Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963): Season 3, Episode 8 - Beaver's Tree - full transcript
Miss Landers gets the class to memorize the poem "The Heart of the Tree" by H.C. Brunner. It is obvious to her by the way they recite the poem that the children do not understand the meaning and the beauty of the poem. After Miss Landers reads the poem aloud, Beaver, now understanding its meaning, remembers back to a tree that Ward once gave him for his birthday, a tree that is growing in the yard at their old house. Beaver wants to get his tree back, as he sees it as being his. With Larry's help, he goes and digs up the tree without telling his parents or Mr. Benner, who now owns their old house. What will Ward, June and Mr. Benner do once they find out what Beaver has done?
Starring...
and...
Mom!
Hey, Mom!
What is it, Wally? What's wrong?
Gee, nothing, Mom. I just wanted
to tell you I'm going to school.
Did you have to call me all the
way out of the kitchen to tell me that?
Gee, Dad always says to let
you know where we're going.
Oh. Have fun.
- Where?
- At school.
Huh?
Oh, yeah. That's
pretty funny, Mom.
- So long.
- Bye.
Mom! Hey, Mom!
I know. You want to tell
me you're going to school.
Oh, no, Mom. I just
want to kiss you good-bye.
Well, I guess that was worth
coming out of the kitchen for.
Do you have all
your homework done?
Yeah, Mom. Miss Landers had us
memorize a whole big hunk of poem.
Oh, yeah, Mom.
I'm going to school.
Bye.
Ward! Oh, Ward!
Yeah, what is it, dear?
The boys just left for school.
You called me in here from
the kitchen to tell me that?
They just did it to me.
Now, class, did we all
memorize our poem last night?
Yes, Miss Landers.
That's fine. Who
would like to start it?
All right, Judy.
Suppose you start us
off with the first four lines.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants cool
shade and tender rain
"Seed and bud of days to be
And years that fade
and flush... again."
Well, Judy, those are the words.
Would someone
else like to continue?
Whitey, would you
like to volunteer?
What's the matter, Whitey?
I forgot where Judy left it off.
"And years that
fade and flush again."
Oh, yeah.
"He plants the
glory of the plain
"He plants the forest's heritage
"The harvest of a
coming age "The...
"The joy that
unborn eyes shall see
These things he plants
who plants a tree."
Larry, would you
take it from there?
Gee, Miss Landers,
I only learned up to Whitey.
Larry, you were supposed
to learn the whole poem.
I know, Miss Landers,
but while I was studying,
we had company,
and I had to keep coming
downstairs to say hello.
All right, Larry, we'll
discuss this later.
Beaver, would you continue?
Uh...
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"What does he plant
"who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood
"And far-cast
thought of civic good
God's blessing on
the neighborhood."
Well, children, we
learned the words all right,
but we certainly got very
little meaning out of them.
When you read a poem,
you must try to see the picture
that the author is painting.
And...
Well, you must try to
feel the way that he felt.
Now, this person loved trees.
Why, he looked
on them as friends,
almost as though they
were people he knew.
Would you like me to read
part of the poem for you?
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood,
"In love of home and loyalty
"And far-cast
thought of civic good
"God's blessings
on the neighborhood.
"Who in the hollow of His hand
"Holds all the growth
of all our land...
"A nation's growth
from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart
who plants a tree."
All right, class. Recess.
Boy, did you read
it fast, Whitey.
You didn't read it at all.
Yes, Beaver.
I once got a tree...
for my birthday.
Well, I hope you're taking
good care of it, Beaver.
Taking good care of it?
Well, we had to leave
it at the other house
when we moved.
Oh. Well, I'm sure your
tree's all right, Beaver.
Oh, well, I'm sure
it'll be all right, too.
What have you been doing?
Checking on the boys.
They're both asleep.
Say, I've been
meaning to ask you,
do you think Beaver's in
some kind of trouble at school?
Why would you think that?
He hasn't said anything.
That's just it.
When you're in the fourth grade
and you're in trouble at school,
that's when you
don't say anything.
Maybe he's having
a little trouble
getting adjusted
to the new house
and the new neighborhood.
Yeah, maybe.
Wally. Hey, Wally.
Wally. Wally!
Yeah, what?
You're awake, aren't you?
Yeah, I guess so.
What's the matter?
I can't sleep. I'm worried.
What are you worried about?
My tree.
Your tree?
What tree?
Remember a couple years ago
when it was my birthday
and Dad gave it to me?
I planted it and
took care of it,
and now I'm worried about it.
Why all of a sudden are
you starting to worry about it?
Because Miss
Landers read us a poem
about how you should love trees,
and now I can't sleep.
Well, that's what you get
for paying attention at school.
Forget it, will ya?
I can't.
I'm going over to the
old house tomorrow
and ask Mr. Benner if
he'll give me back my tree.
Beaver, he won't give it to you.
He bought it with the house.
Look, before you go
bothering Mr. Benner,
you better ask Dad.
But it's my tree,
and no one ought to swipe
a guy's birthday present.
Oh, cut it out, Beaver.
Parents can do
what they want to do.
You're a kid and
you got no rights
and go to sleep.
Gee, Wally, I'm almost
sorry I woke you up.
Hey, Mom, where's Dad gone?
I wanted to ask him
something important.
- He's gone to play golf.
- Oh.
Beaver, you can ask me.
Yeah, Mom, I guess I could.
Mom, if someone gave a
guy something for his birthday,
would it be mine for
the rest of my life?
Well, Beaver, of course.
If someone gives you
something, it's yours.
Anything?
Mm-hm, anything.
Even if someone gave me, well,
a million dollars for my birthday?
That's right.
Well, what if I put the
million dollars in the bank
and the man that owned
the bank sold the bank?
Would it still be
my million dollars,
or would it go with the bank?
Why, of course it
would be yours, Beaver.
You could go and get it out of
the bank anytime you wanted to.
No one can keep what's yours.
Gee, thanks a lot, Mom.
Anything else?
No. That's all I wanted to know.
Hey, Mom?
Can I put these minnows
in the refrigerator?
Wally, you're not going to
put fish bait in my refrigerator.
Well, heck, Mom. It
can't hurt anything.
They're dead.
You just find a place
outside for them somewhere.
Okay, Mom. Hey,
where's the Beaver?
He just left.
He asked me if he had a million dollars
in the bank he got for his birthday,
could he draw it out?
Well, what did you tell him?
I said, of course he could.
Gee, Mom, you
shouldn't have said that.
He might go down
and try to do it.
Oh, Wally.
Hey, Beaver, don't you think
we should've waited
till Mr. Benner got home
and asked his permission?
Uh-uh, my Mom said it's all
right to take back what's yours.
Hey, Larry, watch it.
You'll hurt the roots.
You really think trees
have feelings, Beaver?
All the trees in Mr. Disney's
pictures have feelings.
They yell and scream and chase
people around and everything.
That's just in cartoons.
Did you ever have a
real tree scream at you?
- No.
- Okay, then let me dig.
I think that's
enough. Let's lift it out.
Take it easy. It
doesn't look too healthy.
I know.
I don't think it's too happy.
I guess we better
fill up the hole.
Yeah.
There's not going to be enough
dirt here to fill up the hole.
Yeah, every time you dig a hole,
there's never enough
dirt to fill it up again.
I wonder how come, Larry.
I asked my father that once.
What did he say?
He said, go ask my teacher.
That's what I was
going to school for.
Yes, Ward?
Beaver left before noon,
and he isn't home yet.
He never even
came home for lunch.
Well, that's not like him.
I don't think he's
with any of his friends.
Whitey came over
here looking for him.
Maybe he went over to...
Is that you, Beaver?
No, Mom, it was the door.
We've been looking...
Beaver, what are
you all covered with?
Mostly dirt, Mom.
Did you fall down in it?
Uh, I don't remember.
Well, you just march right up
those stairs, and you take a bath.
And you keep off
my clean carpets.
Maybe you better
carry me, huh, Dad?
Well, you just sort of tiptoe.
Hey, Mom, when
are we having lunch?
We had it three hours ago.
You mean you just went over there
and stole a tree in broad daylight?
I didn't steal it. I just took it
back because it was mine.
I got it for my birthday,
and Mom said
what's mine is mine.
Boy, Beaver, Mom and
Dad will blow their tops
when they find out.
How can they get mad at me for
taking something that was already mine?
I don't know, but
they'll find a way.
Beaver, are you in the tub?
I'm just getting in, Mom.
- Boy, Beaver.
- What, Wally?
If you don't plant
this thing real soon,
it's gonna croak on ya.
- You mean it'll die?
- Well, sure.
You just can't yank a
tree out of the ground
and keep it in a wagon.
Won't Mom and Dad
see us planting it?
Yeah, I guess we better wait.
Hey, they're going over to
the Rutherfords' pretty soon.
We could plant it then.
June. June, we're late.
We were due at the
Rutherfords' ten minutes ago.
Well, we can't embarrass
them by getting there on time.
Let's go.
- Did you tell the boys
we were leaving?
- Yes, I told them.
They're changed
into their old clothes,
and they're out back
somewhere playing.
Oh, dear, my gloves.
June, do you have
to have gloves?
I'm not going to the
Rutherfords' bare-handed.
Uh... Hey, maybe
what you could do is...
Maybe you could plant it on
the other side of the house,
you know, behind
some other trees,
and then maybe
nobody would notice it.
Oh.
Maybe we could disguise it.
How are you going
to disguise a tree?
If it was Christmas, we
could hang lights on it.
Wally, Beaver.
I hope they're going now.
You could bring
the car around front.
It's already out front.
Uh, is there anything wrong?
No, we just want to
tell you we're going.
Your lunch is in
the refrigerator.
Don't leave the butter out,
and how do I look?
Gee, Mom, you look ritzy.
Yeah, Mom, almost as ritzy
as when Uncle Henry died.
Could we go now?
- Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad.
- Bye, Mom.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Dear, where's
your collar and tie?
June, the last time I got dressed
up to go to the Rutherfords',
when I got over there, Fred
was wearing Bermuda shorts.
Now, come on. Let's go.
That's probably the Rutherfords
now, wondering why we're late.
Hello.
Oh, hello, Mr. Benner.
It's Mr. Benner, who
bought our old house.
How are things, Mr. Benner?
I beg your pardon?
The tree in the side yard?
Just a minute.
The Benners were away yesterday,
and some of the
neighbors tell him
that our boys were over there
and dug up a tree in the yard.
That's ridiculous.
Hello, Mr. Benner?
I'm sorry, it couldn't
have been our boys.
They're not the type.
Well, frankly, Mr. Benner,
one or two of the
neighbors over there
are a little prone
to exaggerate...
Excuse me just a minute.
- It's stuck.
- Give it a yank, Wally.
Mr. Benner, uh...
could I call you back?
Help with the wagon, Wally.
Ward, is it?
Yeah, I'm afraid it is.
Come on, Beav. Up a little.
I am, Wally.
Would you like some help, boys?
Hi, Dad. I guess you didn't
go to the Rutherfords' yet, huh.
No, I guess we didn't.
Well, Wally, so you just
went over to the old house,
and the two of
you dug up the tree.
Well, no, Dad,
we didn't do that.
No, Dad, the two of
us who dug up the tree,
we weren't me and Wally.
We were me and Larry.
Well, it might
interest you to know
that Mr. Benner just
called, and he's quite upset.
- But, gee, Dad...
- Dear, we're due at the Rutherfords'.
Oh, uh, yeah, all right.
Now, look, fellas, we
can't settle this now,
but we'll be back here at 2:00.
In the meantime you can just
go up to your room and wait there.
How come me?
Do you want me to
tell you how come you?
No, uh... No, that's okay.
I'll just go up there and wait.
Hey, Dad, what
about the... tree?
I guess it'll be all
right here for a while.
Hey, Wally?
You think Dad'll still be mad when
he gets home from the Rutherfords'?
Well, not when
he first gets here,
but it won't take him long
to get himself mad again.
Mr. Benner couldn't
put me in jail, could he?
Why not?
Well, I just took my own tree.
Well, he could get
you for trespassing.
Oh.
What's trespassing?
You've seen those
signs, haven't you...
"No Trespassing"?
- Yeah.
- Well, that's trespassing.
But what is it?
It's, um...
It's walking on other
people's property
that doesn't belong to ya.
But Mr. Benner didn't
have any signs up.
A lot of good that's gonna do ya
when you're sitting in jail.
Oh.
Here they come.
Hey, what are you doing?
Getting ready in
case I gotta cry.
Oh, take it easy, Beav.
Did you have a good time, Dad?
Yes, I did.
Did you have a good time, Mom?
Yes, Beaver.
All right, boys, you've had
two hours to think this over.
Now, what do you have to say?
What do we have to say, Wally?
Well, how come
I'm in trouble, Dad?
Wally, weren't you down there
trying to help
him hide that tree?
Oh, yeah. That's
why I'm in trouble.
Beaver, how could
you just go over there
and pull that tree right
out of Mr. Benner's yard?
Gee, Mom, I
wouldn't have done it
except you said it was okay.
Beaver, I told
you no such thing.
Sure you did, Mom.
You said if I had a
million dollars in the bank
and the bank was sold, it
would still be my million dollars.
Well, Beaver, I
did tell you that,
but this is an
entirely different thing.
You mean it works
for a million dollars,
but it doesn't work for trees?
Uh, Beaver...
I guess you must've thought
you had a very good reason
for taking that
tree, didn't you?
Well... Beaver,
why did you do it?
Dad'll laugh at me.
No, I won't.
Well, I took the
tree 'cause I loved it.
You... You love the tree?
Yeah, Dad, don't you remember?
A long time ago you gave
it to him for his birthday.
Yeah, Dad.
And then Miss
Landers read us a poem
about how trees
are your friends,
and she read it so good
that I started missing my tree,
so I went and got it.
But Beaver, we sold
the house to Mr. Benner,
and the tree belongs to him.
You didn't have any right
to go over there and get it.
But, gee, Dad, supposing
when we moved,
you had forgotten me over there,
would you have gone
over and gotten me?
Certainly, Beaver.
You belong to us,
and we love you.
Well, it's the same way
with me and the tree.
Oh, I see.
Well... Well, Beaver, I guess
in all the hurry of moving,
we sort of forgot
about your tree.
I'll tell you what.
You give me a chance to see
if I can't straighten
this out with Mr. Benner.
Gee, Dad, you
mean I get to keep it?
I think so.
Now, Beaver, don't you
be upset anymore, all right?
Okay, Mom.
- Dad?
- Yes, Beaver.
Could Wally and I go
down and plant the tree?
I don't want it to
croak in the wagon.
Sure you can.
You know, Beav,
you're pretty lucky.
I am, Wally?
Having parents that
understand that you've got...
Well, like, a crush on a tree.
Yeah, I guess I am.
Dear, do you think Mr. Benner
will understand all this?
No, I don't think so,
but if he gives me any trouble,
I'm not going to tell him
where the screens are.
All right, class.
Now, we've all had another
chance to memorize our poem.
Larry, did you have any more
company over the weekend?
No, Miss Landers.
Well, good.
Then suppose you start us off.
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants cool
shade and tender rain
"And seed and bud of days to be
And years that fade
and flush again."
Thank you, Larry.
Judy, would you
like to continue?
"He plants the
glory of the plain
"He plants the forest's heritage
"The harvest of a coming age
"They joy that unborn
eyes shall see...
These things he plants
who plants a tree."
Well, you put a lot
of effort in that, Judy.
That's a big improvement.
Beaver, would you
finish the poem for us?
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood,
"In love of home and loyalty
"And far-cast
thought of civic good...
"God's blessing on
the neighborhood
"Who in the hollow of His hand
"Holds all the growth
of all our land...
"A nation's growth
from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart
who plants a tree."
Why, that was very good, Beaver.
You put a lot
of feeling in that.
Thank you, Miss Landers.
I guess I got to know
trees a lot better,
well, since Friday.
Closed-Captioned By J.R.
Media Services, Inc. Burbank, CA
and...
Mom!
Hey, Mom!
What is it, Wally? What's wrong?
Gee, nothing, Mom. I just wanted
to tell you I'm going to school.
Did you have to call me all the
way out of the kitchen to tell me that?
Gee, Dad always says to let
you know where we're going.
Oh. Have fun.
- Where?
- At school.
Huh?
Oh, yeah. That's
pretty funny, Mom.
- So long.
- Bye.
Mom! Hey, Mom!
I know. You want to tell
me you're going to school.
Oh, no, Mom. I just
want to kiss you good-bye.
Well, I guess that was worth
coming out of the kitchen for.
Do you have all
your homework done?
Yeah, Mom. Miss Landers had us
memorize a whole big hunk of poem.
Oh, yeah, Mom.
I'm going to school.
Bye.
Ward! Oh, Ward!
Yeah, what is it, dear?
The boys just left for school.
You called me in here from
the kitchen to tell me that?
They just did it to me.
Now, class, did we all
memorize our poem last night?
Yes, Miss Landers.
That's fine. Who
would like to start it?
All right, Judy.
Suppose you start us
off with the first four lines.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants cool
shade and tender rain
"Seed and bud of days to be
And years that fade
and flush... again."
Well, Judy, those are the words.
Would someone
else like to continue?
Whitey, would you
like to volunteer?
What's the matter, Whitey?
I forgot where Judy left it off.
"And years that
fade and flush again."
Oh, yeah.
"He plants the
glory of the plain
"He plants the forest's heritage
"The harvest of a
coming age "The...
"The joy that
unborn eyes shall see
These things he plants
who plants a tree."
Larry, would you
take it from there?
Gee, Miss Landers,
I only learned up to Whitey.
Larry, you were supposed
to learn the whole poem.
I know, Miss Landers,
but while I was studying,
we had company,
and I had to keep coming
downstairs to say hello.
All right, Larry, we'll
discuss this later.
Beaver, would you continue?
Uh...
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"What does he plant
"who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood
"And far-cast
thought of civic good
God's blessing on
the neighborhood."
Well, children, we
learned the words all right,
but we certainly got very
little meaning out of them.
When you read a poem,
you must try to see the picture
that the author is painting.
And...
Well, you must try to
feel the way that he felt.
Now, this person loved trees.
Why, he looked
on them as friends,
almost as though they
were people he knew.
Would you like me to read
part of the poem for you?
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood,
"In love of home and loyalty
"And far-cast
thought of civic good
"God's blessings
on the neighborhood.
"Who in the hollow of His hand
"Holds all the growth
of all our land...
"A nation's growth
from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart
who plants a tree."
All right, class. Recess.
Boy, did you read
it fast, Whitey.
You didn't read it at all.
Yes, Beaver.
I once got a tree...
for my birthday.
Well, I hope you're taking
good care of it, Beaver.
Taking good care of it?
Well, we had to leave
it at the other house
when we moved.
Oh. Well, I'm sure your
tree's all right, Beaver.
Oh, well, I'm sure
it'll be all right, too.
What have you been doing?
Checking on the boys.
They're both asleep.
Say, I've been
meaning to ask you,
do you think Beaver's in
some kind of trouble at school?
Why would you think that?
He hasn't said anything.
That's just it.
When you're in the fourth grade
and you're in trouble at school,
that's when you
don't say anything.
Maybe he's having
a little trouble
getting adjusted
to the new house
and the new neighborhood.
Yeah, maybe.
Wally. Hey, Wally.
Wally. Wally!
Yeah, what?
You're awake, aren't you?
Yeah, I guess so.
What's the matter?
I can't sleep. I'm worried.
What are you worried about?
My tree.
Your tree?
What tree?
Remember a couple years ago
when it was my birthday
and Dad gave it to me?
I planted it and
took care of it,
and now I'm worried about it.
Why all of a sudden are
you starting to worry about it?
Because Miss
Landers read us a poem
about how you should love trees,
and now I can't sleep.
Well, that's what you get
for paying attention at school.
Forget it, will ya?
I can't.
I'm going over to the
old house tomorrow
and ask Mr. Benner if
he'll give me back my tree.
Beaver, he won't give it to you.
He bought it with the house.
Look, before you go
bothering Mr. Benner,
you better ask Dad.
But it's my tree,
and no one ought to swipe
a guy's birthday present.
Oh, cut it out, Beaver.
Parents can do
what they want to do.
You're a kid and
you got no rights
and go to sleep.
Gee, Wally, I'm almost
sorry I woke you up.
Hey, Mom, where's Dad gone?
I wanted to ask him
something important.
- He's gone to play golf.
- Oh.
Beaver, you can ask me.
Yeah, Mom, I guess I could.
Mom, if someone gave a
guy something for his birthday,
would it be mine for
the rest of my life?
Well, Beaver, of course.
If someone gives you
something, it's yours.
Anything?
Mm-hm, anything.
Even if someone gave me, well,
a million dollars for my birthday?
That's right.
Well, what if I put the
million dollars in the bank
and the man that owned
the bank sold the bank?
Would it still be
my million dollars,
or would it go with the bank?
Why, of course it
would be yours, Beaver.
You could go and get it out of
the bank anytime you wanted to.
No one can keep what's yours.
Gee, thanks a lot, Mom.
Anything else?
No. That's all I wanted to know.
Hey, Mom?
Can I put these minnows
in the refrigerator?
Wally, you're not going to
put fish bait in my refrigerator.
Well, heck, Mom. It
can't hurt anything.
They're dead.
You just find a place
outside for them somewhere.
Okay, Mom. Hey,
where's the Beaver?
He just left.
He asked me if he had a million dollars
in the bank he got for his birthday,
could he draw it out?
Well, what did you tell him?
I said, of course he could.
Gee, Mom, you
shouldn't have said that.
He might go down
and try to do it.
Oh, Wally.
Hey, Beaver, don't you think
we should've waited
till Mr. Benner got home
and asked his permission?
Uh-uh, my Mom said it's all
right to take back what's yours.
Hey, Larry, watch it.
You'll hurt the roots.
You really think trees
have feelings, Beaver?
All the trees in Mr. Disney's
pictures have feelings.
They yell and scream and chase
people around and everything.
That's just in cartoons.
Did you ever have a
real tree scream at you?
- No.
- Okay, then let me dig.
I think that's
enough. Let's lift it out.
Take it easy. It
doesn't look too healthy.
I know.
I don't think it's too happy.
I guess we better
fill up the hole.
Yeah.
There's not going to be enough
dirt here to fill up the hole.
Yeah, every time you dig a hole,
there's never enough
dirt to fill it up again.
I wonder how come, Larry.
I asked my father that once.
What did he say?
He said, go ask my teacher.
That's what I was
going to school for.
Yes, Ward?
Beaver left before noon,
and he isn't home yet.
He never even
came home for lunch.
Well, that's not like him.
I don't think he's
with any of his friends.
Whitey came over
here looking for him.
Maybe he went over to...
Is that you, Beaver?
No, Mom, it was the door.
We've been looking...
Beaver, what are
you all covered with?
Mostly dirt, Mom.
Did you fall down in it?
Uh, I don't remember.
Well, you just march right up
those stairs, and you take a bath.
And you keep off
my clean carpets.
Maybe you better
carry me, huh, Dad?
Well, you just sort of tiptoe.
Hey, Mom, when
are we having lunch?
We had it three hours ago.
You mean you just went over there
and stole a tree in broad daylight?
I didn't steal it. I just took it
back because it was mine.
I got it for my birthday,
and Mom said
what's mine is mine.
Boy, Beaver, Mom and
Dad will blow their tops
when they find out.
How can they get mad at me for
taking something that was already mine?
I don't know, but
they'll find a way.
Beaver, are you in the tub?
I'm just getting in, Mom.
- Boy, Beaver.
- What, Wally?
If you don't plant
this thing real soon,
it's gonna croak on ya.
- You mean it'll die?
- Well, sure.
You just can't yank a
tree out of the ground
and keep it in a wagon.
Won't Mom and Dad
see us planting it?
Yeah, I guess we better wait.
Hey, they're going over to
the Rutherfords' pretty soon.
We could plant it then.
June. June, we're late.
We were due at the
Rutherfords' ten minutes ago.
Well, we can't embarrass
them by getting there on time.
Let's go.
- Did you tell the boys
we were leaving?
- Yes, I told them.
They're changed
into their old clothes,
and they're out back
somewhere playing.
Oh, dear, my gloves.
June, do you have
to have gloves?
I'm not going to the
Rutherfords' bare-handed.
Uh... Hey, maybe
what you could do is...
Maybe you could plant it on
the other side of the house,
you know, behind
some other trees,
and then maybe
nobody would notice it.
Oh.
Maybe we could disguise it.
How are you going
to disguise a tree?
If it was Christmas, we
could hang lights on it.
Wally, Beaver.
I hope they're going now.
You could bring
the car around front.
It's already out front.
Uh, is there anything wrong?
No, we just want to
tell you we're going.
Your lunch is in
the refrigerator.
Don't leave the butter out,
and how do I look?
Gee, Mom, you look ritzy.
Yeah, Mom, almost as ritzy
as when Uncle Henry died.
Could we go now?
- Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad.
- Bye, Mom.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Dear, where's
your collar and tie?
June, the last time I got dressed
up to go to the Rutherfords',
when I got over there, Fred
was wearing Bermuda shorts.
Now, come on. Let's go.
That's probably the Rutherfords
now, wondering why we're late.
Hello.
Oh, hello, Mr. Benner.
It's Mr. Benner, who
bought our old house.
How are things, Mr. Benner?
I beg your pardon?
The tree in the side yard?
Just a minute.
The Benners were away yesterday,
and some of the
neighbors tell him
that our boys were over there
and dug up a tree in the yard.
That's ridiculous.
Hello, Mr. Benner?
I'm sorry, it couldn't
have been our boys.
They're not the type.
Well, frankly, Mr. Benner,
one or two of the
neighbors over there
are a little prone
to exaggerate...
Excuse me just a minute.
- It's stuck.
- Give it a yank, Wally.
Mr. Benner, uh...
could I call you back?
Help with the wagon, Wally.
Ward, is it?
Yeah, I'm afraid it is.
Come on, Beav. Up a little.
I am, Wally.
Would you like some help, boys?
Hi, Dad. I guess you didn't
go to the Rutherfords' yet, huh.
No, I guess we didn't.
Well, Wally, so you just
went over to the old house,
and the two of
you dug up the tree.
Well, no, Dad,
we didn't do that.
No, Dad, the two of
us who dug up the tree,
we weren't me and Wally.
We were me and Larry.
Well, it might
interest you to know
that Mr. Benner just
called, and he's quite upset.
- But, gee, Dad...
- Dear, we're due at the Rutherfords'.
Oh, uh, yeah, all right.
Now, look, fellas, we
can't settle this now,
but we'll be back here at 2:00.
In the meantime you can just
go up to your room and wait there.
How come me?
Do you want me to
tell you how come you?
No, uh... No, that's okay.
I'll just go up there and wait.
Hey, Dad, what
about the... tree?
I guess it'll be all
right here for a while.
Hey, Wally?
You think Dad'll still be mad when
he gets home from the Rutherfords'?
Well, not when
he first gets here,
but it won't take him long
to get himself mad again.
Mr. Benner couldn't
put me in jail, could he?
Why not?
Well, I just took my own tree.
Well, he could get
you for trespassing.
Oh.
What's trespassing?
You've seen those
signs, haven't you...
"No Trespassing"?
- Yeah.
- Well, that's trespassing.
But what is it?
It's, um...
It's walking on other
people's property
that doesn't belong to ya.
But Mr. Benner didn't
have any signs up.
A lot of good that's gonna do ya
when you're sitting in jail.
Oh.
Here they come.
Hey, what are you doing?
Getting ready in
case I gotta cry.
Oh, take it easy, Beav.
Did you have a good time, Dad?
Yes, I did.
Did you have a good time, Mom?
Yes, Beaver.
All right, boys, you've had
two hours to think this over.
Now, what do you have to say?
What do we have to say, Wally?
Well, how come
I'm in trouble, Dad?
Wally, weren't you down there
trying to help
him hide that tree?
Oh, yeah. That's
why I'm in trouble.
Beaver, how could
you just go over there
and pull that tree right
out of Mr. Benner's yard?
Gee, Mom, I
wouldn't have done it
except you said it was okay.
Beaver, I told
you no such thing.
Sure you did, Mom.
You said if I had a
million dollars in the bank
and the bank was sold, it
would still be my million dollars.
Well, Beaver, I
did tell you that,
but this is an
entirely different thing.
You mean it works
for a million dollars,
but it doesn't work for trees?
Uh, Beaver...
I guess you must've thought
you had a very good reason
for taking that
tree, didn't you?
Well... Beaver,
why did you do it?
Dad'll laugh at me.
No, I won't.
Well, I took the
tree 'cause I loved it.
You... You love the tree?
Yeah, Dad, don't you remember?
A long time ago you gave
it to him for his birthday.
Yeah, Dad.
And then Miss
Landers read us a poem
about how trees
are your friends,
and she read it so good
that I started missing my tree,
so I went and got it.
But Beaver, we sold
the house to Mr. Benner,
and the tree belongs to him.
You didn't have any right
to go over there and get it.
But, gee, Dad, supposing
when we moved,
you had forgotten me over there,
would you have gone
over and gotten me?
Certainly, Beaver.
You belong to us,
and we love you.
Well, it's the same way
with me and the tree.
Oh, I see.
Well... Well, Beaver, I guess
in all the hurry of moving,
we sort of forgot
about your tree.
I'll tell you what.
You give me a chance to see
if I can't straighten
this out with Mr. Benner.
Gee, Dad, you
mean I get to keep it?
I think so.
Now, Beaver, don't you
be upset anymore, all right?
Okay, Mom.
- Dad?
- Yes, Beaver.
Could Wally and I go
down and plant the tree?
I don't want it to
croak in the wagon.
Sure you can.
You know, Beav,
you're pretty lucky.
I am, Wally?
Having parents that
understand that you've got...
Well, like, a crush on a tree.
Yeah, I guess I am.
Dear, do you think Mr. Benner
will understand all this?
No, I don't think so,
but if he gives me any trouble,
I'm not going to tell him
where the screens are.
All right, class.
Now, we've all had another
chance to memorize our poem.
Larry, did you have any more
company over the weekend?
No, Miss Landers.
Well, good.
Then suppose you start us off.
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants cool
shade and tender rain
"And seed and bud of days to be
And years that fade
and flush again."
Thank you, Larry.
Judy, would you
like to continue?
"He plants the
glory of the plain
"He plants the forest's heritage
"The harvest of a coming age
"They joy that unborn
eyes shall see...
These things he plants
who plants a tree."
Well, you put a lot
of effort in that, Judy.
That's a big improvement.
Beaver, would you
finish the poem for us?
Yes, Miss Landers.
"What does he plant
who plants a tree?
"He plants, in sap
and leaf and wood,
"In love of home and loyalty
"And far-cast
thought of civic good...
"God's blessing on
the neighborhood
"Who in the hollow of His hand
"Holds all the growth
of all our land...
"A nation's growth
from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart
who plants a tree."
Why, that was very good, Beaver.
You put a lot
of feeling in that.
Thank you, Miss Landers.
I guess I got to know
trees a lot better,
well, since Friday.
Closed-Captioned By J.R.
Media Services, Inc. Burbank, CA