National Velvet Page #3

He leaped Beecher's Brook.

He did?

What's Beecher's Brook?

Jacob, leave that meat alone.

Leave that meat alone!

Give me a hand with these.

We'll wash them in the gully.

Might give them more flavor.

What's Beecher's Brook...

...that The Pie leaped?

Forget it.

It never happened at all.

Nice way to deliver meat.

Come on, Jacob.

Third time this week

your animal's cut loose.

You'll have to make

restitution no doubt. Let's see...

There's Mr. Illdale's begonias.

And over here we have two seed frames...

...measuring about five by ten feet.

That doesn't absolve the jeopardy

to life and limb...

...or safety to traffic on the highway,

occasioned by this horse!

You are responsible,

because you're the rightful owner.

Not for long!

I see you've been busy in my absence.

I see no great harm in it, Mrs. Brown.

This is a butcher shop,

not an auction room.

Mr. Ede came and asked

as a special favor.

- Now, how could we refuse him?

- We?

In every sound partnership one does

the work and the other the refusing.

You shouldn't have

left me alone so long.

The Pie!

They're raffling him.

Put your bands back in.

Your father's watching.

Bread. Best smell on earth!

A stinging ant just stung me!

Is it true Mr. Ede's gelding

could be won for a shilling?

If you won, you'd lose.

What good is the brute?

You'd have to feed and lodge him,

and pay for all the damage he does.

Father, do take in some tickets,

won't you?

Didn't you hear what I said?

But, Father... you don't understand.

Sit down, Velvet.

The food will get cold.

I said a stinging ant just stung me!

Will you keep that up all day?

Where'd it sting you?

On my thumb.

Not a mark. Besides,

ants don't sting, they bite.

Eat, Velvet.

What's this?

For raffle tickets.

For each girl and for Donald.

Are you challenging my authority

in this family?

No, I'm buying raffle tickets.

Pick your own numbers.

They're nearly all open.

I don't want one.

Mi, you're wonderful! I'll take 62.

Me, 119.

It's on my brain in letters of fire!

You're sweet, Mi. I'll have 10.

I'll have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11.

We'll get the tickets after dinner.

Boy...

...it's one thing to outthink a man...

...another to outsmart him.

And who will say which is which?

- Little Velvet Brown!

- Hello, Mr. Hallam.

I hear you say

that you'll win the raffle.

Of course!

Are you now?

- What's the lucky number?

- 62.

Your father promise?

I can keep a secret.

I promised myself.

Number 62 is bound

to come up, isn't it?

There's ways of arranging it.

Your father's clever!

I didn't bother him.

I just arranged it with God.

I'll not waste your time with talk.

We're all gathered...

...and I'll ask my friend, Mr. Brown,

to reach in his hand...

...to see who's to take that gelding...

...for the price of a shilling.

Watch the winning number

doesn't stick to Mr. Brown's fingers.

What's that you imply?

I imply nothing.

But some feel the horse is in the hands

of the Browns, and there he'll stay.

Williams, you've said as much.

Velvet's been whistling around the

village the horse is as good as hers.

There's a pastime!

Casting mud on the name

of an honest man!

Never mind.

Pick the ticket yourself.

- You can't make me.

- I can break your head.

Look lively!

Go on!

Stir them up.

Sing it out!

The winning number...

...is 113!

Mine was 119.

Velvet's teeth go...

Take him out, will you?

Mother, I'm sorry.

A cup of tea will fix you up.

Anyway, I didn't faint, Mother.

Thank you, dear.

Sometimes it frightens me.

I see things.

I see things as big as life

and think they're real.

At this moment,

I can see plain as day...

...the whole village coming here,

bringing me The Pie.

I suppose it's 'cause

I want him so much.

Don't fret.

If you see things that way,

you'll grow up to be a poet or prophet.

They are bringing you The Pie.

Is it true? The Pie is mine?

He's yours.

Mr. Hallam drew an unsold number...

...so we had to start over again.

Hallam's hand went into the bowl

and out it came with 62, your number!

Fate.

The number Hallam said I was going

to pick. The fool was fit to die.

You should have seen

the expression on his face!

You'd better sleep,

you're all lighted up.

I don't know why I'm so pleased.

The joke's on me.

I'm saddled with a crazy horse

I don't need.

If there isn't enough trouble in the

world, you people draw it out of a hat.

I've something to ask you.

What?

What's Beecher's Brook...

...that The Pie leaped over?

The sixth jump of the Grand National,

the world's greatest horse race.

You measured it with the string

off the mutton chops?

Don't float around.

Lie down or your ma will blame me.

- Do something for me?

- What?

Just walk The Pie up and down,

under the windows.

And have you faint again?

Cross my heart,

I'll just shut my eyes and listen.

Come on, Pie, faster.

You're a sweet one, Pie.

Now, here's a jump.

Easy.

There.

Well-done, Pie!

Come on, faster!

Come on, now, faster!

It's like riding a fairy horse...

...who knows what you want

before you do.

When he jumps, he gives a hitch

and tucks his feet up under him...

...so he's a body without legs.

You have to sit on him.

The horse is tired, his coat shiny

from sweat and he needs water.

You likely had him over

six counties already.

Your pa wants you home for lunch.

Watch.

Velvet, don't!

What's in the bag?

Seems you're afraid of it.

It's odd a man should be

afraid of his own dinner.

That's enough for dinner?

Sure, generous!

Two big claws for you and me.

Donald can scoop in the tail,

child just fiddles anyhow.

The middle part for the girls,

with a crumb for Jacob.

And Mi?

- You can't accept him in the family.

- It's not that.

Treacherous beast bit me.

That's the first time I got

into trouble listening to you.

"He crossed the room

in determined strides...

...and stood there

looking down at her. "

I want my insect bottle.

Shut up and stop being disgusting.

"He did not speak for a moment,

but his face softened.

'Oh, Gwendolyn' he whispered,

'forgive me. "'

It's in the cupboard.

Somebody will use it.

What kind of savagery is this?

- Paint.

- Only in fun.

We thought it would look pretty.

I don't like it.

I want my insect bottle

and 'Dwina hid it.

He doesn't like it. Wipe it off.

I don't mind it.

First he says he doesn't like it...

...then he says he doesn't mind.

You take the saddle, Mi.

I'll cool him off.

Where are you taking him, Velvet?

Water and rubdown.

And good oats and grains,

buckets of them?

If your show horse is to eat,

he must work.

Take an order to Meade's before lunch.

But, Father, he does work.

Jumping, racing and leaping.

Isn't it good work just to be beautiful?

Boy, harness Prince Charming

to the cart, will you?

A horse that consumes oats

must pull his weight in the home.

Velvet, you're worse than Donald.

It's economics, of which you

know nothing due to your youth.

But in a way of speaking,

it's a matter of decency.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes