The Yearling Page #2

- You figured that out all by yourself?

- I was just wondering.

I'm proud you're looking

for the reason of things.

Figuring out what makes people rare

when they don't mean it.

- Your ma's a wonderful woman, Jody.

- Yes, Pa.

When we come here, years ago,

she was pretty...

...and full of the fun of life.

This place was a wilderness.

Your ma thought it were beautiful.

She pitched right in

and worked as hard as I did.

We made it a kind of game,

clearing this place we got.

The two of us together out here

in the wilderness.

A man couldn't have had a better wife.

Then when we lost the children,

one after the other.

It ain't easy for a woman to have

her young'uns taken away from her.

It does something to her. Makes

something inside her close up tight...

...so if it happens again,

she won't let it hurt her so much.

I was lucky, weren't I, Pa?

I'm 11 years old.

I'm way past the age of dying.

What you two doing? Stop visiting.

It's time that boy got to sleep.

All right, Ma. He's going to sleep.

Pa!

Come look what's happened!

It's a calf and a shoat!

The door was broke!

- Take it easy, boy.

- But what happened, Pa? What done it?

Bear. A big one. Look there.

One toe's missing

on the right front paw. Old Slewfoot!

Old Slewfoot.

But none of the dogs bayed, Pa.

None. He had the wind in his favor.

He knew what he was doing.

We got to get him.

We obliged to get it.

I'm daresome to break the news to Ma.

What happened?

What you two doing?

What's the matter with you two?

I've been calling...

- Bear?

- It's Old Slewfoot, Ma!

Old Slewfoot. That dad-ratted,

no-account varmint!

IKilling and not even eating

what he kills!

I hate that.

Last year it was our brood sow.

- Them dogs asleep right there!

- No dog's as smart as that bear.

- They could have barked!

- We got meat to eat for a while.

Meat now and none this winter.

- You aiming to get after that bear?

- I'll get after him now.

Can I go with you this time?

Can I, Pa?

- Hunting bears is man's work.

- I can do it! I know I can.

Don't ask for mercy

when it gets rough.

- Oh, no, Pa! No, Pa!

- You ain't taking him?

He's got to learn.

Jody, turn the new dog loose.

Ma, you get my gun and rations.

The wise scaper's changing

his direction...

...heading for the saw grass ponds.

If that's his notion, we can

slip around and surprise him.

- You sure can figure what it'll do.

- You belong to figure.

A critter's faster than us

and stronger.

But a man's got more sense.

He's a sorry hunter

if he can't outstudy him.

- Didn't Slewfoot kill a man once, Pa?

- So they say, boy.

Is your gun loaded, Pa?

I reckon we're getting Slewfoot

pretty tired out.

You won't feel so tired when Slewfoot

raise up in front of you.

Come on. Looks like that bear's

got himself a ticket to Jacksonville.

Pa? You'll not be scared

when we come up with him?

Not unless things go mighty wrong.

I don't reckon you'll be scared, son.

No, sir. No, Pa.

Pa, if I was to be scared,

must I climb a tree?

Yes. Even if you ain't scared, it's

a good place to watch the ruckus from.

Come on.

Don't go getting faintified on me.

I feared it, the thicket. They're

getting close. You best wait here.

No, Pa. I ain't scared.

Just keep behind me, then.

Easy, girl. Easy.

- You reckon he's in there, Pa?

- He's in there.

All right, Julie, get him!

- He's coming, Pa! He's coming!

- No, he ain't, boy! He's going!

- Perk! Here, Perk!

- Pa, the new dog's running away!

Now, Pa!

Pa, what's the matter?!

Look out, boy!

You hurt, Pa? You hurt?

- What happened?!

- Backfired.

Julie! Rip!

Rip! Here, Rip!

Rip! Here, Rip!

This confounded worthless gun!

It's Julie, Pa!

She'll be all right, boy.

We'll make a hammock out

of my coat and carry her.

There, Julie.

- Her breathing's still short.

- I reckon she's lost a mite of blood.

- Where you taking her?

- Jody's room.

I'll not pop in and out of bed

all night awaking you. Good night, Ma.

Good night.

She'll live, won't she, Pa?

I'm certain she will, son.

- I'm bedding her here.

- You best sleep with me, Pa.

- I'm figuring that, if you'll have me.

- I'll have you.

Now don't you go visiting all night.

Get to sleep!

Yes, Ma.

- What makes you so wakeful, son?

- I can't stop walking.

We went a fair piece.

How you like going after bear?

- Well, I like thinking about it.

- I know.

I like the tracking and seeing

the saplings broke down.

- But the fighting's right fearsome?

- It's mighty fearsome.

It's got to be. It's a hard law,

but it's the law. Kill or go hungry.

I was proud the way

you come along with me, son.

Thanks, Pa.

- You cold, son?

- I reckon, Pa.

Well, move over a mite.

I'll warm you.

It's get me a new gun

or court trouble.

How? Where's the money coming from?

I'm aiming to trade

that new dog of ours for one.

- You said he were no-account.

- He ain't much good on a bear hunt.

But you know them Forresters

is fools for dogs.

Trading with them, you'd do good

to still have your britches.

They're a reckless, black-hearted lot.

Lower than a doodlebug!

- Fodderwing ain't! He's my friend.

- A fine friend, crazy as a loon!

He ain't crazy, Ma.

He's just different.

Anyway, that's where we're heading.

Get that worthless dog untied, Jody.

Will you want to tote lunch?

Why, I'd not insult

my neighbors that way.

- What you thinking, son?

- I ain't thinking.

Just feeling the sun, listening

to the birds and looking around?

That's what I'm doing, Pa.

That's right.

You glad you're gonna see Fodderwing?

I like Fodderwing.

He can't do no harm if you don't

take his talk seriously.

Fodderwing wouldn't do nobody no harm.

He ain't crazy like Ma says at all.

He ain't to blame for hatching out

peculiar. He was the second setting.

We're there. I can see smoke

coming out of the chimney.

Here, Perk! Here, Perk!

Come on, boy. Come.

- Is he hurt?

- Nope.

- Then why are we toting him?

- I don't want nothing to happen to him.

Well, boy, it sounds like we're here.

- You got no cause to say it was Bella!

- It was Bella.

- Don't go saving it was Bella!

- I seen him myself!

- It wasn't Bella!

- Or either Major or Sophy.

Say it's Sophy, I'll bust you!

Shut up! You're worse than the dogs!

I'll flail all of you myself!

You hear what your pa said?

Shut your mouth!

Look out, Ma, you'll hurt somebody

one of these days.

Why, look there!

- Is it safe for a guy to get down?

- It's Penny Baxter!

- Get off that horse!

- What's wrong with your dog?

- Fodderwing will be glad to see you!

- Get off that horse.

Bring your horse right in.

- How's your woman, Penny?

- Ain't complaining none.

- Penny!

- Buck.

- How's your corn coming?

- Corn's good.

There's no corn-raiser

like Penny Baxter.

You scapers don't know

what farming is!

Ma's against the whole lot of us.

- Got me a new baby coon.

- A coon? Let's go see him.

My eagle died. He was too wild to pen.

- Won't catch nothing with wings again.

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