Original subtitles

Where are they, beauty?

You find them.

It is hurt.

Can you come?

This way.

I'm sorry.

Whatever it was, we were too late.

It was dead. Yes, poor thing.

There are no marks on it or anything. Nothing to show why.

What do you think caused it?

I've no idea, Vicky.

There aren't enough facts to go on.

Well, couldn't you look at it?

No, it wouldn't do any good.

Anyway, I haven't the time now.

What's the matter, Father?

Two of the people in the village collapsed today.

It looks like typhoid.

Typhoid? What's that?

Oh, it's a kind of fever.

Makes people very ill.

Sometimes they die of it.

Don't worry.

Father says you're to stay with us till it's all over.

Now, Beauty, I want you to be on your best behaviour and not to throw Albert

into the next field.

Don't pay any attention.

Just relax.

What is it?

I didn't think it was so far from the ground.

Vicky, sorry to interrupt the lesson, but I need Black Beauty.

No. Yes, I want you to harness him up, come with me to the village, then drive

on into town and pick up some medicine and supplies of vaccine for me.

I didn't know you were so interested in animals.

Oh, yes, especially horses.

Oh, I wish more people were.

How do you mean?

Well, part of my job is to look after the wildlife in the woods.

Do you mean like the forest families? Exactly.

Don't they belong to anyone?

No, they've always roamed free in the woods.

I like to make friends with them.

You be careful. Remember, they're wild.

They never let you come too close. And if they're startled... There they go.

They must have got our scent.

If they've always lived here, why are you worried about them? Oh, they're all

right now. But you should see them in a drought or hard winter.

Freezing cold, starving.

Look.

Why doesn't he run away?

No, he can't. He's one of the oldest.

They're the ones that suffer most.

Why? They can't forage as well as the others, and the herd often leaves them

behind. Well, couldn't we do something?

Yes. Couldn't we help them?

You carry on, Vicki.

I must say about some vaccine.

Is it bad, Doctor?

Yes, the typhoid's been confirmed.

If only I could get enough vaccine.

Do these inoculations really work? Oh, yes, they've been proved to, Amy. But

supplies are short.

Is it dangerous?

Yes, very.

Make sure all the water you use and the milk has been boiled until the drains

and the farms have been checked.

You wouldn't get many ponies in there.

It's not for them to live in. We're going to put hay and straw in it. Then

can put it out for the ponies in the winter.

Maybe we can even train them to come here at special times to be fed.

What a marvellous idea.

What is it, Beauty?

All right, boy, all right.

Oh, it's only a scratch.

Look, it's Chalky.

Chalky?

What's he doing?

It's one of the forest ponies.

It's taken a liking to Albert.

What a poor old thing.

Ben said it would starve if it was left alone.

He knows me.

Can he stay at Black Beauty's paddock for a few days?

Well... Well, just until the shelter's finished, then he can live there.

I'll look after him.

Why not?

in the woods.

What are you doing with it?

Taking him to the paddock. He's quite tame.

Yes, he may be, but you should take him back where you found him. You

understand?

Right, Mr. Thomas.

Hmm.

We've done it.

What are you doing?

Preparing vaccine, or trying to.

You see, this disease is caused by millions of bacteria, bacilli, an

army of killers. But if you can isolate them, then inject them back into their

victims, they fight their own disease. And I think we've done it.

Well, can't you stop then, just for a little?

Vicky's right. You should take a rest, Doctor. Yes, yes, I can now, for ten

minutes.

Albert and Kevin in bed.

Yes. Oh, thank you.

I'm sorry I was so angry yesterday about that pony.

Albert was very upset.

Yes, I know.

It really was gentle, not like the others.

That's because it was so ill.

As it wasn't just old age, it had a sort of...

Equine influenza pneumonia.

Why didn't you say?

Well, there was nothing I could do, Vicky, and I was in a desperate hurry.

The only important thing was that it had to be kept away from Black Beauty.

It was dangerous, highly infectious.

Vicky!

Vicky!

Subtle Black Beauty for me, will you? Quickly!

Where are you going?

To get Black Beauty. Albert will get him. What? Albert will get him.

Oh,

I thought Chalky was here.

Yes, so he is.

What? It was only for the last two nights to keep him warm.

Where is he?

Through there.

He's dead.

That's coming on well.

It's nearly finished.

Oh, splendid.

Here, let me help.

I'll put a hinge on the front so you can open and close it. That's the roof

done. Do you think we should put some more mud on it?

Oh, you can finish that at any time. Now, I've spoken to some of the farmers

told them what you and Albert are doing, and they've promised us a bale or two

of age throughout the winter.

All you've got to do is collect it.

When? Oh, there's no time like the present. Start at Quarry Farm.

It'll need the two of you.

Right. You can take the cart.

On your marks, ready, steady, go!

Come on!

Poor Albert.

That's the best way you'll be able to get over it, doing some hard, useful

I'm sorry about old Chalky, but the boys are only meant to be kind, you know.

Yes.

I'm worried what Father will say to them, though.

Although you disobeyed me, I understand why you did it.

It was to save you from being hurt that I told you not to look out of the old

pony. There was nothing anyone could do for it.

I wish I'd had the time to give it more humane treatment during its last days,

but I was just too busy, and human beings must come first.

Yes, Father.

Right. Well, now we've work to do.

The stables have got to be completely cleaned out and sterilized. I only hope

that beauty isn't infected.

Come on.

And you can go back to your own stable.

There you are.

There you are.

Father. Careful.

I'm worried about Black Beauty. He's not eating.

It's too soon to tell, but his temperature's up a little, and there's a

stiffness in his legs.

What is it?

It could be a mild dose of influenza.

He's healthy enough. If he's kept warm and given soft foods, he ought to be all

right.

He'll be fine, won't you, boy?

I'll leave him in your care, Vicki. Look out for any sign of coughing.

And watch his temperature.

Yes, you were right to fetch me.

Well, he hasn't been coughing.

No, but he's clearly ill. His muscles are stiff and his neck.

What is it?

Well, they're not the symptoms of influenza.

I don't know, Biggie. I just don't know.

What's that?

Warm linseed.

He's hardly eaten for two days. Yes, try him with it.

He must have something.

I'll look in again later.

Come on now, beauty.

Just a little.

Come on.

Father!

Another pony's died.

I'll go and see Mr. Garner right away.

This is where it was.

Whatever it had, it wasn't the flu like old Chalky. Three or four of the ponies

had died in the last six months.

There's so few of them, we could wipe them out. This is one of the places

the ponies usually come. Yes, they're always here.

Right. Would you fill that jar with earth from over there, please, Mr.

the ponies use these places in the woods?

Oh, as long as anyone can remember.

Yes, I thought so.

The earth there is like old and dirty stables.

The slightest cut or scratch even would get infected.

They're dying of tetanus.

What I gave him should have made him relax, but it's not having any effect.

Vicky. When did you get this scratch?

A few days ago in a broken branch.

When Kevin and Albert were building the mud hut.

Mud hut?

For the ponies.

They covered the walls with mud from the woods.

Even if I'd known what it was, there's not much I could have done.

Will he have another attack?

No, he should be all right. I've given him a sedative that should stop the

contractions.

Will he be all right?

I feel I ought to warn you.

His chances are small.

His muscles are seizing up. If the ones that control his lungs get affected...

His breathing will stop.

What's causing it?

Tiny killers.

Like the ones that cause the typhoid.

Bacilli.

Yes, a different type, but just as deadly.

Come on, Vicki, you ought to go to bed.

No, I couldn't.

You must be able to do something.

Just keep him warm and quiet.

You did it for the typhoid.

Couldn't you make something now?

I've never heard of it being tried before.

I wonder.

Any change?

No.

I don't know if this will work.

I'll have to give him such massive doses, he may never recover.

It's a gamble.

Now I want you to go to bed, Vicky.

But I... No.

I must be on my own.

I'm sorry, Vicki.

It just didn't work.

Thanks, Aunt Beauty.

Please.

Father.

He's eating.

It's easing up.

See if he can stand.

Come on, beauty.

Please, beauty. He's trying.

Come on.

That's it.

Get that rope tight, boys.

Bring them in this way.

Well done, Vicky.

It really works, Doctor. This will stop them all from being infected.

It should do, Ben.

But none of you say anything about this.

If it gets out, people really will think of me as a horse doctor.

I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.

I only wish every animal could be protected.

All right, beauty.

Let's go and get the others.