Original subtitles

Why are you bouncing on the bed in the middle of the night?

Got to go talk to pa.

Why are you putting your stockings in your shoes?

Because I want to.

Besides, I always do it, anyway.

You do not.

Yes, I do.

If I put my stockings on

and then put my feet in the shoes,

it would be the same thing as putting my stockings in the shoes.

There. How do I look?

Same as when we went to bed...

Except for that dumb-looking nightcap.

You don't know anything.

I'm taller.

Go to sleep.

I was asleep.

Pa?

Hey, half-pint, what on earth are you doing up this late?

I wanted to tell you something.

Well, it better be darn important.

Oh, it is.

I'm getting bigger, pa...

More than a whole inch bigger.

From the looks of you, you're doing most of your growing

on top of your head.

We can talk about it tomorrow morning.

Why don't you get some sleep?

But you're going hunting tomorrow morning.

I was afraid I might miss you.

You don't have to worry about that.

Edwards is taking a freighting run tomorrow.

He's going to drop me off at Morgan creek. I'll walk in from there.

Now, come on, give me a kiss good night.

I want you to get some sleep.

You like hunting, don't you, pa?

Well, it's kind of a good excuse to get to the mountains.

But the important thing is we need the meat.

You said that I could go when I got bigger.

Well, you can.

Maybe next time.

That's what you said last time.

Well, what I meant was, when you get older, not bigger.

Well, I am older... And more than a whole inch bigger.

Oh...

That's what this is all about, huh?

I'm all caught up on my chores, and my schoolwork, too.

Half-pint, you know how your ma feels about girls going hunting.

In your ma's book, a girl has a lot more important things to do.

Well, what about in your book?

In my book, you're putting me on the spot.

That's because I want to go.

All right. I'll ask your ma.

- Thanks. - But off to bed now!

- Okay. - Okay, go!

Are you all finished?

Yep, all finished. I'm ready to go.

Great. You get some sleep now.

Yeah.

Oh, you know, I almost forgot to tell you.

Half-pint is a whole inch taller.

Mm-hmm.

Hard to believe the way that girl is growing.

Uh-huh.

I mean, you practically see her growing every day.

Mm-hmm. I'll let her hems down tomorrow.

Why don't you let her go hunting tomorrow?

What?

Why don't you just let her go hunting tomorrow?

And she knows her way around the woods.

She can be a big help to me in the camp.

I don't want her going hunting.

Why not?

She's tomboy enough as it is, Charles, without encouraging her.

That's just the point.

She's going to be a woman the rest of her life.

Why don't we let her be a tomboy a little bit longer?

You mark my words, one of these days,

she's going to walk in that door, she'll be a full-grown woman,

you're going to say "where's that little girl I used to have?"

That's not the point. She's a girl, not a boy.

I don't want her there. It's not proper.

Oh, Caroline, I promised her,

and then she kept asking me, and I promised...

Laura: Pa, did you ask her?

What did she say?

Well, it's your decision.

You tell her.

Edwards: You know what you're doing.

Risky thing, taking a woman along on a hunting trip.

Half-pint's hardly a full-grown woman yet.

That don't make no difference.

Female's a female... Big, little, or in-between.

Bad luck.

All bad luck, are they, huh?

Well, I guess there's an exception now and again.

I knew this Indian one. Cheyenne.

He used to take his squaw along on hunt trips with him.

The fact is he wouldn't go without her.

Was a real good hunter, huh?

Oh, Skinner.

That squaw could skin out and dress

4 or 5 buffalos between lunch and supper.

You think I can put half-pint to skinning?

Don't know why not. She's little, but she's strong.

What do you think of that, half-pint?

Yuck!

That'll do it.

Get moving, you two. I got a load to move.

We're much obliged for the ride.

- Sunday, noon, huh? - That's right.

If we're not here right away, don't worry about us.

Oh, well, I'll just figure Laura here

ain't as quick with that skinning as she ought to be.

What do you think of that, half-pint?

- Yuck! - Yuck!

Here. Let me give you a hand with that.

Here you go. Slip your arm right through there.

Oops! The flap's open back here.

Better tie that down.

There. How's that feel?

It feels heavier than I expected it to be.

Well, it's always like that the first day... help you downhill.

There you go.

Happy hunting.

Thanks, Mr. Edwards.

All right, off you go.

Charles: We'll see you sunday!

Bye!

Coming?

I'm trying to, pa.

Ha ha ha!

Old Dan Tucker was an fine old man

washed his face in a fryin' pan

combed his hair with a wagon wheel...

Charles: Come on, half-pint!

Coming!

We'll do most of our climbing today...

All the way up to the top of the Ridge.

Can you handle that all right?

- Yes, sir! - Good.

You sure you're not too tired?

No, sir.

I'm not the least bit tired at all.

Whoa! Ouch!

What's the matter?

I don't know.

There's something hard in my pack.

There can't be nothing hard in there.

All I packed was an extra change of clothes!

Mr. Edwards!

Come on!

Hyah! Let's go.

Well, this ought to be nice and hot.

Here you go.

Thanks, pa.

It sure smells good.

Everything seems to smell better and taste better

when you're out in the woods like this.

It sure does. I love it.

Having a good time?

Best time I ever had.

I was a little worried about you today.

We did a lot of traveling. I was afraid for a while you wouldn't make it.

Well, sure, I would.

I could walk all the way to China if I had to.

I'm afraid you'd lose me on a trip like that.

Well, I wouldn't go without you.

I love being with you, pa.

Well, we spend a lot of time together, don't we?

Well, sure, we do.

But... well, this is different.

It's just you and me.

It's not like at home.

Promise not to laugh if I tell you something?

As long as it's not one of your cherry tree jokes.

It's not.

All right, then I promise.

Well...

When I was little,

I used to think that I'd marry you someday.

I know it sounds silly,

but you think of silly things sometimes

when you are little.

Yeah. I guess we all did.

Well, then I got to thinking

that I could grow up to be a boy.

That way, we could hunt and plow,

and be together almost all the time.

But now that I'm grown up,

I think that's silly.

Well...

But being out here, just you and me...

It's kind of like both those things.

You know what I mean?

I think so.

I can remember I used to think silly things when I was little.

I'll tell you, I was sure my pa was the strongest man in the world,

and I knew my ma was the most beautiful.

I mean, she was beautiful like the queens

of those countries in Europe and stuff.

You get a little bit older, you look at things different.

I can remember the first time in the big woods when...

When I saw your ma.

Hmm! Now, you talk about pretty.

She was the prettiest thing I ever...

Charles: Good morning!

Well, howdy.

Charles Ingalls. This is my daughter Laura.

Howdy, miss. We haven't had

a lady up here in a long time.

I'm Ben Shelby. What are you up to?

Nice to meet you. We're doing a little deer hunting.

Laura here is going to do the skinning for me.

Well, I could use her myself.

I got about 20 miles of trap line to run.

Uh, set a spell?

Man: Hey, is that glover out there?

Nope. We got company.

Where is that glover?

We've had his dang meat smoked for him for two weeks.

He's only a few days late.

Well, it seems longer when I can't have no sugar in my coffee.

He'll be along. Come on out and meet the company.

Ain't presentable, but if you need anything, I'm here.

Thank you.

Anything except sweet coffee.

Can't give you that without no sugar.

Sure does get cantankerous over a little sugar.

I wish I could offer you some, but we didn't pack any in.

Oh, glover will be here soon enough.

He's the only trader in these parts,

so we don't have much choice.

But we got some good smoked meat if you want to sit a spell.

I'd like to, but I think we'd better move on and set up camp.

- Well, good hunting to you. - Thank you.

We'll see you.

Laura: Good-bye. - Good-bye.

If we get a deer, we'll come back and show it to you!

All right!

Well, I think I'm all set.

I'll head out as soon as I get a bite to eat.

Heat you a big slice, if you like.

Don't want none.

You haven't had a bite to eat all day.

I said, I don't want none!

Suit yourself.

You ought to wait for glover.

Now, you drive a harder bargain than I do, pa.

You sure that meat's smoked proper long? That fire...

Pa, you said yourself the meat's more than ready.

Why don't you just come out with it?

Nothing to come out with.

Come on. We go through this every time.

All right!

I don't like it here alone.

Then come with me.

We go through that every time, too.

Try it just one time, at least.

No!

Look, we'll just head up cedar creek.

If you don't like it, we'll come right back... a day or two at the most.

I told you, no! Now, how many times do I tell you?

You going to spend the rest of your life in here?

That won't be long.

Oh, what's the use of talking? I ain't even hungry.

I think I'll just head straight out.

Father: How long are you going to be?

Well, if I head up cedar creek

and north fork, about a week.

Maybe you just run to cedar creek, huh?

Maybe.

Laura: How can a body find his way around places

without a trail to follow?

Well, you get to remembering a piece of country,

like a woman remembers a recipe.

There are little things you see,

like that funny little bent-over pine we just passed.

There's another thing you can remember.

See the twin trunks on that pine?

We call that a schoolmarm tree.

That's funny.

Sure doesn't look like miss beadle.

I think she'd be happy to hear you say that.

Laura: Sure make it sound easy.

Well, it is easy.

Just keep it all wound up in your head,

and then, when you start back, you unroll it.

Maybe you can unroll it,

but in my head, it's all tangled up.

You just stay with me, then.

Another hour, we'll be at the creek. We can make camp.

How you doing, half-pint?

I'll get this fire started in a minute, pa.

Soon as I get these pans wiped down, I'll be able to...

What was that?

I don't know for sure...

But we just might be getting lucky early.

You mean, a big buck?

Just could be.

Whatever it is, it's upwind of us and downstream.

Should I go with you, pa?

Why don't you stay here and just keep on with what you're doing?

It won't be long.

Good luck!

Thanks.

Laura: Any luck?

Nope, afraid not. It was a Doe.

Pretty as a picture, though.

Why don't you lay out those bedrolls?

I'll fix you something to eat.

Well, there's some biscuits, some bacon...

Some of your ma's homemade preserves. How does that sound?

I can make flapjacks.

I'll let you do that tomorrow morning.

When are you going to go hunting for a big buck, pa?

Well, we'll eat first, then we'll hunt out the rest of the day.

If we don't have any luck, we'll start out first thing in the morning.

We? You mean, I can go?

Well, sure. What did you think?

Well, I was just thinking about what Mr. Edwards said.

Half-pint, Mr. Edwards was just joshing you.

You mean I'm not really bad luck?

I think you're the best luck I ever had.

We're sure to get a big buck, pa.

Pa!

Oh, pa...

What did I do?

You didn't do anything.

It was my fault, I left...

I left the gun loaded.

You didn't do anything.

Pa, it's all my fault.

It wasn't your fault.

You get that through your head. I left the gun loaded.

I want you to listen to me.

I want you to go find that horse...

And bring him back.

You got to get me to the trapper's cabin.

Then I'll... I'll be all right.

Now, you go get him, you hear?

Pa...

You go get him now, please!

Go now!

Dear god, don't let her see me die.

Don't let her see me die.

Easy.

It's all right.

I'm not going to hurt you.

Easy.

It's okay.

It's all right.

Stop! Stop!

Stop, please!

Please stop!

Stop!

Nobody's going to hurt you!

Stop!

Easy.

Don't worry.

I'm not going to hurt you.

It's okay.

Come on. It's okay.

Pa...

I got him.

That's my girl.

That's my good girl.

Everything's going to be all right.

Don't you worry about that.

You just get me back to the cabin...

And I'll be all right.

Can you get on the horse?

You get me on, all right?

Just give me your hand.

Pa!

The horse...

Get the horse!

He's dead, pa.

Lean on me. I'll help you.

Half-pint...

It's no use, you can't...

You can't get me up there. You're not big enough.

You'll have to go back to the cabin yourself...

Fetch me some help.

I can't find my way back by myself.

Yes, you can. You can do it. It's not far now.

Pa, you know how mixed-up I am.

I can't even remember which way we came.

Half-pint, you listen to me. Now, you can do it.

Remember the things you saw on the way.

Remember, like that...

Like the schoolmarm tree.

You can do it.

Pa...

Half-pint, you listen to me.

Sometimes, it takes something like this in our lives

to show us what we're made of.

Go on.

The schoolmarm tree.

Mr. Shelby!

Who is it?

Mr. Shelby, my pa's been hurt.

Bad?

Real bad.

He's bleeding. He can't move.

How did it happen?

I knocked the gun over.

We got to go fetch him.

Oh, honey... I don't know what I can do for you.

Ben's off on his trap line.

I know my way around the cabin here,

but that's about as far as I can go.

There ain't nothing I can do.

We just got to sit here and wait for Ben.

He'll be back tomorrow, maybe.

We can't wait till tomorrow.

My pa's bleeding out there. You've got to help!

I can't go out there! I can't see a lick!

You got to!

I haven't been 100 foot from this cabin in 5 years.

I'll show you!

Well, I can't... I can't walk in the dark!

I can go to the smokehouse or out to the hitchpost or the outhouse.

That's it. That's the whole world.

My pa is bleeding to death!

You got to help now!

That's all there is about it!

Just hold my hand.

Now... oh, oh, oh!

Now, wait. Hold on, now.

Hold on a minute. Let me get my stick.

Hang on tight, now.

Don't let go! Don't let go!

It's right down this hill.

Not too fast, honey. Not too fast.

Hold on tight!

Pa?

Hey, half-pint.

Are you all right, pa?

I'm still alive, I expect.

I brought Mr. Shelby.

He's going to help me get you back.

I ain't got much to offer,

but I'm all there is.

You think you could get me back?

Well, betwixt the two of us.

Just... catch hold. Anywheres will do.

That's good.

I'm going to be all right.

Just keep that thought in your head.

I'm going to be fine.

Ben will fetch the doctor as soon as he comes back.

When will that be?

In the morning, I hope.

What do you mean, "hope"?

Well, it's a hard one to figure.

Now and then, he'll take a notion

to run both lines at once,

to cedar creek and north fork.

He said he'd be back.

He mostly does one at a time.

If he does north fork, too, I don't know...

Maybe 2 or 3 days.

I'll fetch more water.

He'll be here in the morning.

You just rest.

He'll be here.

Well, brown, I might as well head back.

Ain't going to find more than 3 or 4 skins up in north folk, anyway.

Appears we got some company.

For god's sake! Where are you?

Hey, glover!

Benji boy, what are you doing out here?

Well, I could ask you the same. We've been expecting you.

Oh, I got so sick and tired of making the same round.

Month after month. I just decided to take it backwards.

So I did.

This comes from tater Johnson's place.

Well, it looks like you did right well.

Not bad.

Oh, hey, I just caught me a mess.

Why don't you set and eat?

I don't mind if I do.

As you can see, I was getting ready to eat pretty hearty.

Going by Harlan sands' place tomorrow.

And the smell of that man just chokes off my appetite for a week.

And if he ever falls in that creek of his,

he's going to kill off every fish from here to the Mississippi.

Well, you could go by our place first, you know.

That's not a bad idea. I'll just do that.

Just circle around the other way.

I'd appreciate it, too.

I was going to head back, but if you'd stop by,

I can keep going to north fork and get it all done.

I'll just do that. Glad to.

Thanks. You know how pa gets when I'm gone.

Make it easier for him. Give him some company.

And give me an extra day or two

before I have to smell Harlan sands.

Well, I think we're ready to eat.

No sign of him yet.

The bleeding's stopped.

Where's half-pint?

I'm here, pa.

No sign of Ben yet?

Not yet.

I'm thirsty.

Thirsty...

Give him some of this.

What is it?

Whiskey.

My pa doesn't take spirits.

He's got the pain of the devil in him, child.

He'll be forgiven.

It will ease the pain.

I got to go back to the road, pa...

To Mr. Edwards.

I've got to get you some help.

Half-pint, you'll...

You'll never find your way back.

I can do it, pa.

I can do it.

All right. Give me your hand.

You remember what I'm telling you.

You keep it in your head,

just like I tell you.

Here's where we are now... up on the rise.

South of us are all the ridges.

A bunch of canyons running through them...

In all directions.

First there's bear...

Then avalanche...

Then Morgan.

Morgan's the one you want.

You follow the water...

Get you all the way down to the road head.

You start at the creek just below the cabin...

Cedar creek.

Take it all the way down to the fork.

No. No, not to the fork.

You'd miss the saddle.

You got to swing up over the saddle at monmar rock.

My head's not clear.

I was sure it was the fork.

But you'll be taken off to the west. You got to go south.

It will make you turn east at monmar rock.

Why, up over the saddle, then down into the Meadow.

You remember it all that clear?

Yeah. It's in my head.

I can't see nothing, but it's in my head.

But it's the best way.

Ben will be here, or glover.

He's overdue... should have been here a week ago.

But they're not here.

I've got to go.

You could go with her.

You could use her eyes.

No. No.

Lord almighty...

I can't tell you how to get out.

I couldn't travel that country myself.

No way in the world.

Uh, oh...

No, you'll have to wait for Ben.

I... I couldn't get through them mountains.

Not in a million years.

Of all the times you got to do it, you pick now.

You ain't done both lines together since last spring!

The man's going to die in there, Ben,

because you took that crazy notion to go to north fork!

4, maybe 5 skins is all you'll get...

All you ever get over in north fork.

5 skins for a man's life.

Then you done it to spite me...

Because I wouldn't go.

I got to get up and go.

Can't live the rest of my life around this cabin,

always pestering you to fetch the water up from the creek.

I can hear you now.

"You're blind, pa, but you ain't dead."

We got to go together.

You don't know what lies out there...

Between here and that road head.

These here are ornery mountains, girl.

I know...

But we got to.

There's twists and turns and ups and downs,

and cliffs and hollers, and slides and creeks,

and... well, every kind of country god ever made

is betwixt here and the road head.

I'm afeard, child!

Then we will be afraid together.

We're leaving now.

Edwards will be... There about noon...

Same place he left us.

Don't you worry about me.

We'll be fine.

I'll be here when you get back...

Fat and sassy.

You go on now.

Go on. You got a long way to go.

We'll make it, pa.

What do you see, girl?

Kind of an open place

with some big round rocks in the water.

A little fir tree at the foot?

I can't see it.

Are you sure there ain't no little fir tree?

No, sir.

There's got to be a tree right at the foot of the rock.

It sticks up like a feather in a hat band.

Now, look sharp, girl.

There's no tree there, Mr. Shelby.

Maybe a flood took it away.

And maybe I don't remember right.

Which way now?

Let's start up. Lead the way.

Well, we should be near the top.

Can you make out the Ridge just above us there?

Shelby: Rocks along the spine,

Morgan creek on the other side.

It's all trees.

No rocks?

Like the roached mane of a horse?

I can't see.

Look sharp, girl!

Mr. Shelby...

We're in a forest.

I can't see anything.

A forest?

Big trees.

How big?

There's a fallen one right over here.

All this big?

Seems like it.

Are we lost?

Maybe. I was crazy to try this.

Maybe I'm all mixed up... Don't remember right.

We got to keep going.

It's 10 years since I saw it.

The country can change a lot in 10 years. Now, we better go back.

No! What was it like when you were here 10 years ago?

Well, I don't know. I don't know.

Was the forest here?

I don't know! We got to go back. Give me your hand, now.

- We got to go back. - No!

Give me your hand. Give me your hand.

I can't make it to the road without you,

and you can't make it back without me, and I'm not going back!

No, no... No, no, give me... give me your hand.

Wait. Wait, now.

Aah!

Wait for me, now.

Wait!

Child! Child, please!

Please don't do this to me, child.

Child, give me your hand, now.

Don't do this. Don't you do this to me!

Child!

Child?

Child!

I'm sorry, Mr. Shelby...

But that's my pa up there.

But, child...

I don't know if I'm going right.

We'll know when we reach the top.

Give me your hand.

Some water...

Water...

Half-pint...

Water...

Water.

We're almost to the top.

Careful, now.

We're at the top.

Mr. Shelby...

Mr. Shelby, I can see a creek down below!

- Right below us? - Yeah!

A creek? Morgan's creek!

Whee! Glory be!

We're not lost!

Be careful, Mr. Shelby!

Whoo! Whee! Whoopee!

Mr. Shelby!

Mr. Shelby! Mr. Shelby, are you all right?

Of course I'm all right!

I know where I am, and I ain't scared a bit!

Get my stick and come on!

To Morgan's creek! Whee!

Sam!

Come on out here! I got sugar for you!

You're such a funny old coot.

I'm surprised you still got a sweet tooth left in your head. Ha ha!

Sam?

Sam, you in the outhouse?

Come on in here before you fall through.

Oh, lord have mercy.

Come on, belle. We got to find Ben.

We're down to Morgan's creek.

Which way now?

West. Just follow the creek to the road head.

Hold it. Hold it.

What is it?

I don't hear nothing.

What are you supposed to hear?

The creek.

Which way is that creek running?

It's hard to tell.

It ain't really running.

What's wrong?

I don't know.

Don't sound right.

Take me down to the water.

What is it?

Well, it ain't Morgan.

Are you sure?

I wish you'd quit asking me that.

I ain't sure about nothing right now,

except this water ain't moving.

Honey, we ain't in Morgan.

We're in McGee.

We're heading west, not south.

Must be over the next Ridge.

But you were sure.

But I was wrong!

Child...

Child?

Now, you listen to me, child!

I can't go back with you,

and you can't find the road head without me,

and I ain't going back!

Give me your hand.

Give me your hand!

What do you see?

No creek. Just a Meadow.

We're still lost.

A Meadow, huh?

Dad burn it...

A Meadow!

There was a Meadow in Morgan canyon.

Are you sure?

I told you, I ain't sure of nothing,

but there's only one way to find out.

Yes, sir, this here's Morgan's canyon.

I'd bet my socks on it.

Don't say it if you don't mean it.

I ain't just saying it.

Your nose kind of remembers sometimes

when your mind don't.

I ain't smelled Morgan's canyon in,

I bet you, 10 year,

but there's something familiar about this.

It just has to be it.

Let me tell you something, honey.

If this ain't Morgan's,

we're going to climb the next Ridge and the next Ridge,

and the Ridge after that.

We ain't a-gonna quit, are we?

No, we won't. We're going to keep on

climbing ridges till we find it...

Keep on, even if we have to walk all night.

Well... that's a little more like it.

We're going to keep on walking till we find it.

We're going to keep on...

What is it?

Laura: Mr. Edwards!

Mr. Edwards!

Laura... what is it? What's wrong?

Where's your pa?

He's been... Shot.

He's hurt bad.

We need a doctor.

All right. All right. I'll get him. I'll get him now.

You wait right here, all right?

You all right?

All right.

We need horses, too.

All right, I'll get them. Now, you stay right there!

Pa, I brought...

He's gone! He's bleeding again!

Maybe your boy came back, took him somewhere to get him help.

No, Ben wouldn't have put him on a horse.

Besides, there's nowheres he could've took him.

He's drinking water.

Ground's still wet here. He needed water.

I've got a water barrel right outside.

Sick as he was, who knows? Could have wandered off.

Spread out. Head for the creek.

Over here! I found him!

He can't feel it. Thank heaven for that.

Here. Hold that light right over here.

I got to tie up the rest of those bleeders.

He has to be all right. He has to be.

That doctor knows what he's doing.

If only I hadn't asked pa if I could go on the hunting trip.

It's all my fault.

That's not so.

Things are meant to be.

Mr. Edwards was right.

I was bad luck.

Now, you listen.

If that would have happened and you weren't along,

why, your pa wouldn't have no doctor tending him now.

It wouldn't have happened.

It wouldn't.

Well...

Bet you can't guess who it is talking.

Been a long time, lord, ain't it?

A long time.

Well, I guess I just got tired

of asking you for the same thing.

Of course, I guess you must have got tired

having me ask for it, too.

Well, I got a surprise for you, lord.

I ain't asking to see this world of yours this time.

You see, I...

I got a little friend who needs your help

more than me... A lot more.

Now, it ain't her pa dying that's worrying me.

Heck, we all got to die sometime, but...

But not this way, lord.

Not this way, and not so that she blame herself.

That kind of guilt is a far sight worse than dying.

I know that I got no right to be asking.

I know that.

I've been thinking some bad things about you.

You probably know that.

But I did get off my butt and try today.

I tried.

Hope that's worth something.

Well, I expect you'll let me know soon enough.

Wake that child up...

If she wants to talk to her pa.

Half-pint...

Half-pint, your pa's okay.

Pa...

Oh, pa!

Half-pint.

Hey...

I'm kind of hungry.

Ben: Pa!

Pa! Thank god you're all right!

Oh, pa...

Of course I'm all right, boy.

I'm blind, but I ain't dead!

Laura, voice-over: The doctor stayed with pa for 5 days,

until the fever was gone and we could start for home.

That's good.

Thanks for everything.

It were my pleasure.

I'll never forget you for the rest of my life.

I'll never forget you, neither.

Take care, now!

Well, no use standing around.

If you and me is going to run trap lines,

we'd best get going.

Start packing up.

I'll get us some water.