The Education of Little Tree (1997) - full transcript

( violin music playing )

MAN:
It begun at the Jericho mine,
Jericho City, Tennessee,

in the year 19 and 35,

the day after Ma died.

She'd lasted only a year after
Pa was killed in the army.

And that's how I come to live
with Granma and Granpa

when I was eight years old.

One time Granma told me

that when you
come on something good,

the first thing to do

is share it with
whosoever you can find.



That way,
the good spreads out

where no telling how far
it'll go,

which is right.

So I'm telling the story
of them days,

and how Granma and Granpa
got me away from Aunt Martha

and taken me to live
in their mountains,

where they'd raised
my pa before me

and which I know now was
the secret part of the world.

( people clamoring )

Oh no, you stop
right where you stand!

I said no!

You ain't goin' off with
no backwoods white Injun

so long as I got
a breath left in me.

Sally was my sister
and she give him to us!



Put a hand to it, Henry,
for Jesus' sake!

No.

You can't just
waltz in here, Wales,

and carry him off to some
godforsaken...

Martha, leave him be.

It ain't right!

It ain't right
by a damn!

GRANMA:
Wales, he's wearing out.

Yep.

You okay, son?

Take the light.

( singing in Cherokee )

Little Tree.

Come now. You ain't waking him
his first morning, are you?

Just giving him
the option, is all.

Little Tree,
you awake enough
to hear me?

We're heading up
to the corn patch now.

Figured you might like
to come on and help us.

Wales.

It's up to you.

Come on, now.

Well, now.

( dogs barking )

GRANMA:
Go on, get off
of him now.

Oh, they's just
heartened to see
someone new, is all.

They see plenty
of Granma and me.

That's Blue Boy.

GRANMA (laughs):
Oh, my.

These the only shoes
you got, Little Tree?

I bet you can't feel a thing
through them soles, can you?

Well, we'll
take care of that.

To learn anything,
you got to feel the ground
under you.

All right.

You gonna stay?

She's coming alive.

( gasps )

Aw, don't feel sad,
Little Tree.

It's the way.

Falcon caught
the slow bird,

so the slow bird
won't have no babies
that are slow.

He helps the bird out.
You see?

GRANPA:
It's a lesson, Little Tree.
Animals know that.

You just look around.

It's only the white man
takes more than his share.

He claim whatever he can,

no matter how much it is.

He'll run his flag up
saying, "This here stands
for my right to more."

then there'll be
a war over it

and men will die,

like your daddy.

Well now, you're saying to
yourself, "Hold on, there."

I thought Granpa
was a white man hisself."

and it's the truth.

I was born white,

( chuckles )

no doubt about it.

But when I met your Granma.

Oh, how young she was,

and mm-mm-mm, how
she could dance.

Oh, Wales.

And then we was married,

and I begun to see
the world through
Cherokee eyes

till I come at last to
understand the way.

And so will you,
Little Tree,

and you'll learn you can't
change the rules of the way,

even if you are white,
and that's that.

My ma was white.

As was mine,

as fine a woman
as ever lived.

As was mine.

She was. She pleased
your daddy too.

He told us.

( crickets chirping )

Dictionary,

seeing as how Little Tree
can't get to the settlement
every day for school...

Which is a crying shame,

nothing we can do about it...

I plan to teach him myself,

alls I know, anyhow.

Let's look at
the first word here.

Can you make out
what it says?

"Ar..."

"Arr..."

"Aardvark."

"Aardvark."

"Aardvark."

"Ard" what?
GRANMA: "Aardvark:

Large, burrowing
African mammal

that feeds on ants
and termites.

That's his first word?
Mm-hmm.

Tell me, when is
the occasion gonna
arise

for him to
employ this word?

Can't never tell.

Yeah?

That's right, Little Tree.

You go on down
to the settlement,

you never can tell
what's gonna come up
in the conversation.

You know, like,
"Oh yeah,

Little Tree's
downcast, all right.

Seems he went and lost
his aardvark."

"Now that's funny,"
says Mr. Jenkins.

"Old Miss Perkins
over at the library,

she been having trouble
with her aardvark too!

Had to go all the way
up to Knoxville,

up to hospital,

have her whole dang
aardvark removed!

She's resting
comfortable now,
but mm-mm-mm,

them aardvarks!"

You can't never tell.

( all chuckling )
GRANPA: Yup.

* And we'll all
Go together *

You'll stay!

* To pluck wild
Mountain thyme *

* All around
The blooming heather *

( singing echoing )

* And we'll all
Go together *

* To pluck wild
Mountain thyme *

* All around
The blooming heather *

How old you gonna be on your
next birthday, Little Tree?

Um, nine,
come March 22.

That's what I thought.

Then it is time
you started on a trade.

That's her.

What does she do?

Why, she makes whiskey.

Ain't you ever seen
a still afore?

Oh...

This here's my trade...
Whiskey-making.

Been handed down on
the Scot side of my family

for 200 years.

Now I'm gonna
hand it down to you.

Of course,
when you get older

you might want
to switch trades.

But leastways you'll have
something to fall back on

in times when you're pressed
otherwise to make a living,

times like these here...
Hard times.

Now this you call the beer.

And what we're gonna do today
is we're gonna turn the beer
into whiskey.

Mm-hmm. Okay,

pour away.

Now this here is pure corn.

Yep.

Some fellers...

And this is the reason

whiskey-making
gets such a bad name...

Some fellers use potash
or even lye

to make the mash quick.

They'll put it through
sheet iron, or truck radiators

that got all kinds
of poisons that can
kill you.

Now these fellas
oughta be hung,
in my opinion.

Then there's the other side,
thems that say

whiskey oughta be aged.

Yeah, well,
I tried that once.

I set back some fresh-made
for a whole goddamn week.

By the by, Little Tree,

there's a word
you won't be finding

in your Granma's
dictionary,

so you probably shouldn't be
trying it out on her, okay?

Okay.
Okay.

Now where was I?

"Set some fresh-made back
a whole goddamn week!"

A week, yeah.

Didn't taste a damn lick
different from all the other
whiskey I ever made.

I think I'm gonna have to raise
the flame on this a little bit.

See, you want to boil it
but you don't want to
scorch it.

What I could use is just one
more armload of good dry wood.

I'll get it, Granpa!

You be Little Tree?

Well, let's see
what you brung.

Little Tree,
this here's Willow John.

He has the magic.

What do you reckon?

Ain't you gonna
taste it?

Well now, this here's
what you call your single.

Damn near 200 proof.

We only get a couple
of gallons of this.

Then you add water to it,
start all over again,

and that's how you get
your sellin' whiskey.
See?

Still, a man ought to know
what his single tastes like,

seeing as how
it's the backbone
of the whiskey and all.

Hey?

Agh!

That's out of
the early corn.

I don't know what
you'd call it exactly.

Kind of...

Bad.
Bad.

Yeah, that'd be it.

Have you told him
of our history?

Not as yet.

He should know.

It's a hard tale.

It is that,
but if you don't know
your past,

you won't have a future.

Why don't you all
leave it up to the boy?

This here's a story about
your ancestors, Little Tree,

and how they come
to be here.

Do you care to know?

I do.

( deep breath )

Well now,

the Cherokee have lived
in these hills

since the do-da
put them there.

They farmed the valleys,

made the winter hunts

and taught theyself the way.

But then the white man come

and the Cherokee made
a paper treaty with them.

They said, "These white men
ain't so bad. We could live
together."

Then the government
soldiers came

and said that
the paper treaty
had changed its words.

Now the words said that
the Cherokee had to give up
their homes,

and move far west,
where the government had
other lands for them,

lands that the white man
didn't want, of course.

And while the Cherokee were
trying to understand,

the government soldiers
found this big old valley

and ringed it in
with their guns,

and drove the Cherokee
in there just like cattle.

And they filled up
that whole valley.

And then they brought in
their mules and their horses,

and said that they
could ride out west.

Now the Cherokee,
they had nothing left,
now did they?

They had no homes,
no farms,

no land, nothing.

But they would not ride.

Damn right.

So you see,
they did save something
from it, now didn't they?

You couldn't see it
and you couldn't wear it,

you couldn't eat it.

But they did
save something.

They would not ride.

They walked.
Yes.

That was a long walk,

and as they got
farther and farther

from their mountains,

they begun to die.

At first it was just
the very young and
the very old.

And the soldiers stopped

and let the Cherokee
bury their dead.

But then more
begun to die.

They died by the hundreds,

by the thousands.

Now the soldiers said,

"Why don't you put your dead
in the wagons,

and we'll carry
them for you?"

But did they?

GRANMA: Huh-uh.
No sir.

Nope.

No.

The Cherokee would not put
their dead in the wagons.

They carried 'em, walking.

Yes.

A man carried
his dead wife,

a son carried
his dead mama,

and a little boy

carried his baby sister.

Now the white people,
they lined up along
the trail there

just to watch them pass by.

And some of them people
begun to cry.

And that's why they call it
the Trail of Tears.

But the Cherokee
did not cry.

They did not speak,

they did not look.

They walked on.

But by some magic
that I don't know

some of them
managed to escape

and make their way back,
staying off the trail,

until they found
their mountains again.

And they went far back
into them.

And time went on.

By and by
the white man forgot
all about them

and passed by and
finally left them in peace.

And that's you,
Little Tree.

That's us.

That's where
you come from.

And that's why
we're here.

( singing in Cherokee )

Well now,

I reckon Willow John
likes you.

He left it for me?

Looks like it.

But I didn't
get to thank him
or nothing.

Oh, he didn't do it
for thanks, Little Tree.

He give it to you 'cause
you deserve it.

And that don't call for
no show now, does it?

I suppose not.

But shouldn't...

Go on to bed now.

Long day tomorrow.

( kisses )

Take them big shoes off
for once and for all.

They're finally ready.

Ain't they
kind of wet still?

You put them on wet
and walk them dry.

That way they fit like they
growed on your feet.

Ah, got rid of
them clobbers,
did you?

Just in time.

It's a long, heavy haul
down to the settlement.

How many jars do you reckon
you can tote?

How many in all?

13... Two to keep
for medicinals.

That makes, uh,
what number?

Eleven to go.

All right.
Try it now.

What say I put two
in a sack for you?

Three.

You sure now?

'Cause if'n
I put in three,

that's how many
you'll carry.

Three.

All yours.

( grunts )
Don't feel like
nothing at all.

That new knife kinda balances
things out, don't it?

How do them
moccasins feel?

Like they growed
on my feet!

Now that there
is Jenkins's store.

You got them good eyes.

You tell me, is there
a pickle barrel out front?

No, only some men sitting.

All right.

That's the sign
to come on in.

Pickle barrel
means the law.

That's another thing
to remember.

( tractor puttering )

GRANPA:
Howdy.

MAN:
Hey Wales,
how you doing?

( men greeting )
How you guys doing?

...I just knew
fortune's on its way.
Hey, howdy, Wales!

( all greeting )

Who's the
little feller?

This here's my grandson
Little Tree.

ALL:
Hey, Little Tree!

It were a Wednesday...

No no, it were a Tuesday,

for I been a-playing
at a Jumping Jody dance
on a Monday night.

I come through the settlement
and I see old Smokehouse

Turner, you know, police.

I was standing there
talking with Smokehouse,

( fiddle string plucks )

and this big shiny car
comes pullin' in to the
filling station.

Well, it hit me right off.
I said to myself

that's one of them
big-city criminals.

Old Smokehouse asked him,
"Where you from?"

He says, "Chicago."

( men murmur )
Meantime,

I pull old Smokehouse aside
and I say, "He says he's
from Chicago.

He's got an Illinois tag
on his car."

( men laugh )

Old Smokehouse come down
on him like Judgment Day.

He was...

Let's give it
the acid test,
eh, Wales?

Here we go.

Elegant!
( laughs )

MAN: I ain't surprised...

JENKINS:
Hey, Little Tree,

come over here.

Thank you.

Would you do
an old man a favor

and go out to the wood pile...
Mmm.

And fill up a sack of
them wood chips for me?

I'm getting mighty low.
LITTLE TREE: Yes sir.

JENKINS:
I appreciate it.

What's them things
on your feet?

Moccasins.

Can I touch 'em?

I suppose.

They soft.

Yep.

You're an Injun then.

Well, I'm workin' at it.

You been inside
that there store?

Uh-huh.
They got dolls in there?

I expect so.

They have almost
near everything.

Would you look
and find out for me?

I suppose.

Pa says he's gonna buy me one
as soon as we get our share.

He says...
Share of what?

What?

You know, the share.

The share of tobacco
you pick, dummy.

I ain't never picked
no tobacco before.

Well, that's 'cause Injuns
is lazy and don't work none.

What's this here
I'm doing, then?

I ain't saying
it's your fault
or nothing.

You're just
different,
that's all.

I mean, look at
the color of you.

Here, come ahead,
put yours up.

Come on.

Which one do you
like better?

I don't know.

Do you like mine?

Yours is dirty.

( fiddle music playing )

( fiddle music playing )

All right, now.
Me and Mr. Jenkins
is all settled up.

I figured out your cut
of the deal here.

50 cents.

Mine?

We're partners,
ain't we?

But...
No, you done the work,

you get the pay.

That's how it is.

( Granpa grumbles )

Let's get it over with.

This morning, God
is truly shining his
beatific light on us.

It is said that
he also serves who
stand in wait.

Lord knows we've been
standing here a long time.

But today our prayers
are answered,

for a great man is
about to arrive and bless us
with his words,

all the way
from Washington City.

Our own congressman,

the poor man's
best friend...

Johnny Mack Stoddard.

( congregation oohs )

above all the churches
in east Tennessee,

he went
and chose ours!

And I think
the Christian
thing to do

is to get up and
march out there right now

so he can see
his chosen people
as he drives up.

And...

Well, stand up, now!

* What can
Wash away my sin? *

* Nothing but
The blood of Jesus *

* What can make
Me whole again? *

* Nothing but
The blood of Jesus *

* Oh, precious
Is thy flow *

* That makes me
White as snow *

* No other fount
I know *

* Nothing but
The blood of Jesus *

* What can wash away
My sin? *

* Nothing but
The blood of Jesus *

* What can make
Me whole again? *

* Nothing but
The blood of Jesus. *

( all cheering )

How are you? Real good
to see you.
It's good to see you.

Hey, how are you?

Thank you for coming.

WOMAN:
Can I shake your hand?

Nice to see you.
How are you?

Hey, good to see you
as well. Thank you
for coming.

Hey, how are you?
Bye for now.

PREACHER:
Right this way, Johnny.

Up I go.

My friends,

my fellow Tennesseeans,

sons and daughters
of the great pioneers

who fought their way
through forests

and mountains

to found this rich land

that has been given
with good heart

and trust to myself,

your humble servant.

MAN:
You got that right!

( clapping )

I come here today
to tell you

of a mighty battle I am
fighting for you...

Like my calf, kids?

Yes sir.

No, you go ahead,
pet him all you want.

Won't hurt him none.

Would you like
to take him home?

Yeah.
Yeah.

You got any money?

No.

Well, then,

ain't that
a cryin' shame?

I got some.
Well, how much is some?

50 cent.

Where did you get 50 cent?

Well, this here calf's
worth 100 times that much.

Oh.
Yes sir.

I wouldn't figure
no way at all to buy him.

Well, I'm a
Christian man, son.

Somehow or other,
even costing me all
this here calf's worth,

I figure in my heart
you oughta have him,

the way you've taken up
with him and all.

I wouldn't go and
take him from you,
mister.

No, don't worry
about me none.

It's for the best.

Here.

Thank you, sir.

I didn't mean...

I said where
did you get 50 cent?

Do you think
I take advantage
of him?

Nah, that's what
Christian people do.

Do you reckon?

Yep.

Well then,
I guess he's mine.

I gotta go show
my Granpa.

You can come up
and visit him.

I can?

If you want.

Send me back to Washington City,
'cause I can fight for you

against this army of Jews
and Catholics

who's bent on picking everything
from your pockets excepting
the lint!

( cheering )

Thank you!

Thank you!
Thank you all.

God bless.

Granpa, look!

A fella sold him to me
for 50 cent.

But you see,
he was a Christian man,

and that's what
them fellers do.

So it's okay, 'cause
I didn't take advantage
of him or nothing.

( horn honks )

Take care!
Bye bye!

Granpa!

Do you know any Jews
or Catholics?

I'll tell you what,
Little Tree,

if'n you was to take a knife
and cut into that politician's
heart,

all day you'd have a hard time
finding a kernel of truth.

You'll notice
the son of a bitch
didn't say nothing

about getting
the whiskey tax
taken off,

nor the price of corn,
nor nothing else of value.

I stand against
politicians and
all sons of bitches!

Now you listen here,

that's a new
cuss word for you

with a whole lot
of starch attached to it.

You don't want to use that
no way at all around your...

I believe your calf's died.

No, he ain't neither.

Come on. Get up.

Get up.

Come on.
Get up.

It's dead, Little Tree.

Something's dead,
it's dead.

( blade slices )

There's disease
on the liver.

We can't eat it.

We'll send the dogs back.

Make a meal for them anyhow.

For the calf's hide.

Ain't no way
of learning you,
Little Tree,

'cept by
letting you do.

If'n I'd stopped you
from buying the calf,

you'd have always
wanted it.

If I told you to buy it,
you'd have blamed me for
its dying.

You just gotta learn
as you go.

Yes sir.

Well now, tell us
what you learned
out of this.

Well, I sure as hel...

I reckon I learned
not to trade with
no Christian.

( grandparents laugh )

Tell me something,
Little Tree.

You find your
secret place yet?

Secret place?

Mm-hmm.

I don't know.

Well, you'd know.

What's it look like?

It's a place
that's only for you.

Sometimes you just feel
like you gotta go there.

All Cherokee
got a secret place.

Is that so?
Mm-hmm.

I tell you what,

instead of working
the still this morning,

I think you'd be better off
searching out your own place

before the snow comes.

You think?

I do that.

Come on, Blue Boy!
Come here.

Yeah!

Gotcha!

This is it!

This is my place.

( men speaking )

( Blue Boy growls )

Revenuers!
Damn!

How far back?
Some.

All right.

Take this.

I gotta clean up here.

I'll meet you
back at the cabin.

Can you manage it?

Yes sir.

Come on, Blue Boy!

Injun.
Oh, it's just a kid.

Yeah, Injun kid.

Wait a goddamn minute now.

Hey, ain't you
Sally's kid?

Sally, you know, Adams...
What married the Injun.

Could it be?
Sombitch!

Ain't you?
What you got
in the sack?

What you got
in the sack, boy?

( growling )

Can I take a look?

Terrible thing they do.
Teach their kids to be
whiskey runners.

Give it over.
You ain't going no place.

( growls )

Watch her.

Just hand the sack out.

Easy as one...

( growling )

Two...

( Blue Boy barking )

Ow! Let go!

( screaming )
Get off!

He's getting away!

( Blue Boy whimpers )

Hey, Blue Boy.

( pants )

GRANMA:
Little Tree?

I'm here, Granma.

Over here!

Little Tree, you all right?

You okay?

You can let go of
the sack now. Let go.

Let go.

Didn't break a one.

I couldn't have done
no better myself.

Fact is,
you're coming on

to be one of
the best whiskey-makers
in these here mountains.

Come on.

JENKINS:
Maybe they
didn't knowed him.

Maybe they thought it was
somebody else's kid.

Hows they'd
know he's your'n?

There's plenty
of young'uns
these parts.

Sure sure!

They recognized him
right off, called
his ma by name.

One of 'em said
how could we

put him in the whiskey trade
at his age and all?

It don't look good.

Bound to get back
to somebody.

And then what?

This your'n?

Nah.

Looky here what I got.

It's a present.
I owe Willow John.

He gave me this.

It ain't as good, is it?

Well, I like it.

You do?

Oh, did you show 'em
the calf?

The calf.

You named him yet?

'Cause I come up
with the perfect name.

You wanna hear it?

Sure.

Okay...
Brown eyes.

You know, 'cause he's got
them pretty brown eyes.

How is brown eyes?

Can I still come up
and see him?

He's...

He's dead.

Say what?

He just, he just
keeled over and died,

just like that.

I couldn't do
nothing about it.

Fella cheated me
is what happened.

( church bell rings )

I didn't know.
I mean, he said he was...

GRANMA:
Little Tree,

come on to church now.

I'm sorry.

Ain't nobody in the world
oughta cheat you.

( bell continues ringing )

All right.

And what makes this day
different than all others?
Tell me!

Tell me! Speak it!

All:
Testifying day.

Testifying day!

Today you will stand
before the Lord and
confess your sins.

MAN: Amen!
Yes, sir!

Stand up and
make yourselves clean!

Praise Jesus!
MAN: Tell me more!

Praise God!

I'm a sinner!

I'm a sinner
in the face of the lord.

MAN: Say it!
WOMAN: Tell it, sister!

I committed...
Tell it!

WOMAN #2: Tell it!

fornication...

( gasps, murmurs )

WOMAN #3: Praise Jesus!
MAN #3:Amen!

( speaks in tongues )

...with Junior Logan...

And...

And with...

MAN: Tell it, sister.
PRIEST: Testify!

And with...
Tell it!

And with...

( frog croaks )

( croaks )

( laughter echoes )

Got it?

Ye...

I believe you
want to be shortening up
on that handle, son.

No. Just kind of
let her fall.

See now,

that there maul
has got enough weight
on top of her

to split that pine
just like a...

Hang on now.

Son of a gun,
you know what?

It just hit me
like a bolt of lightning.

Here I been teaching you
everything I know...

The land, the business,

and I forget practically
the most important one of all.

What's that?

Half of dinner!

Now you get
the other half,

we'll have
the whole shebang.

Oh yeah...
If you come across
a frog or two,

I don't believe we'll be
needing any more gifts
just now.

( snake rattling )

GRANPA:
Don't move, Little Tree.

Don't turn your head.
Don't even blink your eyes.

( Granpa yells )

Thank you, Granpa.

Hell damn fire!

We showed that son of
a bitch, didn't we?

Yes sir, we did.

He's gonna steer clear
of us from now on.

He's gonna tell his relations
to steer clear of us!

It's hotter than hell,
isn't it,

for this time of year?

What happened?

Granpa is dying...
Rattlesnake.

Where?

I got him as far
as the shelter.

But he...

( birds chirping )

Build up the fire, Little Tree.
Make it as hot as you can.

( gasping )

( bird squawks )

Damnation!

That's good.

We need to keep
the fire hot.

We can't move Granpa,

so we've got to keep him
warm all through the night.

Thank ye, Little Tree,
but that won't be necessary.

What will help
is the heat off from
our bodies.

( mumbling )

He ain't gonna die
no more, is he?

After all
you've done?

Well, now...

There's all kinds of dying,
Little Tree.

I've seen people
down at the settlement
walking around like you or me,

but they're just
as good as dead

'cause they spent
their lives

on meanness
and greed.

The spirit inside of 'em
went and shrunk down

to no more than
the size of a pea.

'Cause the only way
to make your spirit big,

is to work on it.

You've got to use it
to understand.

The more you try to understand,
the bigger it gets,

till it gets
so big and powerful,

you come to understand
everything.

Remember all your past
body lives?

I believe Granpa
is getting near
such understanding,

though he don't
know it.

But...

If'n his body
dies,

he'll remember us.

That's what
I want you to know.

We'll all us
be together

in spirit always.

That's the important thing.

That's the important thing.

( birds chirping )

( sighs )

My God,
Bonnie Bee,

a fellow can't lay
his body down nowheres

without you
stripping buck naked
and hunching at him.

( dogs barking )

Oh, my God.

Okay.

Ahem...

Mr. Wales.

( clears throat )

I'm Elisabeth DuBois.

This is Mr. Lane.

We're from the state...
Politicians.

Pardon?
Oh, no.

We're from the State
Department of Welfare,
Mr. Wales.

Politicians.

Sir, we'd very much
like to talk to you.

It's really quite
important.

It, uh,
it has to do with...

MR. LANE:
I... I think...
I think the boy,

Little Tree, is it?

I think you should...

He sets in
on everything there is
to set in on.

A complaint
has been filed

by Mrs. Martha McCallers.

Damn.

Aunt Martha?
Shh.

She alleges

that you're not sending
your grandson to school...

That is in violation
of state and federal codes...

And that

you have involved him

in illegal activities.

MR. LANE:
In short, it states that...

Are you sure?

That you are
unfit guardians
for your grandchild,

and that he should be removed
to an environment

better suited to his moral
and educational upbringing.

He's going to her, then?

Who?
No.

He's on the Cherokee
rolls.

And therefore,
he is officially an Indian.

I am?
Shh.

Mm-hm.

And as such,
he will be sent

to the Notched Gap
Indian School,
to board there

until the age of 18.

MR. LANE:
You have 30 days
to appeal the decision

in court.

Otherwise...

We have to go.

Elisabeth?

MAN:
Now alls y'all
have to do is

come up here
the next circuit
I make, okay?

I'll have this
cease-and-desist
lawyered out.

You just gotta
put your mark to it.
You follow me, Bobby?

Yeah.
All right, then.

Wales.
Stiller.

You've been in jail,
I recall.

Whiskey making?

Once.

Well, I could take
this to court, sure,

but it wouldn't do
no good.

Government bureaucrats
that run these things

don't understand
mountain people.

Nor Indians neither.

I don't think them
sons of bitches

understand
anything at all.

We'd lose.

They'll take the boy.

( fire crackling )

I'll not
be coming.

You've heard
of the Dog Star,
Little Tree?

It's the brightest
star you can see

in the dusk
of evening.

Understand?

Good.

Well then,

wherever you may be

in the dusk of evening,

you look up
at the Dog Star.

Me and Granpa
will be looking too,

Willow John as well.

Whatever you have
to tell us,

we'll hear you then.

All right?

( dogs barking )

You're this close
to learning the way,
Little Tree.

I am?

Don't you let go of it.
No, sir.

I won't.

You're being good.

Hey.

Hey.

I'm going away.
Me too.

Where?

Depends on
turtle dove.

We ain't heard
from him yet.

What's he gonna say?

He don't say nothin',
silly.

He's a bird.

It depends on
the direction he calls from.

That's where
we'll move, see?

Don't you know that?

Well, no turtle dove
called me out.

Where are you going?

Here.

For me?

You can put them on.

My Granma made 'em
from a little calf's hide.

They ain't cost nothing.

They's perfect fit.

They's soft.

My daddy.

I thank ye.

Daddy!

See what Little Tree
gave me. See?

You stand there.
Daddy, no!

Please?
Turn around!

No!
Turn around!

( screaming )

Give me those moccasins.
( crying )

We don't take
no charity from nobody,

especially
from no Injuns.

Come on now.
We're going here.

Come on.
Come on.

He'll be along
anytime now.

She get the shoes okay?

She said they's
the best present

anybody ever thought
to give.

Granma will be glad
to hear it.

Hi.

How nice you look.

Here,

I want you to wear this,

so there'll be
no confusion.

All right?

He'll be
along anytime.

( violin playing )

I'll be back.

Definitely.

( car horn honking )

You have to go.

Do you speak
English?

Yes, ma'am.
Good.

Do you see that gate?
Yes, ma'am.

When you step through
that gate,

you shall not
speak Indian again.
Is that clear?

Yes, ma'am.

Follow me.

Actually, I can't speak
no Indian hardly at all.

Except Granma
did tell me

the names of her
medicinals,

some in Indian.
But I can only
recollect

one or two
at best.

You know the one
that's kinda green like,

and you scrape it off
the sourwood tree?

Now that one's called...
Udoqueya.

I think it could be
a mushroom...

I ain't totally sure
a mushroom...

All right.

Come with me.

You are gonna see
the headmaster.

Be quiet,
don't cry,

and be respectful.

I have never been...
And do not speak,

unless he asks you
a direct question.

Do you understand?

Yes, ma'am.
Good.

MAN:
Come.

Stop swinging
your legs.

You speak English,
I'm told.

W... Was that

a direct question?
What?

Well, 'cause if'n it was,
I could tell you,

yes, sir, I do.

Yes.

Well...

They call you

Little Tree.

Have you had

an intelligence test?

No, sir.
No.

Anyhow, Little Tree

is an Indian name.

Americans don't name
children after...

Objects.

This is
an American school.

Therefore
you will be given

an American name.

And that will be...

Joshua.

Do you understand,
Joshua?

No, sir.

You will.

( chattering )

Quiet!
Quiet down.

Get into bed.

( chattering )

Put it on
and get into bed.

Be up
bright and early
in the morning.

Prayers.

Good night, boys.

BOYS:
Good night,
Mrs. Higginbotham.

MRS. HIGGINBOTHAM:
Not another peep.

( farting )
( all laughing )

( chuckling )

KID #1: He did it.
KID #2: Shut up.

( kids whispering )

Granma and Granpa,

I'm okay.

They've taken my clothes,

and they cut most
of my hair off,

and they gave me
an American name,

but I'm still
Little Tree.

I ain't never
gonna let that go.

MAN:
Up! Everybody up.

I know you're awake,
Wilburn.

Get up or I'll get
the strap.

Wilburn!

KID #1:
Ouch.

WILBURN:
Say what?

Somebody talking to me?

( bell ringing )

( bell rings )

Begin.

They don't give you
none for dinner.

( bell ringing )
( kids cheering )

Hey, kid.

Your name
ain't Joshua.

Fat man
gave me it.

Fat man?

What's it
really?

Little Tree.

Little Tree?

No kidding.
That's what I'm gonna
call you then.

Give Mrs. Big-bottom
conniptions.

KID #1:
Hey, get the ball.

KID #2:
Get the ball!
Come on, kid. Throw the ball.

Throw the ball!

Throw the ball!
Come on!

Throw the ball!

Wanna play?

Come on,
come play.

You can go play.
Come on!

No.
Suit yourself.

I don't give
a damn.

Two times eight
is...

Two times nine
is...

Two times 10
is...

Time.

All right.
Time, Wilburn.

( kids chuckle )

Psst, Little Tree.

What's two times 10?

Wilburn, stop
or you get a zero.

Shh.

Now, who can tell me

what animals
are in the first picture?

CLASS:
Rabbits.

Very good.

And what
are they doing?

( voices overlapping )
Blah blah blah.

Mm-hm.
And what are
the next animals?

ALL:
Deers.

Very good.

And what are they doing?

They're running...
Blah blah blah.

They's matin'.

You can see right off
they's matin'.

'Cause it's the
buck deer that's
jumping the does.

( kids chuckle )

See? You can often tell
by the trees.

That is the time
of the year...
Oh!

( chattering )

Joshua,

do you know
what you have done?

No, sir.

Then you'll have time
to think about it,

won't ya?

( water dripping )

( kids chattering )

Did they say
how long till I can
come out?

Now I know
what I had done
was bad.

I come
to realize it.

You can tell
the headmaster

and the lady teacher
too.

Tell them that Little Tree...
I mean, Joshua... Joshua...

Tell them that Joshua
stands ready to make
amends, all right?

And tell them...
Tell them that I stand
ready to...

Make it right.

Granpa and Granma
and Willow John,

sometime ago now,

I ain't sure how long,

the headmaster
had taken me up and locked me
into this little room.

And he says
I gotta stay in here
till I know

what I've done wrong.

But I have no way
in the world of figuring
that out.

I didn't mean
to worry you with it none,

as I should be old enough

so I can get by
without your help.

I found a piece of glass
in here,

total round and clear.

It turns the dog star
blue when you look through it.

Granpa,

i don't think I can

handle this situation
no way at all.

I wanna come home.

( door opens )

Joshua?

You can come out now.

Today is Thanksgiving.

Nice people from the town
have come to put on a play
for us.

Joshua?

( organ playing )

What?

No provisions
in the larder?

And the cold days
drawin' ever closer.

I am sorely
afeared

that we
shall starve

ere the spring breezes

stir the land again.

No.

White man show
way of God to us.

And in thanks
we give to him
much food

and wampum
to keep him through
many moons...

I've been saving it
for you.

They give you
bread and water.

I heard that's all
they give you up there
is bread and water.

Little Tree.

I found this.

If'n you look
through it

turns everything blue.

ACTOR:
...In peace and harmony.

'neath the vast
American sky,

Under God,

with liberty
and justice

for all.

Wave goodbye
to the nice ladies
and gentlemen.

Bye.
Thanks for coming.

Thank you.
Thank you.

They only come here
so they can feel good

when they go
and get drunk
at the country club.

TEACHER:
All right, all right.
Inside, inside.

Thanksgiving dinner.

Whoopee!

Would you like
this here?

I don't mind.

It's yours.

You can see...

Come on, Wilburn.

Granpa!

Well, Willow John
had heard 'ya.

So I come.

Now tell me true.

You wanna come home?
Yes, sir. I do.

Got you shut in here
like goddamn livestock.

They gonna come
and take me back?

Let 'em come home.

Them woods
just wanna make sure
it's you.

Just happy to know
you're back is all.

Something's wrong.

What's that?

I couldn't feel
the tree out, Granpa.

And you can have
them clobbers.

And you can have
them clobbers too.

GRANPA:
* Where you go, lassie, go *

* And we'll all
Go together... *

( dogs whine )

Granma!

Blue Boy, come on!

Thank you,
Willow John.

ADULT LITTLE TREE'S VOICE:
I remember that moment.

The four of us

standing
there together again.

It was then

I knew I was home.

I also knew
it couldn't last.

Maybe we all felt
time getting close,

but we didn't speak
of it.

Granpa's step
got slower,

so I carried more
of the whiskey jars.

We didn't speak
of that either.

LITTLE TREE:
"Tom appeared on the sidewalk

with a bucket
of whitewash..."

ADULT LITTLE TREE:
Granma pushed me on learning.

I read to 'em at night now.

With Granma helping some.
"And a deep m...

Melancholy.
Melancholy.

...Settled down
upon his spirit.

Thirty yards
of board fence,

nine feet high.

To him
it seemed taller."

ADULT LITTLE TREE:
The politicians come looking

to take me back
to Notched Gap,

but each time Granpa
led us up the high trail

where nobody
could find us.

She's coming alive.

It was on the high trail
that Granpa slipped

and fell.

He kept telling us,

"I'll be
all right directly."

but something terrible
happened in that fall

and he wasn't goin'
to be.

( gasping )

GRANPA:
Give me my hat,

would you, Little Tree?

It's been good.

Next time...

It'll be better.

Be seeing ya.

( loud hammering )

( screams )

( mumbling )

( screams )

ADULT LITTLE TREE:
I knew where Granma
was taking Granpa.

It was
to his secret place

at the top
of the high trail,

where he'd watch
the day birth

and never
got tired of it

and never quit saying,

"She's coming alive,"

like each time was the first
time he'd ever seen it.

Maybe it was.

Maybe every birthin'
is different

and only Granpa
could see it.

Not long after that day,

Granma had taken me aside
and told me again

about how her and Granpa
was moving closer

to the understanding,

so that
I shouldn't be sad,

'cause when their
bodies died

they'd still
be together,

always,

their spirits knowing.

And that was the last thing
Granma ever said to me.

( chanting softly )

( water trickling )

She died in the night.

I found a note
which read,

"Little Tree,
it's been good.

"Next time

"it'll be better.

"Remember,

"if you need
us anytime,

"just look
to the Dog Star

and we'll be there."

I went up the high trail
that same night.

And I asked Granma
and Granpa,

"Reckon I could get close
to the understanding as well?

So I could catch up
to you?"

It was lonesome,
I told them,

always being left
behind.

What I didn't know
was that Willow John

was looking
to the Dog Star too,

and talking with
Granma and Granpa.

He told me they were
sorry they had to go

before my education
was done,

but if'n I went off
with Willow John,

he could teach me
all there was to know

about being a Indian.

( whining )

Yeah, come!

I have not made it back
to the cabin since,

but I will.

I've been ranging
'cross this country,

me and Blue Boy,

digging oil
with the Cherokee,

riding fence
with the Navajo,

getting caught up
in white man's wars.

But no matter
where I am,

in the dusk
of evening

I look to the Dog Star

and I say
to Granma and Granpa

and to Willow John,

"Wait for me.

"I'm still learning
the way.

"But some day
I will catch up to you,

"and we'll
all of us be together again,

"always,

our spirits knowing."