accepted by
everybody in walnut grove.

You leave him be.

You're wrong there,
Mr. Edwards.

Not everybody wants
an animal around.

Somebody had to call me,
didn't they?

And I'm telling you,
you get that boy up here,

or I'm bringing
the law down on you.

Who are you to talk
about the law?

- Isaiah, let him go.
- I'm warning you, Edwards.

I got legal papers that
show Matthew's mine.

Almanzo:
Give US some proof.

I'm his legal
guardian.

There ain't a court in the land
that wouldn't support me on that.

You get out
of here, McQueen.

The boy is staying
with me.

You're a fool, Edwards.

Almanzo:
Isaiah.

I thought I was going
to have trouble with you,

so I wired a circuit judge.

He'll be here
day after tomorrow.

So will I.

Matthew,
everything will be all right. You'll see.

But you got to be sure.

I mean, everyone
in town is behind US.

With all those good thoughts,
how can we lose?

Harriet:
Nels!

What on earth
is all that...

Nels, what are you...

Ah! Nels, what
are you doing?

You've destroyed my
entire stock of elixir. Oh!

Now I've destroyed
your entire stock of elixir.

Oh! You listen
to me, nels oleson!

No, Harriet,
you listen to me!

Listen to me now.

You have done some cruel
and mean things in the past,

but this one tops
them all!

What?

This bank draft is what.

McQueen tells me
this is yours

for your part
in finding the boy.

Well, I... he... oh!

To think that you had a part in
this and then wanted money...

- Well...
- It just makes me sick.

Harriet, I'm telling
you one thing:

If you ever mention that name
McQueen in this house again,

so help me, I'll...

Nels.

I just hope to god that nothing happens
to Matthew after what you've done.

And that goes for you,
too.

Mother!

Oh! He's crazy!

Quiet, please.

Judge: Will you take
your seats, please?

Thank you.

I am judge Amos Simpson,

and it is my duty to conduct
this hearing here today

and to rule on the legal
guardianship of one Matthew Rogers.

I remind you that this
proceeding is only a hearing.

It is not a trial.

All interested parties
will have ample opportunity

to state their case
and to be questioned,

and upon the completion
of all testimony,

I will then study
the statements

and render my judgment
accordingly.

I call, uh,
Isaiah Edwards.

- Your honor.
- Mr. Edwards,

would you
kindly explain

how it is that Matthew
first came to live with you?

Yes, sir. The first
time I saw Matthew,

he was in McQueen's
medicine show in a cage,

being treated like
a wild animal.

Isaiah: It was downright
cruel the way that boy

was being treated.

Well, did he look
or act wild to you?

Yes, sir, he did,

but later I found out different.

When was that?

It was after
the escape.

We'd been looking
for him all day long,

only to find him
in the Wilders' barn.

Their niece, Jenny,
made friends with him,

and that's when we found
out he was mute.

I decided to help him,
give him a chance,

so I took him in.

Did it ever occur to you that
you might be breaking the law

by not returning him
to Mr. McQueen?

No, sir, it didn't.

After seeing the way
McQueen treated that boy,

I figured the best thing to do
is just keep him away.

Mr. McQueen, do you
have anything to say?

I do, your honor.

I'd just like to ask Mr. Edwards
if he ever saw a violent outbreak

during the time
the boy stayed with him.

Answer the question,
Mr. Edwards.

Yes, sir. Matthew
did go kind of crazy...

In the beginning.

But then doc baker
knew what caused it.

Dr. Baker: It was a moderate
case of morphinism...

At least, that's what
I believed it to be.

And after I'd tested
Mr. McQueen's elixir,

found it to have
a morphine base,

I was sure my
diagnosis was correct.

Dr. Baker: Your honor, it is my
opinion that Mr. McQueen not only lied

about the healing powers
of his elixir,

but he used
large amounts of it

to sedate and control
Matthew's behavior.

Your honor, I have
more than 50 affidavits

signed by people stating
that my elixir has healed them.

I would imagine that would outweigh
the opinion of one country doctor.

Laura: I've been teaching
Matthew to talk with his hands.

Ever since then, he's been so
eager to learn about everything.

Matthew is a bright
and kind boy.

He's just trying to adjust
to a normal way of life.

Now, certainly,
your honor, you can see

that these aren't the traits
of someone who's deranged,

someone who is
supposedly wild.

Mrs. Wilder,

even a wild dog
can be tame for a while,

but that doesn't mean
you want him

living in your home
with you, does it?

Now, isn't it true
that your niece

is the first person who has
become a friend of Matthew's?

Yes, it is.

Jenny was the one who
found him in our barn.

She's also the one who showed
US how truly gentle he really is.

Well, if he has all these
wonderful traits as you say,

would you mind telling US
why it is that he

isn't living
in your house now?

Well, your honor,

I have a daughter,
and she's just a year old.

- And I thought it would be...
- Mrs. Wilder, isn't it true

that you're just scared
of the boy?

Well, I was...
At first.

Thank you.
That's all.

No!

You don't
understand.

Laura:
Matthew is a good boy.

Please, you've got
to believe US.

Judge: Quiet, please.

Quiet.

Now, before I hear
any more,

I'd like to have
Matthew brought in.

Your honor, I'd like to call
Luther Abbot to the stand.

He's a former business
associate of mine,

and he can verify everything
that I've been saying here today.

Luther: Yes,
sir. Considering how violent the boy was,

Mr. McQueen treated
him as best he could.

He was fed good
and clothed,

and he was cared for
real proper.

Mr. McQueen only put him
in that cage for the show,

that's all.

And, uh, at night,
he slept on a cot.

And before I decided to
stop traveling with the show,

it was my job
to care for the boy,

and, well,
I did that job real good, too.

Thank you, Mr. Abbot.
You may step down.

Your honor,

it pains me
to say that...

Before you sits
a wild and deranged boy,

in constant need of care
and control.

Now that's not true. Judge,
you can see that the boy is calm.

I must admit, he doesn't
seem very wild to me.

Judge, you can wash him up
and put him in some new clothes,

but that doesn't alter the fact that he
can become violent at any moment.

Now, Mr. Edwards here
has said he was violent once.

I wonder how many other times
he didn't tell US about.

There haven't been
any other times!

I tell you,
the boy is fine.

Mr. Edwards, lower
your voice, please.

I will not have this hearing
degenerate into a shouting match.

Your honor,

the boy's been here
for barely 3 months.

I took care of him
for almost two years.

I'm telling you
that before you sits

a violent and deranged
human being,

capable of exploding
at any moment.

McQueen:
He is a wild animal...

I'm telling you,
an animal.

Woman: Oh!
McQueen: Get him!

Get the wild boy!
Get him!

Isaiah!
Isaiah!

You scum!

Judge:
Order! Order!

Your honor,

I rest my case.

Matthew!

Matthew!

Matthew, are
you all right?

Are you all right?

I was really worried
I wouldn't find you.

Uncle almanzo's
looking for you, too.

You had a right
to be scared.

Mr. McQueen
was very cruel.

It's only natural.

You're not crazy and wild,
so stop talking like that.

You're a wonderful human being.

Do you hear me?

I know you're
not deaf.

I'm sorry I yelled.

Matthew,
whatever happens,

I want you to know that I
think you're someone special.

We better get back.

Judge: Now,
at the outset of this hearing,

I stated that
the legal rights

of Joshua McQueen
would be upheld

unless absolute proof to
the contrary could be made.

Now, today... ahem...

I've heard both sides of
a very difficult situation.

Emotions have run very high.

But the facts remain
in favor of Mr. McQueen.

Now, I must herewith order
that the young man be placed...

I lied.

Judge:
What?

It was all
a lie.

What's this
about?

Your honor,
that there's the money

that was given
to me by McQueen.

He paid me to come
and lie for him.

Your honor, don't listen to
this man. He's nothing but...

Mr. McQueen,
you've had your chance to speak.

Now sit down!

Your honor, everything
that's been said

by these good people
about McQueen is true.

I know, I was there.

McQueen called me a...

"Business associate"?
Yeah.

Maybe I was,

playing the shill

to get folks
to buy his elixir.

Money is the only reason

he wants that boy back.

Putting him in a cage

turned McQueen's show
into a gold mine,

and he treated him
like dirt...

Beating him
with that cane,

starving him.

And it was my job
to keep him all

drugged up with bottles
of McQueen's medicine.

Paying me $50
and offering up a reward...

Don't that tell you
what kind of a man he is?

I've been a loser
all my life.

I done some things
that was pretty low,

but the shame I feel

for being a part
of that man's cruelty

will stay with me
to my grave.

Judge... mcqueen
can keep his money,

and you can do with me
what you want

for all the lying
that I did,

but just...

Don't make Matthew
go back with him.

That's all I ask.

As a... ahem...

Result of these
new facts,

the court hereby rules that

Joshua McQueen has
misrepresented

his role as guardian
for Matthew Rogers.

Judge: He has
cruelly and intentionally

taken advantage of
Matthew's misfortune

for his own personal gain.

The court feels that this treatment
was to have continued unchecked,

as evidenced by
the bribery attempt

to ensure
a satisfactory decision.

I revoke Mr. McQueen's rights of
guardianship concerning Matthew Rogers.

Judge:
If I may finish.

It is also the judgment
of this court that

Matthew Rogers is an
unstable and volatile boy,

as witnessed by his
actions here today.

Judge: He's not ready to assume life in
this or any other community at this time,

and I therefore order that he be returned
to the Minnesota asylum in Rochester

until such time as they
can find him to be normal.

But, your honor,
listen, he's...

Can't you give him some help? I mean,
the boy's just...

Mr. Edwards,
I've made my decision.

Now, the hour being late
and tomorrow being sunday,

I hereby order that Matthew
be remanded to my custody

immediately following
church services.

Judge: I will then
personally transport him

to the appropriate
authorities.

Ladies and gentlemen,
this hearing is hereby concluded.

How could that man hear
all that he heard

and then send the boy
away like that?

Isaiah,
we all feel the same as you.

We were all so worried about
him going back with McQueen,

we never figured
this could happen.

Aunt Laura,
isn't there something that we can do?

No,
I'm afraid not.

Well, there's
something I can do.

Matthew, get your bag.

Isaiah, what
are you doing?

I'm going to make sure that
boy is not sent back to an asylum.

Matthew, I said
get your bag.

Mr. Edwards, how do you plan
on keeping him out of that place?

By leaving.

Matthew and I
are getting out of here.

What?
Isaiah, that's crazy.

It's no crazier than sending that
boy to a place he doesn't belong!

We'll just keep moving around.
We'll start fresh somewhere else.

They'll have the law
after you.

Then we'll just
keep moving around.

Maybe we'll head out
to califor...

Matthew, where's
your bag?

Almanzo:
What's he saying?

"It's wrong what you're
trying to do. Very wrong.

"It's not your fault
that I came here,

and I won't have you
breaking the law to help me."

Matthew, listen.

"No. You listen.

"You can make me go,
but I'll just run away.

"The judge said that I have
to go back to the asylum,

"and that's where I'll go.
Nowhere else.

"Thank you for trying,

"but I'll be all right.

Really, I will."

Go on, Harriet.

Isaiah.

Matthew.

I, uh...

I don't know
what to say.

It's just that I'm...

Very, very sorry.

Yeah.

Isaiah...

Matthew...

Reverend, um, Matthew
would like to say a few words

before the services,
if that's all right.

Certainly.

Let's go on in.

I'm sure that you're all
aware of the hearing yesterday

and the decision
that was reached.

Rev. Alden: Matthew here
will be leaving US after today,

and he would like
to say a few words.

Matthew?

Matthew has asked me
to be his voice here today,

if that's all right.

"I want to thank you all

"for allowing me to become
part of your town.

"I made many wonderful
friends here:

"Almanzo...

"Laura...

"Jenny...

"You're all
true friends...

That I have grown
to love very much."

I can't.

"Even though my time here
has been very short...

"It is something that
I will always remember.

"It is my dream to
someday come back here...

"And I hope that you
will welcome me then

"as you have now.

Good-bye."

Rev. Alden: If we could...
Isaiah: Excuse me, reverend.

I just... I... I find this
whole thing amazing.

I mean, a boy
like Matthew

can say more
with his heart

than most of US can
ever say with our mouths.

You know,
yesterday...

This boy was judged
to be unstable...

Not normal.

See, um, I haven't had
a whole lot of schooling,

so I don't quite understand
what that means.

Maybe somebody
could explain it to me.

Laura?

Doc?

Um, maybe I'm
not normal.

Judge, you know what I wanted
that boy to do yesterday?

Isaiah: I wanted him
to run away with me.

He refused.

You know why he refused?

Isaiah: Because he didn't want to
get his friend in trouble with the law.

And maybe you can tell me,
which one of US was acting normal?

I mean, how many of US
fit that description?

John?

Isaiah: I recall you helping
almanzo plow his field

after working in your
blacksmith shop all day long.

And a lot of people
called you crazy for that.

Dear old nels.

Isaiah: Two years ago,
when we had the drought,

you extended credit
to every man in this room,

and half of them
haven't paid you back yet!

That's not normal, nels.

Not normal at all.

How about you, reverend?

Isaiah: What do you get for
all the things you do for US...

Besides a invite
to a sunday supper?

And the right to hear
all our problems?

You, doc...

You took care of this boy,

you gave him your best
medical care, your best.

Isaiah: Who's going
to pay for that?

You know what you
ought to do, doc?

You ought to just wander
around this room right now

and gather up all the money
everybody owes you.

You don't do that, do you?

Isaiah: You just accept a dozen eggs,
a basket of turnips.

And, Laura,
you know

that you taught a wild boy

how to speak with his hands.

Isaiah:
I mean, that's crazy.

Crazy.

I tell you
what we ought to do.

We ought to take this
little girl right here,

and we're going to send
her along with Matthew

'cause she met this boy,
this...

"Unstable," this "not normal,"
this "wild" boy,

and she made a friend,

a friend, judge.

You know what you
ought to do?

Ought to get yourself
a long piece of rope,

and you just hitch it round this
whole building and haul US all along...

All along with Matthew,

because we don't act any
more normal than that boy there.

I mean, there's
something wrong here,

something
terrible wrong.

I love that boy.

I'm sorry for taking up the time,
reverend. I'm through.

Well, Mr. Edwards,
that was, um...

Quite an interesting
argument you made in there.

I think maybe you ought
to become a lawyer.

Thanks, judge,

I couldn't defend a
law that doesn't respect

people's feelings.

Well,
you think you could do me a favor by, uh...

Transporting Matthew
to the authorities?

You want me
to do that?

My own schedule won't allow
me to take the boy myself, so...

If you could deliver him
to the asylum in say, uh...

20 years,

I think that'd be
just fine.

20 years?

Judge:
Yeah.

Look, just make believe
that I was never here.

All right?

Good-bye.

And good luck to you
and Matthew.

Matthew, you don't
have to go back.

You hear me?

Simpson's gone.

You don't ever have to go
anywhere you don't want to ever again.