Original subtitles

(ZADOK AND JOHN LAUGHING)

This is your cousin Zadok.

Well, actually, he's Pa's cousin. He'd be your first cousin, twice removed.

Oh, more or less. Who am I to tell?

Hope you can stay for a spell.

Well, there's a lot to be did up at the farm,

but I expect I can stay through the picnic.

I do not care who he is. He is crude and backward.

If there are any telephone calls or anybody drops by to see me,

you just tell them I'll be back in a whipstitch.

We'll sure tell them.

He told me a lawyer was after him.

He told me he was getting an honorary degree from Boatwright University.

Well, his hearing's gone, his eyesight, too, for all we know.

His mind wanders. His memory just turns on and off.

I think he's got hardening of the arteries.

We're the only relatives within 1000 miles. I think he's come here to die.

You're absolutely crazy. You've poisoned my baby.

JOHN-BOY: On Walton's Mountain,

as everywhere else on Earth in the later years of World War Il,

there was a constant feeling of dislocation and change.

Until one weekend in 1944,

in the midst of the chaos and confusion,

we unexpectedly found a bright, sturdy link

between ourselves and the way of life we were so swiftly losing.

A rich reminder of who we were, what we were, and where.

Good afternoon, sir.

I swear to my soul, young woman,

you a Walton if ever I seen one, and I have saw considerable.

Sir?

- You one of Zeb Walton's girls? - No, I'm one of John's.

My name's Elizabeth.

Oh, that's nothing, honey. They named me Zadok.

Mr. Zadok, would you care for a glass of lemonade?

Elizabeth, I'd be proud, mighty proud.

That's prime lemonade, it is, Elizabeth.

Mr. Zadok knows a lot about us. He's come a long way.

JIM-BOB: How long a way, Mr. Zadok?

Well, I've hoofed it all the way from home, and I'd hate to do it twice in one week.

Got me a little patch of scratch-gravel farm across Methodist Creek.

That's way up yonder behind Big Spruce Knob, Boone County.

That's miles from here.

I computated about 44 miles as the crow flies,

if anybody's got a crow that don't especially care where he's going.

- Do you have much farther to go? - Well, I devoutly hope not.

Where I started out for, I'm at.

Fellow told me to meet him at Walton's house on Walton's Mountain.

Here I am and here he ain't.

Who's that, Mr. Zadok?

- Who's what? - ERIN: The man you're meeting here.

Oh, I'm meeting your grandpa, Zeb Walton.

Mr. Zadok,

our grandpa passed away almost three years ago.

Well, I expect I oughtn't to be surprised.

Where's Zeb resting?

- Up there on the top of the mountain. - It's where he wanted to be.

Zeb and I growed up together, he being a mite younger than me,

and I'd hate to tell you how old I am.

What about your grandma? Where's little Esther at?

Well, she had a stroke a while back, but she's doing fine.

Well, I thought so.

You know, them little-bitty women, they just as tough as whitleather.

Grandma's visiting some relatives over in Buckingham County.

Oh, she always was traipsing about and caucusing.

Yeah, she was always that a way inclined, if Zeb hadn't kept her on a short string.

Well, now, who else we got?

(HORN HONKING)

Well, if that ain't the beatinest! He don't even know who I am!

Cousin Zadok, I'd recognize your old hide in a tan yard.

- Good to see you. How you been? - Oh, tolerable, tolerable.

This is your cousin Zadok.

Well, actually, he's Pa's cousin. He'd be your first cousin, twice removed.

Oh, more or less. Who am I to tell?

Hope you can stay for a spell.

Well, there's a lot to be did up at the farm,

but I expect I can stay through the picnic.

Is there a picnic?

Well, that's what your grandpa said.

And I've never knowed him to drop back on a promise.

And that's a date you made. That's why you're here.

When did you and grandpa make this date?

Oh, I guess it was along late spring, 1923.

He come up to Boone County and spent the whole day with me.

The last thing I ever said to him, I said,

"Zeb, now, it's been 10 years since we saw each other.

"Now, let's don't make the second time 15."

And he gave me that little look of his,

you know, butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. Good, old Zeb Walton.

Well, cheese wouldn't choke him, either, you know.

And he said that, "If I'm not here in 20 years, Zadok, you come to visit me,

"and we'll give you a picnic."

Well, and, by George, he was right. Let's have a picnic.

(HORN BLARING)

Colonel Usselbury, sir! Are you all right, sir?

Why don't you watch where you're going?

Oh, Sergeant, I'm sorry. I thought you were the Post Commander.

Are you all right?

If you had been thinking anything, you dumb dogface,

I wouldn't be driving all over the county, now would I?

I guess not.

And if I had had the Colonel in my car,

you'd be peeling the stripes off your sleeves!

Absolutely. Now, is there anything I can do?

Sure, you can get lost.

You bet.

You raise all these apples?

Well, me and the good Lord had a hand in it together.

They're better for taste than looks.

That's a telephone.

Oh, I've saw three or four of them in my time.

I just ain't never talked through one.

Oh, it's easy. When it rings, all you do is pick it up and talk.

I'll memorize that when that fellow...

Cousin Zadok?

There's a fellow after me.

If he rings that telephone, you come and get me and I'll talk on it.

- What's the man after you for? - Me, my land, my apples.

Calls hisself a lawyer.

- ZADOK: You memorize that. - I'll try.

Cousin Zadok, we gotta find you a place to sleep.

I already found one, Cousin John.

All right.

JOHN: You sure you wanna do this, now?

ZADOK: Well, when I was growing up on this mountain, Cousin John,

any time the house was full of company,

they packed up all the little boys and put them out in the barn to sleep on the hay.

Now, I've been missing this Walton's Mountain hay for 75 year.

- And I can tote my own budget, too. - No, you've carried it long enough, now.

Well, it ain't as heavy as it was when I left home.

I brung some apples for the young'uns.

They in there in the kitchen if you get a hankering for one.

JOHN: All right.

Hello.

Oh, not again.

I didn't know there was anybody in here. They let me use the piano sometimes.

Wouldn't you know it.

In case I forgot to mention, my name is Jason Walton.

Now that we've got that settled, let's both forget it.

You probably don't have a name, huh? Just rank and serial number?

- Tony Hazelton. - That's Tony like in Anthony A dverse?

Like in Marie Antoinette. "Let them eat cake."

That's better.

You're much more an Antoinette than a Tony.

I'm really thrilled you think so.

Look, if you're gonna play the stupid piano, play.

Wouldn't you rather go out to a movie or something, Antoinette?

I wouldn't be sitting here in the first place if I did.

What are you doing, Walton?

Composing, Antoinette, a song.

Sounds more like decomposing.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

What's wrong, Daddy?

Thought I heard some music, fiddle music. Coming from the mountain. Spooky.

It would have to be, there's nobody up there.

- Maybe you just thought you heard it. - No, I heard it.

It's a tune I haven't heard since I was a little older than John Curtis.

Strange.

- ERIN: What's going on? - I thought I heard something.

What?

I don't know, but if I believed in ghosts...

Now, you're not supposed to be in here, you know. That's my job this weekend.

You don't look like you was qualified for this kind of work.

Well, I'd like to know just why.

- Morning, Daddy. - JOHN: Morning.

Howdy, John. A woman as well-favored as you

ought to just sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam.

Well, that's ridiculous, because my sewing is worse than my cooking.

Now, where does that leave me?

Just sitting there, looking pretty as red shoes with blue strings in them.

Zadok, is something going on between you and my daughter?

Well, that's what she'd like me to think, but soft words never buttered no biscuits.

Your cousin Erin is a speaking likeness of another lady that I fell in love with

when I was five years old.

Her name was Aunt Sula Walton. She was Zeb Walton's mama.

She's where all that red hair comes from, too.

Really?

Ben, what are you doing home?

A weekend pass I didn't expect. Got in around 1:00 this morning.

Had to get up for 4:00 feeding.

I want you to meet your cousin Zadok. Zadok, this is Ben.

Just let him wake up, John, and then I'll meet him proper.

- Good morning. - BEN: Good morning.

JOHN: Mary Ellen, I thought you'd be gone.

I overslept.

John Curtis was fussy again all night. I left him bothering Elizabeth.

Well, Elizabeth can handle any three kids in the neighborhood.

MARY ELLEN: Yeah, but I'm sure she had things of her own to do today.

Everybody's that way these days, except me, I expect.

Thank you.

I'd take John Curtis with me, except he's been acting colicky.

Well, I ain't got no big plans for today except sit around here and dilapidate.

Now, I can put up with that little feller if he can put up with me.

Oh, if you're sure it wouldn't be a bother. Thank you very much.

- Bye-bye, Daddy. - Bye, honey.

- Bye-bye. - Bye.

Finished that painting, Son?

Taking a break from that turpentine smell.

You know, Zadok, you're a bad influence on me.

I'm supposed to be running all over this county this weekend,

yelling at my suppliers.

War Department wants twice as much lumber twice as quick.

Well, I calculate the Second World War

come to a grinding stop about an hour ago,

waiting for you to get out and start mallyhacking them poor working people.

I'd hate to think the war's stopping on my account.

This is the fourth big war I've sat through.

And if you've seen a-one, you saw them all.

What are you up to, honey?

Just keeping an eye on Cousin Zadok.

Well, you're gonna have to stand back a ways for that.

'Cause when I finish this rocking, I'm just gonna get up

and start callyhooting all over this mountainside, sightseeing and such.

I don't think you should. You've done enough walking for a while.

You really should take better care of yourself.

I don't see why. It ain't as if they're saving me up for something.

Or as if I was gonna get lost on Walton's Mountain,

that being where I learned to walk in the first place.

Try this.

It's not very pretty.

That's an apple.

ZADOK: They're what you call a hybrid apple.

It's a cross betwixt a wild apple tree

and two tame ones I got growing up on my farm.

I thought I knew every apple that grows in these parts.

Well, every kind that will I got growing up there on my farm.

Yeah, I got 12 different kind of apples growing on one tree.

- Sure you do. - You're joking.

Jim-Bob, you and Elizabeth go keep an eye on Cousin Zadok.

He's supposed to be keeping an eye on John Curtis.

Cindy will do that.

Come on, Elizabeth.

Hi!

I keep seeing it, but I don't believe it.

- Got you working overtime, huh? - Sergeant Walton...

Jason.

When the Colonel works overtime, then the Colonel's driver works overtime.

I hope that's not too hard for you to understand.

- Sergeant. - Colonel, sir. Good morning, sir.

When you finish with my car, Sergeant, and with my driver,

then we can get on with the war effort.

I was just coming up, sir, to let you know the car is here.

- Sergeant Walton, isn't it? - Yes, sir.

Do you have any duties to perform, Walton? Because I do.

As a matter of fact, sir, I have a pass for the weekend.

- Use it. - Yes, sir!

He took us up to the old chimney

where Rome Walton and Rebecca Lee used to live.

Uh-huh.

He knew exactly where it was, and he was telling us how it was in the olden days.

Then, all of a sudden, he looked at me and Jim-Bob

and said he'd forgotten our names. Do you suppose his mind's going?

Honey, you know how some folks get when they get old.

Remember your grandpa?

He could recite 76 verses of Horatius at the Bridge,

but he could never remember where his hat was.

'Cause it was on top of his head.

At any hour of the day, his mind was as brisk as a tick in a tar pot.

Well, I hope you're right. He sure hasn't forgotten the picnic.

Needs more salt.

JOHN: Well, how is my grandson?

Oh, he's asleep, thank goodness. I finally got a hold of the doctor,

and he said that it sounded pretty routine. Just a minor digestive disorder.

Sounds like a stomachache.

- Where's Cousin Zadok? - Oh, he went down to the Godsey's store.

He said he wanted to see if it's changed any since 1908.

I think I'll go see if he's changed any.

You haven't noticed anything different about him, have you?

Well, he's deaf in his left ear,

and he has a terrible weakness for well-favored redheads.

JOHN: Who doesn't?

Still, in all, it is a most unusual name, Zadok. From whence does it originate?

The First Kings, Second Samuel. The crowning of King Solomon.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet.

I been away from here ever since 1880.

Some of my mama's people left me a farm up beyond Big Spruce.

If I'd have known how little the farm it was, I wouldn't have went.

I could've had them send it to me.

I surmise that Big Spruce is a considerable distance from here.

Distance ain't no name for it, Sis Godsey.

Why, it's so far back in them hills, they use wolves as watchdogs,

and the hoot owls mate with the chickens.

I do not care who he is. He is crude and backward.

There's nothing backward about him.

And also suggestive.

Oh, come on, Corabeth, he's just a hillbilly, the way the good Lord made him.

And you might as well face up to it, we're all hillbillies around here...

Speak for yourself.

- Morning. - Oh, hi, John. How are you?

- Seen my cousin Zadok around? - Ha!

Yeah, he's back there in the seed catalog department.

Cousin Zadok?

You back here?

Must have gone outside.

You see an old fellow come out here a couple of minutes ago?

Yup, I seen him. He come and he went.

Went where?

Well, a young fellow drove up here. He was lost, asking his way to Westham.

The old man, he volunteered to show him the way, and then he drove off with him.

Funny your cousin would leave without saying a word to anybody.

Reckon I'd better go find him.

JOHN: Cousin Zadok.

Well, you go traveling, you never know who you're gonna find.

- Oh, what are you doing here? - Oh, just looking the place over.

They got one whole big school here that don't teach nothing but farming and such.

You think you might enroll as a freshman, or just take it up as a hobby?

Oh, nary a one. Albeit one of them professors I was a talking with

proffered to get me a piece of paper I could put a frame around

and put up over my fireboard.

He done say I got all the education I can chamber.

They call that an honorary degree. You think he might give it to you?

Not by a long stitch. He come right out and said he's joking.

Said them papers was for folks who give them a football field.

- You ready to go home? - You know the way?

Have you people been callyhooting again, or just traipsing this time?

Oh, we neighbored a bit,

and then we was out doing a little caucusing...

(GRUNTS)

JOHN: Easy, easy.

ZADOK: Hell fire and damnation. JOHN: Are you all right?

If they put my brains in a bird's head, he'd have flied backwards.

Well, he sounds all right.

Old and brickly-boned, and don't evenly watch where I'm a-going.

Why, you'd thought I'd busted my dad-blistered hip,

it'd have been Katy bar the door, I'll tell you!

Ain't got the time for such as this.

Cousin Zadok, let me help you in the house.

Cousin Zadok can help hisself right out to the barn.

(ZADOK CURSING)

You know, I hate to say it, but he really does seem pretty far gone.

Hitting on about three cylinders, I'd say.

Oh, come on!

Well, his hearing's gone, his eyesight, too, for all we know.

His mind wanders. His memory just turns on and off.

I think he's got hardening of the arteries.

We're the only relatives within 1000 miles. I think he's come here to die.

Why would you say something like that, Ben?

But suppose he did come here for that, what would we do?

What can we do?

We can do exactly what Cousin Zadok would do if someone came to him.

Invite him in and make him feel comfortable.

And when that ram was butchered

There was an awful flood

Singing fal-de-rally, raldy Dolly do-dum-do

And when that ram was butchered There was an awful flood

And 14,000 people got a-drownded in the blood

Singing fal-de-rally, raldy Dolly do-dum-do

Now the wool upon that ram's back It hung down to the ground

Well, if you think that's bloody, you should let Mary Ellen come in here

and hear a few verses.

It's been a strange weekend. We haven't heard any war news

since yesterday morning.

Well, Cousin Zadok doesn't listen at all.

He says that good news will keep and bad news will hunt you down.

I thought you were painting Grandma's room while Rose was away.

Well, I was till Erin kicked me out.

She said that I was getting more paint on me than on the walls.

You know, sometimes I think she's got some shingles loose.

What kind of talk is that?

Cousin Zadok talk. You know, he reminds me of Grandpa.

He's fun to be around.

Yeah, you know, it's something like a dish of mustard greens after a long winter.

- Just what the system needs. - Yeah.

You know, with this war being so unreal you feel like you've been sick

three or four years and then something like this old man comes along,

reminds you that there's sunshine and fresh air and...

- Vitamins? - (CHUCKLING) Vitamins.

I got a hunch that there's nothing wrong with Cousin Zadok.

It's the world that's got some shingles loose.

ZADOK: Cousin John?

Well, I thought you'd be out peltering them lumber people,

telling them where the bear set in the buckwheat.

You stop peltering me. I've got to be in the right mood first.

Little John Curtis dropped off to sleep for a while.

He don't appear to be as pert, though, as he was this morning.

It just appears to me that, that poor little sprout be addled in his gut.

The doctor says not to worry. He'll get here as soon as he could.

Well, I thought I'd go projecting around

and see what's alongside the roadside.

If there are any telephone calls, or anybody drops by to see me,

you just tell them I'll be back in a whipstitch.

We'll sure tell them.

He told me a lawyer was after him.

Told me he was getting an honorary degree from Boatwright University.

It must be awful to get old.

Small world, but I was here first.

Wherever I go, you're there first.

I'm studying two very hard courses in the Armed Forces Institute,

and tests are coming up in both of them.

You think if I went to my barracks to study...

It's a WAC barracks, Walton.

All enlisted personnel of the feminine gender.

You think you can try and not be there ahead of me?

I'll make it a promise.

You're all heart.

You know what might do you a whole lot of good, Sergeant?

Go back to your WAC barracks, and when you get there go soak your silly head.

I may just do that!

Then give the rest of the world the day off.

You're a vain, spoiled, egotistical brat, Hazelton.

Moping around, creeping into a corner when somebody says hello.

You come into the U.S. Army for privacy or something?

Absolutely none of your business!

You're a crabby, sneering, sarcastic shrew.

You're narrow-minded, you're ill-mannered, and furthermore...

Furthermore what?

Furthermore, I'm crazy about you!

Zadok, what is going on here and what is that stuff?

The baby's forehead is soaking wet.

Oh, he's a mite sweaty, but he ain't fevered.

It's the catnip part that does it for him.

Catnip?

Yeah, I brewed the little chap a mess of catnip tea.

Then I took a sizeable chunk of rattleweed root,

boiled that with it. Oh, it'll fix it meek as Moses.

You're absolutely crazy. You've poisoned my baby.

Oh, I bet I ain't. He only taken a middle-sized cupful.

Daddy, the old man is dangerous.

He fed John Curtis catnip tea laced with rattleweed root.

Did he throw up?

No. While I was talking to the doctor, John Curtis fell asleep.

What did the doctor say?

He said if it worked that well he'd try it himself!

(MUSIC PLAYING)

- JOHN: Cousin Zadok? - That's his bad ear, Daddy.

Cousin Zadok?

Great day in the morning, Cousin John.

Whatever are you and all them gentlemens

doing up here at this time of the night?

We came up here to ask you that.

Oh, I just came to say goodbye to an old, old friend.

TONY: Hi. I'm looking for Jason Walton.

- He's in there. - Thank you.

Antoinette. Come in.

Thank you.

First, don't bother to apologize.

Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?

Because it's my turn anyway. I know what you think of me, Jason,

because you very kindly explained it to me.

I just want you to know that if I'm crabby and all that, there's nothing personal.

Okay. Fine.

I've been a long time getting over something and...

Like I said yesterday...

It's none of my business.

Thank you.

Nothing at all.

- You forgot your music. - I what?

Your song or whatever. You forgot it in the Day Room.

- Thanks. I'd sure hate to lose this. - No offense, but parts of it you should.

- Yeah? - I don't mean to start another fight

or anything but, may I?

There's a couple of places where I don't think you were watching

where you were going. I'll show you.

Here.

Okay.

For instance, where you have... (HUMMING)

Maybe you could have done something like...

(HUMMING)

Play that again.

(HUMMING)

I hate to say this, but I think you're absolutely right.

I thought I was.

And where you had...

(HUMMING)

I could have gone, maybe... (HUMMING)

Yeah, something like that, in my opinion.

Okay. Well, let's try it your way and see what we've got.

(HUMMING)

- It's supposed to have words. - Oh, words I can't do.

I'm so glad. Move over.

Let's try it from the chorus.

Antoinette, Antoinette You're kidding!

TONY: You're not kidding.

Antoinette

You sing. Antoinette

- You're the kind of woman - You're the kind of woman

- Who's not easy to forget - Who's not easy to forget

- Won't you say you'll stay - Won't you say you'll stay

- Won't you say you'll stay - Won't you say you'll stay

- Won't you say you'll stay, Antoinette - Won't you say you'll stay, Antoinette

- Good morning. - Good morning, sir.

Mr. Zadok Walton said I might find him here.

I'm Arthur Harrington from Charlottesville.

- I've heard that name before. - I'm serving as Zadok Walton's attorney.

I have a paper here that he asked me to draw up for him.

You're a pretty expensive lawyer

for an old dirt farmer from Boone County, aren't you?

Well, if I am it's his fault. I told him my fee would be one bushel of fruit,

and he refused to settle for less than two. He's a feisty old character.

That he is.

These gentlemen have known my client a lot longer than I have.

Dean Beck and Professor Bohannon,

both of the School of Agriculture at the university.

Well, come on out. We'll see if we can find him.

Thank you.

Now, if you'll just look that over.

If you'll now just peruse all that, John, I ain't got my right spectacles.

Be glad to, Cousin Zadok.

It's an old-fashioned form of conveyance, and so is some of the language,

but so is my client and you can't argue with a mule.

Now, if there's anything you don't understand...

If we ever get to it.

Briefly, it's a deed of gift inter vivos,

between the living, by which Zadok Walton,

in consideration of the goodwill and esteem

he bears for Boatwright University,

and for the furtherance of its work in the field of agriculture,

hereby gives and grants unto said university

a certain plantation and parcel of land in Boone County

containing 21 acres...

Being the same more or less.

HARRINGTON: With all buildings, orchards, watercourses, privileges and profits,

after my death, to have and to hold.

And certain restrictions to it.

And the next three-quarters of the page

tells precisely what this said university

can or cannot do with his 21 acres,

if and when said Zadok ever decides to die.

Let me tell you something, Mr. Walton.

This dirt-farmer cousin of yours is the most opinionated, unreasonable...

- Obstinate. - Cantankerous old man

this neighborhood has seen since Thomas Jefferson.

Anyone else would have let us buy the damned farm!

Well, it's more than just a farm. It's a remarkable workshop.

A laboratory for an untrained, natural-born horticultural wizard.

We've learned as much up there about fruit and trees as we've been teaching.

Have you ever seen a tree with 10 or 12 different kinds of apples on it?

Or an apple tree with pears growing on it?

We've often said we'd like to have Zadok on the university faculty,

if he could speak English.

You could have went further and did worse.

Oh, this is a big day for the school, Mr. Walton.

We're going to use the farm, study it, preserve it,

long after Zadok is gone.

You mean sort of as a remembrance museum or something.

No, no, no. Something very alive, and busy. Sentimental only to us.

It's a very rich gift your cousin Zadok is giving to the people of this state.

BECK: Just part of it is one little stand of apple trees up there,

worth a small fortune to Virginia agriculture.

Well, I'd admire to think so.

Because I never got a pure-D dime off in it myself.

This old coot has developed the most promising new strain of apple

since the Albemarle Pippin.

It's not an awfully big apple, and not very pretty.

Well, neither was the Albemarle Pippin.

Back off. It's still my apples, and I've still got work to do on it.

This is mighty generous of you, Cousin Zadok.

Now, if you'll just sign there.

And if you'll sign there as witness.

I still think you should let us give you the money.

I'd hate to have it on my books at the Day of Judgment.

What I got, and what I learnt, the good Lord never charged me for it.

JOHN: We're having a little picnic for Cousin Zadok.

We'd be happy to have you gentlemen join us.

Oh, thank you.

Well, you did a real good thing and it was a pleasure meeting you gentlemen.

Thank you very much.

JOHN: I'm not sure I believe about this pear...

Elizabeth.

Who are those people?

They're just professors and such from Boatwright University,

friends of Cousin Zadok.

Friends of Zadok?

Hmm-mmm. People from the university are really excited.

He's giving them a big endowment.

I find that scarcely credible. What could he give them?

Just an apple. Try one.

JOHN: All right. Okay, if you say so.

All right, everybody! I've got an important announcement.

Come on over. Come on, gather around.

Jason.

Cousin Zadok decided he wants to make a little speech after all.

That's good. I was worried he was going to play the fiddle.

Dog my cats, Elizabeth, I heared that.

Now, come on, you young'uns,

settle down. I got something to tell to you about.

You know, it's a proud thing being back here on the mountain where I growed up,

meeting all you fine kinfolks I never seen before.

I had a hankering to see what the back-home Waltons was like,

after all this long time.

Well, I ain't met a one of you I didn't like.

Another thing.

Since I'm about four years older than Methusalem,

I calculated I'd better settle my affairs before the bell rings.

Now, I got rid of most of my worldly goods since breakfast this morning.

Well, while we're all here together,

I wanted you to meet the oldest friend I've got on God's green earth.

Jason, hand me my music.

Yeah.

This old fiddle, it don't belong to me,

but I've looked after it for quite a while.

Now, I think it's about time somebody else looked after it.

Zadok, I'm not sure what you mean.

Well, if you hold your tater a minute, Cousin John, I'm gonna tell you.

This old fiddle is 108 year old.

It belonged to an old gentleman named Rome Walton.

He's my granddaddy, your great-granddaddy.

Well, I'll be damned.

Yeah, he made it and he played it.

During the time of Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.

And then he died.

And my grandma said he wanted me to have it.

And whilst I'm still around to see that it don't go to just any branch of the family,

here.

Cousin Zadok.

We're mighty proud to get this.

I reckon I'll just turn it over to the musician in the family.

Cousin Jason, can you play Rosin the Beau?

That was the favorite ballad of my old granddaddy.

Is everybody ready?

I've lived for the good of my nation

And my sons are all growing, Io

But I'm hoping the next generation

Will be more like old Rosin the Beau

Join the chorus.

Be more like old Rosin the Beau, my boys

Be more like old Rosin the Beau I'm hoping the next generation

Will be more like old Rosin the Beau!

Oh, when I was youthful and handsome

The girls, they all called me their beau

But now that I'm old and I'm ugly

They call me old Rosin the Beau!

- They call me old Rosin the Beau! - They call me old Rosin the Beau!

The girls, they call me old Rosin the Beau!

The girls, they call me old Rosin the Beau!

- But now that I'm old and I'm ugly - But now that I'm old and I'm ugly

- They call me old Rosin the Beau! - They call me old Rosin the Beau!

When I'm dead and laid out on the counter

And the people all come for the show

Pour sassafras tea and corn whiskey

All over old Rosin the Beau!

All over old Rosin the Beau, whiskey All over old Rosin the Beau

- Pour sassafras tea and corn whiskey - Pour sassafras tea and corn whiskey

All over old Rosin the Beau!

(ALL CHEERING)

JOHN-BOY: Cousin Zadok had the picnic

that had been pledged to him 21 years before.

And ha ving found our family suitable custodians for the fiddle,

he left it with us when he departed on Monday morning.

My father wanted to give him a ride back to Big Spruce Knob,

but he set out on foot. He said, "It's such a pretty day, I think I'll walk."

ELIZABETH: Daddy? JOHN: Yes, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH: You reckon Cousin Zadok's home by now?

JOHN: I don't expect it matters, honey. He just seems to enjoy traipsing around.

ELIZABETH: Caucusing.

JOHN: And callyhooting.

ELIZABETH: It was almost as good as having Grandpa back with us, wasn't it?

JOHN: Almost.

ELIZABETH: Good night, Daddy.

JOHN: Good night, honey. Good night, everybody.

English -SDH