Original subtitles

NARRATOR: "Gunsmoke," with Milburn Stone as Doc, Amanda

Blake as Kitty, Ken Curtis as Festus,

Buck Taylor as Newly, and starring

James Arness as Matt Dillon.

BILLY: That morning, they came to a land

far beyond the desert.

And there was water and trees and birds singing.

And they were just all very happy.

And the land was called-- you make up the name.

It has to be a happy sounding name.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

You weren't listening to my story.

Yes, I was.

It's just that-- Billy, I have to tell you something.

I can't come and listen to your stories anymore.

I got all my chores to do and all my schoolwork.

You always liked hearing my stories, Annie.

ANNIE: I know.

It's just that-- well, Billy, I'm growing up.

If you don't come to see me anymore,

I won't have anybody to tell my stories to.

Everybody's moving out of the valley.

Billy, don't you have any friends outside the valley?

I never been outside the valley.

Festus.

Festus?

Festus is my friend.

He lives in Dodge City.

And he always comes by to see me when it comes to the valley.

Goodbye, Billy.

Festus.

Go to Dodge?

Go to Dodge.

Visit Festus.

[chatter]

Hello.

Morning.

Can I help you, mister?

Uh, help me?

Sometimes I help people for a place to stay and something

to eat.

Oh, well, I-- well, I'm sorry.

We don't need any help around here.

You know, It's the first town I ever been in.

Ah, is that right?

Yeah, I never seen so many folks all in one place.

The valley I come from, well, there

has to be a funeral for so many folk to get together.

[chuckle]

Real sorry you don't need no help, though.

Oh, wait. Uh, son, wait a minute.

Look, uh, why don't you-- why don't you take this and buy

yourself some breakfast?

You're giving me money?

Well, it's just for breakfast.

I didn't do anything for it.

Look, just take it.

It's on me, huh?

No, I like to do that.

I sure thank you, sir.

And when a thing don't make no sense,

it's just plain old don't make sense.

Eh, make a fist.

Doc, have you went crazy?

I ain't fixing to fight you over how big the blame moon is.

Just make a fist and hold it up in front your eyes there.

Look at the sun now.

Now that is the same principle as an eclipse.

You see, the moon?

Now that's you hand.

And that's in between the Earth and the sun.

And the Earth?

Well, that's that-- that's that big cavity between your ears.

All right. Don't start to get nasty.

Now I know blame well my fist in front of my eyeballs

have blocked out the sun.

But, shoot, the moon, it ain't nowhere

close to where my face is.

The relative distance is the same.

Don't you understand? It's simple.

When the larger object is millions of miles

further away than the smaller object,

the smaller object can appear to be the same size,

or even larger sometimes.

Maybe sometimes a smaller object can get better if you get

farther away, if it gets-- it-- when you're-- I don't think-- I

don't want to go through that.

I quit!

Well, of course you quit.

The only reason you're quitting is 'cause you know

blamed well that I'm right.

Well, I'll be!

Billy!

Well, I'll be a Sammed Hill [inaudible].

How do, Festus?

How are you?

It's good to see you, Billy.

What-- what in the Sam Hill you doing here in Dodge City?

Just came a time to see the things outside the valley,

I guess.

Well, I reckon that's as good a reason as there is.

You telling me that you walked clean over here to Dodge?

Had no money.

Oh, I'll bet you something else,

too, that you ain't had nary a bite of vittles

since you left, have you?

Except for apples I got for helping a farmer pick his.

I ate them yesterday.

We're fixing to remedy that right

now because I'm going to take you over to Del Monaco's.

And I'm going to get you the best breakfast

that you have eve eat.

-I got no money, Festus. -Well, fiddle.

You don't need-- you know what you went and did?

You have went and did me the biggest favor

that anybody's ever did for me.

I did?

You blamed sure did.

See, now I'm kind of filling in for the regular livery man

whilst he's out of town.

And the very last thing ol' Hank told me before he left,

he said, now, Festus, I want you to be sure and get

somebody to help you out.

And you know something?

I ain't been able to find nary a man that's willing to work

for keep-- uh, and new boots.

That-- that there's what the job pays.

You mean I got here at the right time, Festus?

You blamed sure did.

Now looky, "keep" means three squares a day

and a sleeping place for your stuff like that.

But right now, what we're fixing to do

is to go in and get that first square that we got coming.

Oh, Miss Kitty.

-Hello, Festus. -Matthew.

Festus.

This here is my good friend Billy.

Billy, this here is Miss Kitty and Marshal Dillon.

How are you, Billy?

Well, I'm just fine, Miss Kitty.

How do, Billy?

Howdy.

I guess you're new in town, huh?

I never been in a real town before.

Uh, uh, Billy here's the young feller I've been telling you

about from over in the valley. MATT: Sure.

Good luck to you, Billy.

Billy, nice meeting you.

I hope you like it in Dodge.

See you later, Festus.

They real nice people, Festus.

Oh, they's the nicest folks there is.

Now git.

As quick as we can get done--

Well, I'll say this.

You sure look a might different all right.

Clothes are sure nice, Festus.

They must have cost a heap, huh?

Aw, no, they just come with the job.

That's all.

I'll work real hard, Festus.

You just show me what to do.

Well, there's, uh, plenty to be did, all right.

Come on.

Well, let's see now.

The horses done been fed and watered.

Uh, the stalls is clean enough.

But there'll be [horse neighing] a whole lot

of-- well, right there.

There's a horse that needs looking at, Billy.

Why don't you go and fetch her?

Check the off-side shoes.

What?

The off-side shoes.

Look them over.

What are they?

We'll take care of it, mister.

Where'd you get the dummy?

Well, just never you mind now.

Go on about your business, and we'll look after your horse.

Festus.

Look at here, Festus.

What about it?

He's hurt.

He's bleeding.

He's a real prize.

Ain't he ever saw spur marks before?

Mister, he's just a whole lot of us--

don't like to see no animal getting treated bad.

Now you go on down to the saloon or wherever you're

going 'cause you're liable to be wearing

spur marks your own self.

Yes, sir, Deputy.

Can I take care of him, Festus?

Sure you can, Billy.

I'll fetch you some salve.

FESTUS: Well, Billy, what've you been working at over yonder

in the valley these days?

Same as when we first met, Festus.

Fix fences.

Just keep moving around fixing fences.

Well, that, huh, fence-fixing, that there

is a pretty good job.

I don't reckon you're figuring on giving that up, are you?

Don't get to do too much work anymore.

The valley's getting different.

Festus, everybody's leaving.

There's nobody to hear my stories anymore.

I can sure recollect that, all right.

All them youngin's are sitting around there on the ground.

They're listening to your storytelling.

I learned how to tell riddles, too.

You want to hear one, Festus?

Well, I-- I ain't too good at them.

But yeah, go ahead.

Two farmers got one cow.

One half had to be fed.

The other half gave milk.

Now how did they divide the cow?

Whew.

That there sure is a hard one.

Now let me see.

Now this here fella that done the feeding,

he-- he kind of got the short end of it, didn't he?

That's my favorite riddle, Festus.

Well, I reckon they just went ahead on and killed it.

Why would they want to do that?

Well, only thing I was trying to do

is to divide up the cow for you, Billy.

But that ain't no answer.

Well, I reckon I'll just have to give up on it.

Cow give you milk and you kill it.

Hm, now that ain't exactly what I meant at all, Billy.

Have you got an answer for it?

Sure.

They both took turns feeding.

Both took turns milking it.

It's a trick question, Fetus-- a riddle.

They both took turns getting the milk.

That's how they divided the cow.

Huh.

Yeah, that there sure is a good one.

It's my favorite riddle.

Hey, I got me an idea.

What if you and me was to go up and see my old friend

Doc Adams?

And-- and you can spring that one on him, will you?

Yeah.

Say, old Doc, he's friends with everybody in Dodge.

And he'd like to get to know anybody that comes into town.

Come on

They took turns milking it.

That's how they divided the cow.

I swear.

Well, I'd have never guessed that, Billy.

Well, you're tip-top.

Nothing wrong with you at all.

I always feel good, Dr. Adams.

That's about all any of us can hope for.

Oh, Billy, why don't you just wait for me downstairs?

I've been having me a little twinge.

I want old Doc to take a look at it.

Sure, Festus.

Dr. Adams, I ain't got any money.

You don't need any.

Nothing wrong with you, Billy.

Oh.

See you directly, Billy.

That's a shame.

That's a shame.

A big strapping young man like that and a mind

of a seven or eight old.

Well, he's been that way ever since I've known him, Doc.

How long is? That?

Mm, nigh on five years, I reckon.

Yeah, I used to ride through that there valley,

short-cutting to Hayes, and I got acquainted with him then.

Where's his folks?

Well, valley people say they died a long time ago.

Of course, he's been a might backward,

so they been a'giving him odd jobs just so's that

he could get vittles to eat.

Well, Festus, he-- he might be better off going back there.

Well, Doc, see that there valley, it's changing.

Folks is leaving there in droves with that land getting so poor.

And I know that he's just been a'living from hand to mouth,

sleeping in barns and haystacks.

And the thing about him, Doc, he's got such a fearsome pride.

Why he wouldn't even take a kernel of corn

unless he paid for it or done the job or worked for it.

Shame, I-- I don't know what kind of advice

to give you on it.

I don't know.

Well, much obliged anyhow, Doc.

Sure is a nice place, Festus.

I should have come to town a long time ago.

Well, there's sure a lot of different kind of folks,

all right.

Billy, I've got to go over to the depot

and pick up some things.

Why don't you go on back down to the livery?

Sure, Festus.

I'll join up with you there directly.

MAN: Ain't no way he's going to make it, Barnett.

That's one.

Two more out of the five.

Yeah, and I'll still lay you odds and double the bet.

You're on.

That's two.

-Still need one more. -That's right.

One more.

[cat meow]

What are you gawking at?

That's a good trick he's doing.

Hey.

Hey, what's that at my leg?

BARNETT: It's only a harmless old bull snake.

No, it's not.

It's only a cat.

Who asked you, dummy?

All right.

Get that cat off my leg or there's no bet.

[cat meow]

You're hurting him, mister.

Oh.

Oh, it's the cat's fault. Bets are off.

Please let him go, mister.

Ain't it strange how cats don't like water?

Please, mister?

Aw, come on, Barnett.

That cat ain't enjoying that none.

Please don't hurt him.

Please.

He didn't hurt nobody.

Let's see how many lives this cat's got.

[scream]

[chatter]

Is he dead?

Who did this?

Him. He did it.

Went crazy, Marshal.

Not right to hurt animals.

This might be bad.

Here.

Help get him upstairs. Pick him up.

Bring him up to my office.

Be careful. There.

That's right.

Easy.

Right here.

Follow me.

Be careful.

MATT: Newly, take him over to my office, will you?

I want to talk to him later.

NEWLY: Yes sir.

I didn't mean it.

I was just trying to save the cat.

Must be nice.

What's that, Billy?

Uh, no hurt's going to come to that foal with the mother

being there.

Well, that's what mothers are for.

Yeah.

I never saw mine.

I mean, I can't remember what she looked like.

I try.

I just can't remember.

You must have been very young when she passed way.

Yeah.

I remember she always smelled of fresh baked bread.

And I remember every story she used to tell me.

At night she'd tell me a story every night

before I'd go to bed.

Sometimes I dream.

I dream I see her face.

And I try to walk up so I can remember just to see her face.

Must be nice to remember you belong to somebody.

Well, Billy, when we get older, we--

we belong to a lot of people.

We make friends, good friends.

Is Festus mad at me?

Naw, of course not.

The marshal was mad at me.

I was afraid he's going to put me in jail.

Billy, the marshal's a fine man.

He just didn't understand what had happened at first.

Are-- are they still with the judge talking about me?

Yeah, I guess they're still talking.

No permanent injury to that drover?

Evidently not, Judge.

Doc says he'll be in a cast for a while,

but then he'll be all right.

Now, uh, this boy, evidently, he's never been involved

in anything like this before.

Judge, well, I can practically guarantee you

that Billy, he ain't got a bad thought in his head.

Except that he did almost break a man's back.

Yes, sir, but he didn't know what he was doing,

don't you see?

Yes, and there was some provocation for it, Judge.

After all, this man was abusing a small animal.

This boy saw it, and he just lost his head.

FESTUS: Judge Brooker, I can promise you

that no such a thing as this is ever going to happen to again.

Well, you realize, of course, that you're,

in effect, appointing yourself this man's guardian,

like a parent.

Oh, yes, sir.

But then he ain't got nobody else.

Yeah, well, uh, all right.

Let's, uh, consider that young man on probation.

I'm almost done, Festus.

I'm through. -I'll tell you this.

You must have been working like beaver.

And you've did a mighty good job, too.

Old Doc Adams, he's just going to be

tickled to death with the way that you fixed up his buggy.

Festus, can we go down to the corral to see the foal?

Oh, yeah.

That there's a good idea.

We'll do that.

Ah.

I've been meaning to ask you, do you

know, uh, what probation means?

No, Festus.

Well, that there means that you did something wrong,

but you ain't gonna get no punishing for it.

You mean you stay friends.

Well, I reckon you could say that.

The most importantest thing is that you don't do bad again.

Because if you was to, then you'd

get the punishing that you didn't get for the first time

you was bad.

What I'm trying to tell you is that Judge

Brooker went real light on you.

-They're both gone, Festus. -What?

The mare and the foal.

Oh, they probably out in the pasture.

Now I ain't never talked to you no more seriouser--

Can we go there, Festus?

To the pasture?

Can we go see the mare and the foal?

No.

No, we can't.

Now I'm fixing to talk to you.

And you're going to listen to every last word.

And you're going to listen good.

I-- I know you're mad, Festus.

And I'm sorry.

Dang it, Billy.

It ain't that I'm-- you purty nigh killed a feller.

Now I aim to see that you blamed sure ain't

going to do it again.

Oh I'm not going to do that anymore, Festus.

The mainest thing is that you know that you've went

and did wrong.

Saving the cat?

No, Billy-- a'hurting that feller.

Now looky.

We got us a marshal here in town-- and deputies.

Me and Newly, we're deputies.

And when you see that they's something wrong,

you go and tell them fellers.

You don't just go hauling off and hitting some feller

when you think he's wrong.

You go and get the marshal.

Don't you see?

Uh, Festus, well, if I'd done that,

it would've been too late for the cat.

Yeah, I reckon it would've been, Billy.

You mean you's thinking about that a'fore you

jumped on this feller?

No.

But I ain't going to hurt nobody again, Festus.

Well, that there's good, Billy.

Real good.

And you're giving me your promise.

I promise, Festus.

Festus, can you make me a promise?

Well, that there all depends.

What is it?

Well, I ain't never rode a horse before.

Would you teach me to ride?

I'd like that.

Well, of course, I will, Billy.

I'll tell you, we'll just get all of our work did,

and then we can take tomorrow morning off and go riding.

Is that all ride?

[laughter]

FESTUS: Hang on, Billy!

That a'boy!

How am I doing, Festus?

FESTUS: Oh, you're doing good, Billy.

Keep your feet in the stirrups.

Keep your feet in the stirrups now.

You all right, Billy? -Yeah, Festus.

He just tricked me.

Heh.

I tell you, you gotta learn to keep

those boots in the stirrups.

You just don't have them flopping around

like a limber-neck chicken.

I'll do better next time.

Of course, you will.

Sure, you will.

I'll tell you, we'll probably find that horse of yours

over that rise there at the water hole.

Come on.

Having fun, Festus?

Oh, you betcha, Billy.

A lot of fun.

Festus, can I tell you something?

Sure.

Go ahead on.

Well, I never had a real grown-up friend before.

Oh, Billy, I'll bet you've got more friends than a dog's

got hair on his back.

No, I haven't.

In fact, you're the only friend I got in the whole world.

Well.

Festus, will we always be friends?

You've got my guarantee on that, Billy.

Festus, what's blue and always watching us?

I don't reckon I know that, Billy.

The sky.

It's blue, and it's always watching over us.

Heh, yeah, you've sure got some good riddles, Billy.

Heh.

Whoa.

Shh.

Be real still.

[gun cocking]

[gunshot] FESTUS: There.

We've get us eatin' for a month, Billy.

Hey! Wait!

Wait.

Somebody!

What are you doing?

Quit that.

Release.

Billy!

Quit it!

Quit it!

Hey!

Billy, what's the matter with you?

Festus, I didn't mean to.

I'm-- I'm sorry, Festus.

Hold still.

The thing is, Doc, I just know for sure

Billy didn't mean to do it.

Well, you mean he said he didn't mean to.

Well, that there's the same thing.

No, it isn't either.

And you know it.

There you are.

See, Doc, I just kind of keep forgetting that Billy,

he can't stand to see no animals getting hurt or killed.

But then you can't blame him for that, don't you see?

I'm not.

I'm not.

Billy didn't know why the deer had been shot.

He didn't understand.

That's all.

Oh, Doc, I just know for sure that I

can learn Billy the difference.

Festus, why don't you try to recognize his problem?

Well, Doc, I'm a'taking care of him.

And tonight, I'm fixing to give him the powerfulest

talking to that he's ever--

DOC: Now quit!

Quit!

You're just being dishonest-- with yourself and with me, too.

I reckon I know it, Doc.

DOC: Billy can't cope in an adult world.

He lives in a world of fantasy.

Now you shot a deer.

And he saw it as murder.

You want me to tell you I think he'll get better?

I can't tell you that, Festus.

But I don't think he will.

Well, Doc, you just can't throw him in jail

and leave him there.

We have a county home.

Are you talking about that there place for crazy folks?

No, no, I'm talking about a home for sick folks.

Well, Billy, you can just put him some place like that

where he can't be free.

Festus, he's not free now.

Out on the prairie, he came after you.

Now he'll do it again with somebody else.

He might.

Somebody who might shoot him, kill him.

We've got to protect him from something like that.

Festus, I'm sorry.

Obliged, Doc.

Festus.

What's he doing?

Knowing him, he's just trying to please

you, make up for things.

Tomorrow morning, commitment papers from Judge Brooker.

I guess you know this means he'll be going back.

I know what it means, Newly.

The marshal said that maybe you'd want to ride

over there with him tomorrow.

I can do it if you'd rather not.

No, I reckon I'd better do it.

Newly, much obliged anyhow.

I thought I'd save you the trouble, Festus.

It sure looks mighty clean.

Festus, [sniff] I sure am sorry.

[sniffles] I--

Billy, don't be crying now.

It's all right.

Well, I know I made you mad, Festus.

And you're the only friend I got.

Oh, well, you just couldn't help yourself, Billy.

Festus, I won't do it again.

Well, best thing to do is just don't think about no more.

Does this mean you're not going to take me riding anymore?

Oh, no, it don't mean that at all, Billy.

Fact is, we can go riding tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Festus?

You mean it?

Tomorrow.

Festus?

How many balls of string would it take to reach

from here to my valley?

I don't reckon I'd know that.

Only one if it was long enough.

Did I do good Festus?

Oh, you don't mighty good, Billy.

But you'd better just kind of walk him for a while

now because got us a long ways to go.

Probably be dark before we even get there.

You never did say where we're going.

Oh, just a place.

Visiting somebody?

Well, I reckon it'd be something like that.

Fact is, I might just leave you there for a spell, Billy.

Leave me there?

Yeah, for a spell.

See, I got me a whole heap of deputying things do.

And, well, of course, I'll be a'riding back that way, see.

Oh.

You're not still mad at me, are you, Festus?

Well, I ain't never been mad at you, Billy.

You can just quit fretting about that.

Festus?

Who lives here?

Oh, it's just kind of a house that the county's

got where they, uh, look after folks that needs looking after.

Festus!

Festus, I'm afraid.

Oh, there ain't nothing to be feared of, Billy.

--But-- what-- the house looks funny.

Oh, well, that there is just because it's dark.

Come on.

Festus, I'm scared.

Please. I'm scared.

Sure is quiet.

[crazy laughter]

What was that, Festus?

It's all right, Billy.

It's all right.

[sobbing]

[knocking]

Good evening.

You, uh, Mr. Crooms, are you?

[crash]

[crazy laughter] -I am, indeed.

What can I do for you?

My name's Festus Haggen, deputy marshal.

This here is Billy.

And I got a paper here that was wrote on

and signed by Judge Brooker there in Dodge City.

Festus?

And Billy, this here is Mr. Crooms.

Him and his wife, they-- they run this here place.

We'll try to make you comfortable, Billy.

[crash]

[crazy laughter]

Can't we go?

Can't we go, Festus?

Please?

Please?

Obliged anyway, Mr. Crooms.

Festus?

Festus, what kind of people live there?

Just go on.

Get on your horse, Billy.

Festus, is he a bad man?

No, Doc says he's a good man.

He just works hard, probably harder than most folks.

Now go on.

Get on your horse.

A good feeling, huh, Festus?

What?

It's a good feeling, you and I being here together.

Oh, yeah.

That there's real good.

But Billy, I've just got to tell you something.

You know, there ain't nobody that

ever just comes right straight out and tells you things.

Now old Doc, he says that you ain't

growed up in your thinking.

Now that there ain't your fault. Nobody's a'saying it is.

But, uh, truth is you gotta be took care of, Billy.

Why, Festus?

Well, because you see there's some folks that just natural

take longer a'growing up.

Don't you see?

Well, you just don't do things like growed-up folks does.

You mean, I shouldn't tell no more stories?

Oh, no, that there ain't bad, Billy.

It's just that-- well, I sure have got us in a pickle.

There just ain't no place that we can go.

Actual, where you can go, except back to that valley.

Well, I can't never do that, Festus.

Everybody's leaving.

Well, I just don't know what we're going to do tomorrow,

Billy.

Festus?

I don't mind staying with you.

I'd like that.

Whoa.

Why are we stopping here, Festus?

You getting hungry, are you, Billy?

Oh, sure.

All right.

We're fixing to eat us some vittles.

Festus?

Now Billy, the Almighty, he put some living things

on this Earth so a man can eat.

Billy, I want you to look at me.

Festus?

Please?

Now I'm fixing to shoot us a couple of them

rabbits for us to eat.

And when I do, I don't want you jumping on me

and then hitting me.

You understand that?

Billy?

You understand that?

Yeah.

[gun cocking]

[gunshot]

[gun cocking]

[gunshot]

All right.

Now Billy, I want you to go fetch some rabbits.

No, Festus.

Go on.

I do what you wanted, Fes-- Festus.

Can we go back to Dodge now?

No.

You can't, Billy.

Old Doc, he was right.

You can't never go to no town, never again.

How'd it go?

I just couldn't do it, Matthew.

I just couldn't leave him out yonder.

Festus, this very serious.

Now where is he?

Well, I was kind of hoping that you

and Doc could ride out yonder with me and see where he is.

And-- and you figure that I went and did wrong-- well,

I'm just hoping you won't.

BILLY: Now the little boy and the little girl,

they never heard a tree sing before.

And so they sat down and began talking to the tree.

How can a tree sing, asked the little boy and the little girl

to the tree.

Is this a magic forest?

But the tree didn't answer them.

It just went right on singing.

And so the little boy and the little girl

sat down and began talking to the tree.

How can a tree talk, asked the little boy and the little girl

to the tree.

You see, Matthew, I thought maybe these here folks out

at the orphan's county place could use a man to help

out with the chores and stuff.

And Mr. and Mrs. Whipple said if you and Old Doc

thought it's all right, they could sure use Billy out here.

And, of course, he can live right here.

[BILLY TELLING THE STORY IN THE BACKGROUND]

What do you think, Doc?

Well, I don't know.

And the wind began to sing to them, too.

Aaron, why did you throw a rock at that bird?

AARON: It was only a bird.

But birds are our friends.

Animals are our friends.

They're here to give us food when we need it,

but we must never hurt them just for fun.

Just like we must never hurt each other, even when

somebody does something cruel.

It's just like my friend Festus says,

two hurts-- well, that's it's twice as wrong as one hurt.

Understand?

Now the little boy and the little girl were on the hill--

Festus?

Sometimes you amaze me.

I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but you do.

You amaze me.

You got a good idea there.

The Whipples are good supervisors.

There's going to be children coming in

and out of here all the time.

This will be a fine world for Billy, I think.

What's more important, gonna be a world he can handle.

Festus, I'm proud of you.

Doc and I'll talk to Judge Brooker.

And I'm sure he'll give this a chance.

Obliged to you, Matthew.

BILLY: And they were trying to talk to the wind.

But you know what?

They soon found out the wind could only sing.

It couldn't talk.

And all of a sudden--

[music playing]

NARRATOR: Stay tuned for exciting scenes

from our next "Gunsmoke."

[theme music]

[music playing]