Rawhide (1959–1965): Season 6, Episode 31 - Incident of the Peyote Cup - full transcript

There's nothing to
fear. I won't hurt you.

- Are you alone?
- Si, I'm alone.

You must go away.

- Go away?
- You must not stay here.

Please, they must
have seen you already.

It is not safe.

Not safe? But why?
I have done nothing.

- Please. Just go.
- Wait a minute. What is it?

Are you in some kind of trouble?

No, senor. It's
you. You will be...

No, you must hide now.



- No. HEY SOOS: Get
away from my horse!

Get away from my caballo.

Just drop the reins.

Stop! Please make them stop.

No. No, you mustn't
do this. You mustn't!

Stop him. He'll destroy you.

He'll destroy all of us. Please.

Here. You go feed them.

My hands are all doughy.

Pretty quiet out
there, Mr. Quince?

Yes, quiet as a graveyard,
Mushy. Quiet as a graveyard.

All right, Mushy, break out
his pack, give him his ration.

How do you like being a
drover by now, Mr. Brothers?

Uh, was just reflecting tonight



how quiet the cattle
seem on their bed ground.

Well, this country we're traveling
over, they're just plain wore out.

Yes. Yes, and it's
something of a shame, isn't it?

The start of the journey,
they're real range-wild.

Then after each day,

they get a little
wearier, little more tired.

Until by the time they're
at the end of the drive,

they're quite manageable,
I suppose, aren't they?

And then the slaughterhouse.

Huh?

Brothers, you seem to
be quite a philosopher.

No. No, not anymore, Mr. Favor.

I'd sure like to know
why you took him on

when he flat out
admitted he was a drinker.

One drink in the
morning, one drink at night.

He says he needs that to keep
going. So far he's stuck to it.

Yeah, so far.

But I'm just waiting for the night he
comes sneaking around the wagon

to dig that bottle out.

I've never known you to
take on a stray like that before.

Maybe because I never come
across a stray like him before.

Maybe I'm just curious.

Well, curiosity can
kill you, you know that.

My gosh and by golly. It do seem
I've heard that before somewhere.

Mushy, I've already told
you that that's nothing but a...

That ain't no coyote.

Sounds more like a man.

A rider's coming in.

It's Hey Soos.

Hey. Hey, take it easy.

Nobody's gonna hurt you.

What's the matter? Is he hurt?

It's more like he was
out of his head with fever.

Only he doesn't have a fever.

- Senor Favor?
- Hey Soos, what's the matter?

What happened to you?

Don't let them catch you.

Poison. They'll make
you drink poison.

Poison? What kind of poison?

Doesn't it burn? The
fire, you're all on fire!

Come on, let's get
him back to camp.

- No, no.
- Easy. Easy. Easy.

- Hey Soos. HEY
SOOS: It's a trick. No.

You're all on fire. It's a trap.

Don't drink the poison, senor.

It's poison. Poison.

All right, get out of my way or
I'll spill this right down your necks.

All right, Mr. Favor.
Let's hold him up here.

Let's see if he'll
take a little of this.

- How you feeling now?
- Better, I think.

- You still seeing things like you were?
- Not so bad.

The girl, where is she?

The Indian girl, the one who
brought me back to camp.

Whoever brought you
back didn't stick around.

We got a couple
boys out looking now

but probably won't
find anything in the dark.

Oh, she can't go back.
They'll kill her if she goes back.

They'll kill her.

- Well, any luck?
- No, it got too dark. We lost the trail.

That's too bad.

Was sure hoping we could find
out what happened. And why.

We still don't know what
it was they gave him.

- It's not like any poison I ever saw.
- I have an idea on that, Mr. Favor.

- Is that so?
- Yes, sir.

There's a certain kind of cactus
the Aztecs used to call peyote.

Some of the southern
tribes of Indians still use it

to bring on visions,
hallucinations.

It may be that that's
what they gave Hey Soos.

- Visions, huh? He had those, all right.
- Fine thing.

You know so all-fired much about it,
why didn't you say something before?

I'm not sure. I just said that's
maybe what they gave him.

Well, let say it was, then
what's gonna happen to him?

Well, with rest and quiet,

he should be completely
recovered in a matter of hours.

Well, fine then. Gives me
a chance to get some sleep.

All of us.

Hey Soos.

Can you remember
where it happened?

Could you find that place again?

I don't know.

But I must try. I
know I must try.

- What? You wanna go back there?
- The girl.

I must do what I
can for her, senor.

Now, well, time enough
to worry about that

after we make
sure you're all right.

Oh, I'm all right.
I'm just tired, senor.

I'd be glad to sit with him, Mr. Favor,
if you'd like to get some sleep.

Yeah, I think I'll take
you up on that. Thanks.

You let me know if he
comes around again.

Yes, I will. I will. Good night.

- Uh, how's the patient?
- Better, Mr. Favor. Much better.

Just a headache,
senor. That's all.

Don't push it.

You remember anything more
about what happened to you?

Well, only that I wouldn't be
here if it hadn't been for the girl.

Oh, yeah, you said
she was an Indian girl.

All the rest of
them Indians too?

Yes, senor. But, uh, not like
any tribe I've ever seen before.

Do you think she
belonged with them?

Maybe she was a
prisoner from another tribe?

I don't know. But one
thing, she was against them.

And the shaman, the one who
gave me the poison, he didn't like that.

Mr. Brothers. Wishbone tells
me you gave up liquor last night.

Mr. Wishbone's a
light sleeper, Mr. Favor.

Here you are getting all duded up like
you was expecting to go somewhere.

Hey Soos said he's going back
to see the girl. I'm going with him.

No, senor. It's better that I go alone.
For what I must do, I'll do it alone.

Oh, perhaps you don't,
but I do, Hey Soos.

I've been looking for
something for a long time now.

I think perhaps you found it.

Exactly what did he find?
What do you know about all this?

Favor.

I just know that for a good many
years, I've been chasing phantoms.

Picking up a word
here, a word there,

following trails
that led to nowhere,

until I'd almost forgotten
what I was looking for.

A small band of
Indians, secretive,

staying to themselves
in out of the way places.

Occasionally, when a lone
outsider would fall into their hands,

they would subject
him to a weird ritual.

They'd force peyote juice on
him, and in the end usually kill him.

Does that sound like anything
that you found, Hey Soos?

- Si, senor.
- That's what I'm looking for.

But you still haven't
said why, Mr. Brothers.

Why are you hunting this bunch?

Hunting?

Yes, that would be the
proper word, Mr. Favor.

You hunt yourself, of
course, from time to time.

And you know that a
wounded animal is a danger

to anyone that crosses its path.

So it becomes a man's duty

if he has just wounded his quarry
to seek it down and destroy it.

Is that not true, Mr. Favor?

What's that got to
do with these Indians?

Everything, Mr. Favor.

I left my prey wounded. I
must seek it down and destroy it.

It's an obligation.

You mean, you hunted Indians?

Indians?

No, Hey Soos. Souls.

I hunted men's souls.

Senor Favor, we're leaving.

You still feel you absolutely
gotta go through with this.

I think you ought to take a
couple of boys with you though.

No, senor. This,
I must do alone.

Just as what he must
do, he must do alone.

All right.

Don't let him get you into trouble,
leastwise not any more than unusual.

In two days, senor.
Then look for me.

Too late.

It's too late. They're gone.

- Is there a trail? Can we follow them?
- I think so, senor.

Ah.

- Are you all right, senor?
- Yes. Yes, I'm all right.

Don't be concerned about me.

You don't need to
slow up on my account.

- Are they the same ones?
- Si, senor, the same.

But I didn't see the girl.

- What do you intend to do now?
- Well, look around some more.

No. Hey Soos, listen to me.

These people, this tribe,
they're not like any Indians

you may have had
dealings with before.

You know, you were very fortunate
to escape with your life the first time.

You can't let yourself get caught
again. Now, why don't you back, huh?

Go back to the
cattle-drive. Forget them.

I can forget them,
but not the girl.

You can't be of
any help to her now.

You'll only get
yourself captured again.

I'm the only one who can be
of any help to those people.

- Let me handle them.
- Senor, I cannot go back.

Not until I know the girl is safe.
After that, do what you must do.

Please stay here,
huh? Stay here.

You.

I came as soon as I could.

- Are you all right?
- I'm all right.

Hey Soos,

I told you to get out of here.

- There is little time. We must go.
- No, no, you don't understand.

I have to stay.

I may be many things
but I am no executioner.

- Come on, senor. Let's go. Hurry.
- No, no. I'm going to stay here.

Now, you get out of here. So
help me, I'll rouse the whole camp.

Now go.

And you, senorita,
do you feel the same?

No, I was wrong to come back.

It's hopeless. I'll go with you.

Stay where you are.

No. Hey Soos, no, don't do that.

Why, senor? Why kill all of us?

I'm sorry, Hey Soos.
Believe me, I'm sorry.

Wait, wait. Let
me look at him first.

Let me help him, Tohkawe.

I am not Tohkawe. I am Pala.

- Speak the words I taught you.
- You taught me nothing.

- Pala does not know you.
- Tohkawe knows me.

There is no man called
by that name. I am Pala.

Brother?

Brother. Yes.

How bad is it?

I think the bullet went
through cleanly. It's just I'll...

I'll have to stop the bleeding.

Can you stop it?

I think so.

Yes, what is this
old man to you?

Munyo is my
abuelo,my grandfather.

Munyo?

How long has he been
known by that name?

He's always been Munyo
as far as I can remember.

The names, different names.

Well, old man, no matter
what they call you now,

you remember me, don't you?

Yes, I remember.

Can I help?

Yes, I'll need something to
hold the bandages in place.

Abuelo,you said.
Where did you learn that?

When I was little, I was
taken to a mission school.

A year ago I came back.

You came back
here to these people

from a mission school
by your own choice?

I thought I could help them.

He's an old man.

It must be tight to
stop the bleeding.

Hey Soos, talk to her.

Senorita, you never
told me your name.

- Maga.
- Maga.

I'm sorry about your abuelo.

It was not your doing.

This place is bad.

Evil things...

Evil things happen here.

- Senor?
- He's fainted.

His pulse is still good and
strong. I can finish now.

Maga, what you said just now,

about the kind of
things that happen here,

that drink they give me, why?

What did they want from me?

I think it began
with the sickness.

This tribe was a great one once.

They lived far to the north in
the mountains, hundreds of them.

Until the sickness.

You've seen what's
left. Hardly a dozen.

The sickness killed them.

My father died of
it before I was born.

My mother soon after, and...

Um, now they look for a...

Well, Pala calls it
the ghost who talks.

Pala says the ghost will
bring back our lost ones

from the place of the dead.

But how? What has that poison
they gave me to do with ghosts?

That's only the first part.

When they find a
stranger alone traveling

they take him and
give him the drink.

And then, they listen to what
he says when the drink is in him.

If he talks of a place, a strange,
beautiful place, Pala says:

"This is the one."

And then they

let him die.

They let him die from the drink?

No. No, not from
the drink, Hey Soos.

You know, peyote
makes you see things,

lights, weird,
jeweled landscapes.

It only helps them to hear
what they want to hear.

Afterwards,

then the man dies.

But how, senor?

Well, can't you
see? Isn't it obvious?

Look at the girl.

She knows what the legend
means, don't you, Maga?

It came to me when I
studied in the mission school.

I remembered the things I had
seen when I lived with the tribe.

And I knew there was
evil here, terrible evil.

I had to come back to try
to make them understand.

Yes. That's the hardest
part, making them understand.

They believe without
understanding. That's the tragedy.

You see, Hey Soos,
they're simple people.

And they believe because
I made them believe.

Heh, a fire-eyed, glory-shouting,
self-ordained missionary.

Tell people like these something
loud and long, the way I did,

the same time throw away everything
they've lived by for generations

the way I did, and pretty
soon, they'll believe.

They believe you
can die and return.

And that when you return,
you'll bring heaven to Earth.

You'll bring their dead
ones back to them.

That's why I warned
you, Hey Soos.

Don't be caught again because
now unless somehow I can stop them,

they're very likely
going to crucify you.

He's much better.
He will be well again.

He is old, weak.

We will have young men in
the tribe, many young men.

- The ghost will bring them back.
- No, it's a lie. There's no ghost.

- We must talk.
- Not to you. Only to him.

Only to the ghost.

Why did you come
back to this place?

- You have no fear?
- A man without fear is not a man.

You came back to die.
That means you have no fear.

You will drink the
peyote cup once more.

No.

No, you're wrong about him as
you were wrong about the others,

all the men you killed.

He ran away before, remember?
The right man would not run away.

I am the shaman of this tribe,

the only one who knows,
the only one who can choose.

I choose him.

No.

It began with me.
It must end with me.

Now while there
still can be an ending.

Yulca!

Pala. Pala, it must
end. It must end.

It will end, old
man. I promise you.

You started this, senor,
really by being a missionary?

Not just a missionary, Hey
Soos. No, I wanted more than that.

I wanted a string of converts from
the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean.

I wanted to build an empire,
a nation of Christian red men,

with me as their leader.

The 13th apostle on
a pedestal of pride.

I tried to get into a
couple of Bible colleges.

They wouldn't let me
past the front door.

Well, in a way
they were mistaken.

Maybe if they had taken me in,
showed me where I was wrong,

taught me humility, taught
me the meaning of love.

But I didn't need
them. I knew it all.

Religion was a fever in my blood.
And I went forth into the wilderness.

- And you found this tribe?
- Yes.

Up in the north, on the
mountains, hundreds of them.

But I don't remember.
I've never seen you before.

That was 20 years ago,
Maga, before you were born.

Except for your grandfather, the
others don't remember me either

or pretend they don't.

Maybe don't want to.

It's been a long
time. I've changed.

You found this tribe, then what?

Then I began converting them.

Or trying to.

But they couldn't
understand, Hey Soos,

and I didn't care as
long as they believed.

So I crammed it
down their throats

just as cruelly as Pala
forced the peyote down yours.

I bullied them, I used trickery

and finally blackmail to
bring salvation to the heathen.

And then it happened.
The sickness came.

When it came I used it. I told them,
well, I had known some medicine.

I'd known enough and I told
them, "Believe me and I'll cure you.

If you don't believe
me, I'll let you die."

Well, they tried and
something happened.

Christianity's promise
of life after death,

it went together in
their minds somehow

linked up with what was
happening there and then.

But it came out
ugly and perverted.

And I left the tribe to
find some medicine.

When I came back there was...

There was a white man
crucified on a tree near the camp,

already dead.

And the tribe was waiting
for him to come back

and bring the ones who had
died in the sickness with him.

And you didn't make
them see they were wrong?

I was afraid, Hey Soos. I ran.

Afterwards I tried to forget.

For years I tried to pretend
it was all just a nightmare

that never really happened.

I wandered, I drank, but
I began to hear stories.

Stories of other white men
found dead like the one I had seen.

One or two who'd
gotten away. I didn't...

I didn't wanna hear them.
I didn't wanna believe.

Until the day came when I
looked over some cow town bar

and saw my face in the mirror.

Heh, a man driven over the face of
the land needing whiskey to stay alive.

I was in hell on Earth, a
Judas, cursed for my betrayal.

And I knew then,

and only then, that only one
thing would ever bring me peace.

Now it is time.

No!

No. No, wait. Wait,
you don't need it.

I can see without the cup. I
can see into the land of the dead!

They can't come back.

The spirits can no more
return from the grave

than the smoke can
return to the flame of a fire!

If you know, then you
will go. You will bring them.

And you and you.
All three will go.

This time they will come back.

Send him.

Send all of them. All three
will be better than one.

They will bring back our dead!

How...?

How long will it
take to die like this?

There will be a
weakness, a dizziness,

as the blood leaves the
upper part of your body.

Then you will faint probably,
but the pain will not be too bad.

I'm sorry, Hey Soos.

I'd have done anything to keep
you and the girl out of this, but...

I thought they would
listen to me, but no.

No, I'm afraid they
were beyond reason.

What's he doing?

Washing his hands.

That's what his new
name means. Pala.

As close as they could
get to Pilate, Pontius Pilate.

He's the one who
chooses which men will die.

And you, Maga, your grandfather's
name Munyo, perhaps Matthew.

And yours, Magdalene.

Senor, the storm.

Look, they're afraid.

Try again. Maybe
now they will listen.

Pala, you must let me
speak to your people.

They must listen.
They must hear me.

Some of you must remember me.

Some of you old ones who
lived through the sickness.

Yes, I was a younger
then, but look close.

Look at my face.

Try.

Try to remember.

Pala, why are you afraid?
Have them listen to me.

Please. Please,
come closer. All of you.

Look at me. Look.
Look at my face.

I am older now,

but I am the one.

I am the one who brought
you the story of the cross.

You wouldn't believe me.

You had your own
gods, your own ideas.

I wanted so much
for you to believe.

Then this terrible
sickness came,

and I told you it was the
anger of my God punishing you

for not believing.

And you were frightened

and you were sick and
your people were dying.

Then...

- Then you tried to believe.
- No!

There is no man who
can make them live again!

- They can! They will!
- No. I will do anything. I will die.

I will do anything
just to make you see!

Stop! Stop!

Senor Brothers.

This is the way it was
meant to be, Hey Soos.

It's... over now.

You still wanna stay?

- You're sure?
- I'm sure.

I'm going to try to
teach them the right way

with kindness by doing...

Well, with love.

Head them up!

Move them out!