"Father:" "Don't nobody know how a story's gonna end." "But all stories got the same beginning " "A child's born." "[ baby cries ]" "Oh, ho ho ho!" "Oh!" "Oh!" "You provide for a child best you can." "Give him everything you got." "Just hope everything will be enough." "(music) shake her, shake her (music)" "(music) went uptown to see Sally Baker (music)" "(music) she got some, and I could -- (music)" "Keep that up, this child never get to sleep." "You liked it well enough." "So tired, so tired, so tired." "You must be talking about yourself, 'cause I ain't never seen a more wide-awake baby" "In my life." "He keep this up," "He's not gonna have no brothers or sisters." "Yes, he will -- 11 of 'em." "Can't afford the one we got." "A child comes with a loaf of bread under his arm." "You know that." "Once the bread's eaten, where the meat gonna come from?" "The Lord will provide." "All the Lord has provided so far is me." "That's all we gonna ever need." "[ baby cooing ]" "Father:" "The one thing you can't give a child" "Is the thing he needs most." "You don't want to go down that road, child." "Never know what gonna be coming back at ya." "Besides, you got chores to do." "Boy!" "[ chuckling ] no matter how hard you try," "A child's story is all his own." "Come back here and do your chores!" "You hear me?" "Boy!" "[ dog howling ] [ howls ]" "And you..." "Shoo!" "Dog will make a good hunter." "He hunt something besides children?" "Where'd you get him?" "Did you buy him?" "Found him." "He was lost?" "[ whines ]" "How good a Hunter can a lost dog be?" "That dog ain't gonna be nothing but trouble." "This dog better hunt." "[ chuckles ]" "Come on, boy." "Come on." "[ laughs softly ] [ laughs ] [ dog whines ]" "Here, boy." "[ sniffing ] here." "Good boy." "[ dog whining ]" "[ man chuckling ] [ door opens ]" "Who did this?" "You do this?" "Do what?" "You better talk to your son." "[ door opens, closes ] [ dog barks ]" "Now, you don't sass your mother." "Ain't nobody work harder than your mother," "So don't give her no lip." "Everybody in this family got a temper," "But you got to temper your temper, 'cause we be a family." "Nobody go his way alone in a family." "Everybody walk the road together, hand in hand." "You understand me, boy?" "Still..." "It wasn't you pulled down the wash." "[ laughing ] it was the dog, wasn't it?" "Sounder's littler than me." "How come he can make a bigger sound?" "Well, why you think we call him Sounder?" "You measure a dog by how much sound he can make." "A boy, you measure by what he can do," "Not how much he can talk about doing." "You talk to yourself." "Old men talk to themselves." "Got a long way to go before I'm an old man." "Morning." "Maybe I do talk to myself." "You got something to say to me, boy?" "No, sir." "My pa does." "You want to talk to me," "You come see me behind the house." "You understand, boy?" "Come on." "Come on, Sounder." "(music) help me lift Jesus (music)" "(music) I wonder will you (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) preacher, will you (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) teacher, will you (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) faithful, won't you (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) Christians, will you (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) won't somebody (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus?" "(music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music)" "(music) oh, clap your hands (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music)" "(music) oh, clap your hands (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music)" "(music) come on, clap your hands (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music) (music) come on, clap your hands (music)" "(music) help me lift Jesus (music) David was only a child," "But God has chosen what is weak and foolish in this world" "To confound the great and powerful." "Mm-hmm." "Yes, he did." "Amen." "So when David said, "I can kill that giant,"" "Didn't his brothers tell say," ""you no more than a shepherd boy"?" "[ crowd murmurs ] "well, what do you think the shepherd does?" asked David." "A lion or a bear come along, who do you think fights..."" "Father:" "Child got to grow into his own story," "And don't nobody know how a story gonna end." ""..." "And I can kill that giant."" "[ murmuring ] didn't he say that?" "Yes, he did!" "[ laughter ] yes, he did." "And when that giant comes along..." "Go on after your little brother." "Go on." "...David looked down and saw a smooth, round Stone," "So he picked up that Stone, and he let fly that Stone" "Right into the middle of goliath's forehead." "[ light laughter ] yes, he did." "Man:" "Amen." "[ indistinct conversations, children shouting ]" "Preacher preaches that same sermon" "Every time he visit." "Well, many a giants need killing." "Hmph." "Pick up a Stone to kill one," "He come in quick with, "turn the other cheek."" "Suppose there is a time for all things." "Time?" "You got time?" "[ horse whinnies ]" "Don't seem like there time for nothing." "Work day and night" "And still got to look for more work." "Work that hard, you ought to come out even," "Not just get deeper in." "Want to have something for your children" "Before you get old." "Old?" "You old already." "I'll beat any man here in a race, right now." "Mother:" "You two behave yourselves, now." "Your wife just saved you some embarrassment." "Well, if I can't beat you, my boy can beat your boy." "Now, talk like that prove you old!" "[ laughs ]" "[ Sounder barking ] [ indistinct cheering ] come on!" "Come on, now!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "[ cheering continues ] come on!" "Come on!" "[ cheering ]" "[ Sounder barks ]" "That's quite a boy you got there." "[ chuckles ]" "Don't want nothing to change him, ever." "Come on." "Where'd he go?" "Over there." "[ laughs ]" "Three ones..." "Three ones is three." "Children:" "Three." "Three twos..." "Three twos is six." "Children:" "Six." "Three threes..." "Three threes is nine." "Children:" "Nine." "Three fours -- what's three fours?" "12." "Three fours is 12." "Uh, what's this word?" "[ chuckles ] that's a hard one." "What's five fours?" "20?" "And six fours -- six fours is 24." "(music) Ezekiel saw the wheel (music) [ children laughing ]" "See you tomorrow!" "Bye!" "(music) way in the middle of the air (music) [ indistinct shouting ] (music) Ezekiel saw the wheel (music)" "(music) in the middle of the air (music)" "(music) Ezekiel saw the wheel (music)" "(music) in the middle of the air (music)" "(music) watch out, my brother (music)" "(music) how you walk on the cross (music) (music) don't you know?" "(music)" "(music) in the middle of the air (music)" "(music) your foot might slip and your soul get lost (music) come on, Sounder." "(music) in the middle of the air (music)" "(music) Ezekiel saw the wheel (music)" "(music) saw that wheel (music)" "(music) way in the middle of the air (music)" "Eight Miles to school, eight Miles back." "There's better use for the time." "Gonna read a book someday." "The choice between reading and eating's an easy choice." "Not for some." "The way you eat?" "Besides..." "It's too cold." "You'll give it up by November anyway." "Ah -- take the broken ones." "Man won't pay if they all in crumbs." "Be quick with your chores." "Your brother gets addled in his sleep" "If you ain't in bed with him." "I know you work hard, and I know pa work hard." "But how come I got to work even when I'm sleeping?" "Hey." "Hey." "World's a book." "You write in it with hard work and with love." "Some people got time left over after work and love." "Some don't." "Not much wind tonight." "What you say?" "Hmm?" "Didn't say nothing." "Not too much wind tonight." "Animals don't like to move much when it's windy." "Can't hear a killer slipping up on 'em." "Wind don't rise," "I'll let you go hunting with me tonight." "The wind won't rise." "We'll see." "[ chuckles ]" "We'll see." "[ panting ] [ bird calling ] [ whines ]" "He's got nothing." "Can't blame him." "Nothing here left to hunt." "Give him time." "Go on, boy." "[ Sounder barks ]" "[ barking ] [ chittering ] [ barking continues ]" "[ raccoon chittering ] [ barking ]" "Good boy!" "[ Sounder snarls ] [ panting ]" "Good boy!" "Father:" "Good boy, Sounder." "This skin will go for $2." "[ chuckles ]" "Ooh, your mother be pleased." "She'll say the Lord provided." "And maybe he did." "Take a Miracle to catch anything these days." "About school..." "Child ain't supposed to want to go to school." "You planning on being a preacher?" "I want to be like you." "Can't read, can't write." "Me neither..." "Yet." "Besides, times are hard." "I wish they weren't, but they are." "I could use some help." "Suppose you started working with me." "Suppose that'd be fine." "There ain't no dog like Sounder." "No, there ain't." "[ whines ]" "Pull!" "P-pull on the horn!" "I know!" "I know!" "I know!" "Stay by me now." "Watch and learn." "[ indistinct shouting ]" "Hey, hey!" "Aah!" "Hey!" "You might want to put that needle away" "Until you're ready to use it." "I might and I might not." "Look here." "This here's one of the smartest bulls I ever seen." "Easy!" "Easy, now!" "All I'm saying is -- what?" "!" "All I'm saying is you might want to hold off on that needle" "Until we've calmed this fella down." "And all I'm saying is I don't have all day," "And I don't need nobody telling me my business." "Who's running this show here, anyway?" "!" "I am!" "Give me a whip here!" "[ bull grunting ] bull's struggling mighty hard." "Don't want him to hurt hisself." "We don't get this job done here, don't expect to get paid." "Now, you step aside, and you hold your piece." "Come on!" "[ whip cracks, bull bellows ]" "Wait." "Wait!" "[ whip cracking ]" "That bull pulled and pulled." "He pulled till he broke his leg," "And they had to shoot him." "And the man say, "don't expect to get paid today."" "Said pa cost him a bull." "It wasn't pa's fault." "Crop will be better next year." "Maybe more day work, better hunting." "Even the 'coons move " "Move south to the big water." "[ barking ]" "Shut up!" "Ain't no reason to be mad." "Dog ain't had but a biscuit since yesterday." "And that ain't a reason to be mad?" "[ Sounder whines ] [ door closes ] [ door opens, closes ]" "[ mother humming ]" "[ Sounder barking ] [ wind whistling ]" "[ humming ]" "Hunting." "He said he was going hunting." "Without Sounder?" "In this wind?" "There won't be no animals out no way." "Sometimes animals hunt in the wind" "Because they need to." "Now go to bed." "Don't make me tell you again." "Gonna tell me something, tell me a story." "You're too old for stories." "Stories are older than I am." "If I had a book," "I could read the stories myself..." "If I could read." "Hear that wind?" "Wind in the pines." "Sounds like the armies of David marching" "After he killed goliath." "Tell the Joseph story." "Ain't no earthly power can make a story end" "As pretty as Joseph's." "'twas the Lord." "Joseph -- the big man in Egypt." "Now, you always want to jump right to the end of the story." "Want to skip his brothers selling him as a slave." "Skip the seven years of fat, seven years of lean " "Well, you can't." "You got to go through it all." "Know how many brothers Joseph had?" "11." "11." "Now promise me you'll go right to sleep" "After I tell you the story." "I promise." "Well, times was hard then just like they be hard now." "And there was a famine on... [ wood rattling ] [ footsteps ]" "You look for trouble down that road long enough," "It'll come." "Things go from bad to worse." "Well, seems to me..." "Everything don't change much." "There's eating and sleeping," "Talking, and setting that goes on." "One day might be different from another," "But there ain't much difference when they're all put together." "And things that are important..." "They stay pretty much the same." "Where you going?" "Stoke that fire." "We gonna have a good dinner tonight." "[ laughter ]" "The Mark of a good cook" "Ain't what she does with ample fixing." "It's what she can do with less," "And your mother does fine with both." "[ silverware rattling ]" "Things gonna be better soon." "Gonna be more day work." "Crop gonna be good next year, too." "Things gonna be better soon." "You know how I know that?" "Your mother told me." "And she's a woman of Faith." "Fetch some wood from the pile." "I want you children in bed early tonight." "Your mother and I have some work we got to do." "Shut the door behind you." "[ hinges creak ]" "Now, I told you to shut the " "You know who I am?" "These men are my deputies." "Damn cold night you made us come out on." "What's the problem here?" "There are two things I can smell a mile." "One's a ham cooking." "The other's a thieving nigger." "No!" "Hush, boy." "I'll take care of this." "That tear on your overalls " "That's where you tore them" "On the door hook of the smokehouse." "We found threads of torn cloth in the hook." "Didn't take nothing that wasn't owed me by rights." "Is that right?" "How'd you expect to get away with this, boy?" "[ exhales sharply ] go bring up the wagon." "[ Sounder barks, rifle cocks ]" "Go out and hold that mongrel if you don't want him shot." "[ handcuffs clinking ]" "Turn around, boy." "Give me your hands." "[ barking continues ]" "I warned you once, boy!" "I won't warn you again!" "Chain him up!" "Stop it, Sounder!" "Stop!" "[ chains rattling ]" "Man:" "Go on, get up." "[ horse neighs ]" "Hyah!" "Come on!" "[ horse neighs ]" "Stop it, Sounder!" "Sounder, come back!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "Sounder!" "Stop!" "[ cocks rifle ]" "Sounder!" "[ horse neighs ] [ chuckling ]" "[ Sounder whimpering ] [ breathing heavily ]" "Come in, child." "He's only dying." "Creatures like to die alone." "They like to crawl away up under something." "Creatures are like people." "[ whimpering ]" "Come along, child." "I can't leave him out there to die." "It ain't right." "(music) 'tis the old (music)" "(music) ship of zion (music)" "(music) 'tis the old (music)" "(music) ship of zion (music) Sounder!" "(music) 'tis the old (music)" "Sounder!" "(music) ship of zion (music)" "(music) get on board (music) Sounder!" "(music) get on board (music)" "Sounder!" "(music) where there's no danger (music)" "People say put something under your pillow and make a wish," "It'll come true." "Silly." "That's for children." "Oh... [ sobs ]" "[ keys rattling, lock clicks ] [ hinges squeak ]" "Take 'em off, boy." "They're evidence." "[ hinges squeak ] [ lock clicks ]" "[ sighs ] [ bird trilling ]" "Watch the fire, child." "Don't go out of hollering distance" "And leave the young ones." "I warmed some mush in the skillet" "For y'all to eat at dinnertime." "I'll be home before dark." "Whatever you do, child," "Don't leave the children in the house" "With a roaring fire and go looking for Sounder." "We'll bury him later." "If a stranger come, don't say nothing." "I'm gonna take this food back." "[ hammering ]" "(music) Jesus walked (music)" "(music) this lonesome valley (music)" "(music) he had to walk it (music)" "(music) by himself (music) people be mean to her today." "If she tell them the ham be on the floor," "They might let her have it." "If she tell them that," "They just feed it to their dogs." "Maybe they'll let him come home" "If she take back the stuff." "Go inside." "Don't open the stove door." "I have to go." "While I'm gone, don't be yelling for me." "I'll be back in a while." "Sun will soften the earth," "Make it easier to bury Sounder." "No hurries." "Got all day." "Ain't nothing else to crawl under." "Sounder?" "Sounder?" "[ grunts ]" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "Dang!" "She's coming." "Is she alone?" "Mm-hmm." "Don't say nothing about where I've been." "She see your clothes, she gonna know." "I gave the stuff back." "Better go out and crack nuts" "For the night's picking before dark." "You go." "I'll come help in a minute." "Sounder ain't dead." "You must learn to lose, child." "Sounder wasn't under the house." "And he wasn't in the woods, neither." "I looked." "Sounder was jumping at the wagon and hard to hit." "Maybe they was only skin wounds." "Maybe he only been knocked senseless," "And that was why he zigzagged so crazy." "The Lord teaches the old how to lose." "The young don't know how to learn it." "Then where is he?" "No wild creature's strong enough to carry the body away." "Sounder ain't dead." "[ birds calling ]" "I stood in the door that long," "You'd say, "go in or go out, child."" "He wasn't under the house?" "Wasn't in the woods, neither." "If he got a flesh wound," "I reckon he'd go on into the woods" "To draw out the poison with oak leaf acid." "Oak leaf has acid to toughen the skin" "Like they use to tan leather." "That's why the creatures head for the oaks" "In the swampland 'round the big water" "When the mange hits." "Wet leaves heal better." "Sounder's blood would wet the leaves." "The Lord shows his creatures how to do." "If he ain't dead now," "He'll come limping home powerful hungry in time." "Tomorrow or the day after?" "Don't be all hope, child." "He got a deep head wound." "He might be addled, crazy," "Not knowing where he wandered off to die." "Them stories you tell..." "About them boys coming out of the fiery furnace" "Singing "cool water"..." "And about Lazarus coming back from the dead..." "They true stories?" "They was once." "Some's born to lose." "We was born to lose, I reckon." "But Sounder " "Sounder might come back." "[ laughs softly ]" "[ sighs ]" "You're it!" "[ humming gospel music ]" "You're it now!" "Aw!" "[ continues humming ]" "Now you're it!" "[ children laughing ]" "Are we having two cakes?" "[ footsteps ]" "You can lick the bowl." "Before them?" "You're tired, worried poorly." "Give the bowl to them." "Me first." "No, me first." "No, me first!" "Me first!" "Tomorrow morning..." "I want you to take a cake to your father." "It's a troublesome trip." "They won't let women in the jail." "Otherwise, I'd go myself." "Think pa might know where Sounder went?" "Might." "Might not." "You can ask." "[ sighs ] [ humming gospel music ]" "[ water dripping ]" "[ humming continues ]" "It's a long trip, child." "Eat before you go." "Don't want to be late." "Carry it flat if your hands don't get too cold" "So it'll be mighty pretty when you fetch it him." "Whatever you do, child, act perk." "Don't grieve your father." ""be perk so you don't grieve him."" "Grieve him?" "Who does she think I am?" "Gonna ask him where Sounder come to him as a pup, 'cause he might have gone back there." "[ carriage wheels clattering ] and even if he's not there, maybe a new dog come there." "But it won't do me no good." "[ indistinct conversations ] [ children shouting indistinctly ] [ engine turns over ]" "Extra!" "Extra!" "Read all about it!" "Boy:" "Do I have to get my hair cut?" "[ horse neighs in distance ]" "Oh!" "Now, you know he's not looking where he's going." "You think you can take something like this" "In a state institution?" "What do you think I am, simple?" "Get out." "Get out of here." "Yes, sir." "You got anything I should know about, boy?" "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." "What's in the box?" "It's a c-- no!" "It's a cake." "You think I don't know what this is?" "No, we all know you know what a cake is." "[ chuckles ]" "Mmm." "Good, too." "Your mama make this, boy?" "She a good cook?" "Yes, she is, sir." "Didn't hear what you said." "I said it's just a cake, sir." "Somebody could hide a file in a cake, couldn't they?" "I mean..." "This could have a steel file in it, couldn't it?" "Or a hacksaw blade." "[ echoing ] guess you was right, boy." "Just a cake." "Damn." "[ heartbeat pounding ]" "Go on, now." "[ man coughing ] [ man humming ]" "[ door clanks ]" "[ door locks ] [ humming continues ]" "Son..." "Son... [ sniffles ]" "Child..." "Here." "It was a cake..." "Before." "Man:" "You all got something better to do?" "Go on, get!" "Get out of here!" "Ma sold the kernels to get the vanilla to make it." "My brother and sister wanted to be remembered to you." "Thank her for me." "Sounder might not be dead." "Sounder didn't die under the cabin." "And if he wasn't hit in his vitals," "He might get healed in the woods." "I'll be back." "I'll be back before long." "Tell her not to grieve." "[ keys rattling ]" "Man:" "Visiting's over." "Tell her not to send you no more." "Tell her I'll send word with the visiting preacher." "Come on, boy, get," "Or next time you won't get in." "Hmm." "[ sighs ] [ door closes ] [ horn honks ] [ indistinct conversations ]" "Man:" "Get away from there!" "Get away from there!" "[ indistinct shouting ]" "You must be famished." "I'll get your supper." "Did you get in all right?" "Was it warm in the jail?" "Jailer was mean to visitors" "But didn't say nothing to the people in jail." "I heard some people singing in jail." "He said he'd send word by the visiting preacher." "If we lived closer to town, we could watch each day," "And when they took him away," "We could know where he was going." "When he gets moved, I'll go looking for him." "No need." "When that time come, we'll get the preacher" "To send a letter." "[ table rattles ]" "Don't bother sending no letter." "They just tear it all up." "He said..." "Not to come no more." "[ grunts ]" "[ grunts ]" "(music) I am so glad Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) I am so glad (music)" "(music) Jesus lifted me (music) (music) my Lord (music)" "(music) I am so glad (music)" "(music) Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) glory hallelujah, Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) I am so glad (music)" "(music) Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) I'm (music) (music) I am so glad (music)" "(music) so glad (music) (music) Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) oh (music) (music) I am so glad (music)" "(music) so glad (music) (music) Jesus lifted me (music)" "(music) glory hallelujah, Jesus lifted me (music)" "[ hinges squeak ]" "[ grunts ]" "How old are you, boy?" "Don't remember." "Just know I lived a long time." "Well, you're a good worker for someone your age," "Whatever that is." "[ thunder rumbles ]" "[ dog whimpering ]" "Sounder?" "Shh." "[ whimpering continues ] [ thunder crashes ] [ gasps ]" "Sounder!" "Sounder!" "[ Sounder whining ]" "That dog's come a long way to see you." "Least you can do is welcome him home." "Go on to him, child." "Dog don't know it ain't him you mad at." "Poor creature." "Poor creature." "Welcome home, boy." "[ whines ]" "Sounder won't go down the road one step further" "Than where he got shot." "Seems content just to sit there and wait." "Never would've thought it," "But that dog seems smarter than some people I know." "He wasn't hit in his neck." "And he eats all right, and his throat ain't scarred." "But he don't seem to bark." "Give him time." "Give him time." "What are you doing here?" "I work here, unless you know different." "I mean today." "Would've thought you'd been down at the courthouse" "To see your daddy's trial." "Today?" "Well, it can't be." "Nobody told us." "Well, the announcement's in the paper." "Always is when the court's in session." "What'd your daddy do, anyway?" "Stole a ham." "You can't let a man get away with that." "I got to go." "You'll never make it by foot." "I'll have one of the men drive you into town." "[ brakes squeal ]" "Wait!" "Pa!" "You're too late!" "He's gone." "Gone?" "Pa!" "Pa!" "Where is he going?" "I can't rightly say, but I-it won't be out of state, 'cause hard labor is never out of state." "Well, then, it won't be as long as it might." "Folks always said he could do two men's work in a day." "How long is he gone for?" "Five years." "Five years for a ham?" "It ain't about no ham." "And five years is never five years." "The state's got a -- a lot of work to be done." "And when they get ahold of a -- a good worker," "They find ways of keeping him." "Don't I know that." "[ bird calling ]" "Keep that dog away from my wash." "Winter's coming." "Not much more I can do around here." "Time for me to go find him." "[ Sounder whining ]" "I can't sit in the road like Sounder, waiting for him." "I went missing, he'd come looking for me." "In bible stories," "Everybody's always going on long journeys." "And Joseph goes on the longest Journey of all," "But the Lord watches over him." "When I married your father, he meant everything to me." "You understand?" "Don't know nobody in the bible" "God asked everything from twice." "Don't say what the women in the bible thought," "But I expect they wasn't any happier than me." "[ whimpering ]" "Bye, Sounder." "He's gone." "What ya looking at?" "Finish watching him go." "Started to watch for him to come back." "[ clattering ]" "You must be a mighty slow reader." "Ain't but two words." "It takes time if you can only read one of them." ""county."" "I'm trying to figure out if the other one says "Clark."" "Clement." "Can't read," "But I lived here in clement all my life." "Clark be two counties over." "Ain't nothing there but a prison." "Who you searching out?" "My father." "Well, if you run across a man named Joseph McAlbert," "Tell him Sarah's waiting on him." "Tell him I'm still mad at him, but I'm here." "[ vehicle approaching ]" "[ men singing indistinctly ]" "Don't know no names." "I only know numbers." "And besides, even if I did, you can't visit here." "Only visit in jail." "Now go on." "Get." "How many prisons are there?" "I've been to four already." "I don't know." "But when you find out," "You come back and tell me, okay?" "(music) well, I want somebody to tell me (music)" "(music) to tell me, tell me, tell me right (music)" "(music) Lord, I want somebody to tell me (music)" "(music) what is the soul of man?" "(music)" "(music) I've traveled the country over (music)" "(music) traveled all... (music)" "I ain't never had nobody glad to see me" "In a long, long time." "Who you think I was?" "Yeah, I knew him." "We were at Dexter work farm together." "He worked so hard you'd think he owned that farm," "Bought and paid for." "That's him." "They moved him to the quarry." "Quarry -- that's hard work." "Where's that?" "Don't know." "Sorry." "Sorry about a lot of things." "But you know what I'm most sorry about right now?" "Sorry I ain't your father." "(music) I couldn't find no chapter to tell me (music)" "(music) what is the soul of man?" "(music)" "And the pharaoh was having trouble sleeping," "And he was having bad dreams " "Dreams only Joseph can make sense out of." "Dreams only Joseph can make sense out of for him." "So pharaoh took Joseph out the jail" "And made him his head man." "And made him his head man." "Only thing is," "In the bible, 40 years can go by" "As fast as you can say, "40 years gone by."" "Like somebody forgot how long a day can be." "[ water splashes ]" "(music) it's good enough for me (music)" "(music) just give me that old-time religion (music)" "(music) give me that old-time religion (music)" "(music) give me that old-time religion (music)" "(music) it's good enough for me (music) [ applause ]" "St. Paul said, "wives, be subject to your husbands."" "[ congregation murmuring ]" "And what can we learn from this?" "That sty." "Paul was not a married man." "Man:" "That's right." "[ laughter ]" "St. Paul said, "slaves, obey your masters."" "Man:" "Yes, he did." "What can we learn from this?" "St. Paul was never a slave." "[ congregation murmuring ]" "Mnh-mnh." "Go in peace." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "[ indistinct conversations ]" "Gonna have to sharpen up on my preaching skills." "Thought I could've kept you awake on volume alone." "I was mighty tired." "Been walking." "I won't be but a minute." "How long you been walking?" "Started after harvest." "It's planting time now." "How long is that?" "Find what you were looking for?" "Been looking for my father." "It seems every place I go, he's just been and gone." "Some days, it seems like he disappeared off the earth." "Other days..." "Seems like he never was." "Stay away from home long enough," "You forget where you come from." "Can't go home and tell my mother nothing." "I need to bring her some news." "Some good news." "Will you write a letter for me?" "What can you tell your mother in a letter" "You can't tell her face-to-face?" "Lies." "Ain't you gonna even open it?" "Don't need to." "A letter come, it always say the same thing." "Say the person who wrote it ain't coming." "Say he ain't found what he looking for." "Said he's sorry..." "But he got to keep looking." "Say he love me." "Say he love you." "Well..." "We got work to do." "[ horse snorts ]" "Man:" "Come on, now!" "Let's move it!" "Move it!" "Get back to work!" "Come on, now, let's go!" "Move it!" "Let's go!" "[ indistinct conversations ]" "They got to walk." "I know my father's walk." "I've never seen him crawl." "Aah!" "[ horse neighs ]" "Man:" "Get!" "Get!" "Don't cry." "You ain't cried all this time." "Don't you cry now." "Get fast." "[ rifle cocks ]" "I'm looking for my father." "He was working the mines." "Thought he might be here..." "But my father's not here." "I'm much obliged for the help." "Hey, boy." "Boy!" "Boy!" "You say your father working in the mines?" "Heard there was a dynamite blast in the quarry." "Killed 12 prisoners." "Didn't know that, did ya?" "My father's not dead." "I'd know if he was." "Hell, you wouldn't believe your father was dead" "Even if someone showed you the body." "I'd know." "I'd know." "[ piano playing, laughter ] [ indistinct conversations ]" "All my life I wanted a book." "Now I don't even know enough words to make sense of it." "I'd know if he was dead." "I'd know." "I'd know." "Man:" "Six ones are six." "Children:" "Six ones are six." "Six twos are 12." "Six twos are 12." "Six threes are 18." "Six threes are 18." "Now, learn this once, children..." "[ creaking ] [ whines ] [ barking ] [ children cheering ]" "Who the devil is making enough racket out here" "To end my school day early, huh?" "Boy:" "Let's go!" "Hurry, hurry!" "And who are you?" "Just wanted to wash my hand." "Why?" "What happened to it?" "Caught it in a gate." "Hey, you should've run along home, then." "Don't live in these parts." "Well, give me your book," "And I'll -- I'll pump it for you." "Go ahead." "You must've slammed that in an awfully heavy gate." "That needs warm, soapy water if you don't want an infection." "You wait here, I'll get my papers," "And I'll take you home and fix it." "Wish I knew why flowers need so much work" "When weeds don't need any encouragement at all." "Well, still, there's hope for you yet." "He's conjured." "Conjured folks can conjure you." "[ chuckles ]" "Hey, I'm old, not deaf." "Don't you ever talk to plants?" "It's been some time since I talked to a person," "Never mind a plant." "I listen to 'em sometimes." "Trees, mostly." "Well, I usually put the school in order" "After the children leave, but it can wait till morning." "Better than your hand can." "Here." "Let's go." "So, where'd you get that book?" "I found it in a trash barrel." "Hmm." "Trash?" "Well, that book is not trash." "It's written by a man named Montaigne." "He used to walk along the roads like this alone..." "Like you." "Don't know as he listened to trees very much," "But I " " I suspect he did." "It has words in it like I ain't used to reading." "Mm-hmm." "I can read store signs and some newspaper words." "Hmm." "Well, when we get you home and some food in you," "I'll read a story from your book." "You've been a good friend to take me in like this." "My fingers don't hurt no more." "Good." "I am your friend," "And friends ought to know one another," "So why don't you tell me about yourself?" "Oh, well, it's all right." "You don't have to tell me anything..." "Unless you want to." "It ain't that." "Just that I never thought about it much." "It seems to me everything don't change much." "There's eating and sleeping and..." "And talking and setting that goes on." "And one day might be different from another," "But..." "There ain't much difference" "Once they're all put together." "Hmm." "I think we got a writer here." "Maybe." "Sure ain't no reader." "[ chuckles ]" "Don't have much to tell." "Okay." "Good night." "I..." "W-well, it's just " "Go ahead." "Take your time." "'cause a good story is worth the wait." "I had a father." "A-and a dog..." "Named Sounder." "[ Sounder whimpering ]" "[ whimpering continues ]" "Stay here." "[ exhales deeply ]" "Wasn't sure it was you." "Who did you think it " "Oh." "You done found him?" "Who's been kindly to your hurts?" "I got something to tell." "Was he poorly?" "Was he far?" "It's about something else." "I met a teacher." "Oh, child, you and your books." "[ Sounder whining ]" "He asked me to live in his cabin" "And do his chores." "Teacher can read." "He says he can teach me." "So you'll be so busy with your schooling" "And cleaning the schoolhouse for him," "You can't go searching no more?" "Time was you said better not to go." "Just be patient." "Time will pass." "More than a day's walk to the teacher's," "With sleeping on the ground " "It ain't worth it." "Stay with him." "You don't want me home?" "Of course I want you home." "It just seems like your home ain't here no more." "It's all puzzling and aggravating," "But it's a sign." "I believes in signs." "Maybe teacher can write to the road camps for you." "Maybe you can write yourself." "I won't go till I have the crop in." "Child, I don't know what the Lord's plan is for you," "But it ain't getting the crop in," "Or you'd have done that last year." "We be fine." "I didn't want to mention this before," "But there was an explosion in the mines." "Did you hear about that?" "No, ma'am." "If you hear anything, y-you tell me." "Yes, ma'am." "Teacher:" "You know, one of my favorite stories" "Is in this book." "About a king named Cyrus" "Who wanted to own this prize horse," "But it belonged to one of his soldiers." "So he asked the soldier," ""now, what would you sell this horse for?"" "And the soldier said, "well, my horse is not for sale."" "So the king said, "well, would you exchange the horse" "For a kingdom?"" "And the soldier said, "no, my horse is not for sale," ""and I would not exchange him for a kingdom." ""but I will willingly give you the horse" "To gain a friend."" "[ chuckles ]" ""and pharaoh said to Joseph," ""'I hereby make you..." "Governor" "Of the whole land of..." "Land of...'"" "[ chuckles ] this is a hard one." "The "y" sounds like an "I,"" "And the middle of the word is "gyp."" "So it begins with an "e,"" "And a "t" at the end, and what do you get?" "E-gyp-t." "Egypt!" "[ chuckling ] right." ""and Joseph ruled very wisely over Egypt."" ""and pharaoh said to Joseph," ""'without your permission," ""'no one is to move hand nor foot" "Throughout the whole land of Egypt.'"" "In all the books in the world," "Ain't no story as good as the stories of Joseph." "The Lord has come to you, child." "The Lord has certainly come to you." "But he wasn't away but seven years." "No." "You got that part wrong." "10 is what the book says." "It says that in the book?" "It does." "Know what it says in this book?" ""only the unwise think what has changed is dead." ""if a flower blooms once," ""it goes on blooming forever somewhere." "It blooms on for whoever's seen it blooming."" "Hmm." "Suppose some people need a book to teach them that." "[ brother laughing ] [ all laughing ]" "Finish the story." "Shame you can't sell stones." "We'd be rich." "It's scorching to be walking and toting far today," "Especially for a child." "[ Sounder growling ]" "Dog days a terrible time." "Heat's so bad, dog will go mad." "Have to shoot him before he bites some child." "[ growling continues ] Sounder won't go mad." "I know you think I don't care for that dog," "But we've been company for one another" "For many a long night." "He's been a good dog too long to let it end this way." "You're right about one thing." "That is a child." "I'll tie Sounder up till the child passes." "Here, boy." "Here, Sounder." "[ barks, snarls ]" "He don't even know it's me!" "He'd never do that to me." "[ Sounder barks ] don't know why." "Sometimes cruel is the only kindness." "Never understood it myself." "Don't need to understand." "Just need to do it, I reckon." "Come on, boy." "[ barks ] [ laughs ] see that?" "[ barking ] [ howling ]" "Sounder ain't mad." "He just thinks he's hunting again." "Dang!" "Sounder!" "[ whining ]" "Come here, boy!" "Sounder!" "Sounder, stop!" "Sorry." "It's the dog days." "That's all right." "You measure a dog..." "By how much sound he can make." "[ breathing raggedly ] [ voice breaking ] a boy, you judge..." "Just by what he can do." "[ Sounder groans ]" "Spent nights wondering..." "If you know me." "Never occurred to me I might not know you." "Sounder knew it was you," "Just like you was coming home from work." "[ chuckling ]" "Pa!" "[ sobs ]" "Pa!" "We was j-just gonna have cold peas 'cause it's so sultry, but now I think I'll cook." "[ whines ]" "I got caught in a dynamite blast" "In the prison quarry." "Got crushed..." "Under an avalanche." "Limestone." "Got myself buried so deep..." "I went missing for a whole night" "In the search for the dead and wounded." "The pain was awful..." "Till it stopped." "And that was worse." "When they found me," "The doctors pushed and pulled the numb side of my body" "Into a cast." "They spoke kindly to me... [ laughing ] seeing as they thought I was gonna die." "[ dishes clatter ]" "But I resolved I wouldn't die," "Even with a half-dead body..." "Because I wanted to be home again." "For being hurt," "They let me have time off my sentence." "Couldn't work, so guess they was glad to." "The Lord had brought you home." "Well, time for bed now." "Good night." "Good night, ma." "Good night, son." "You done good by the children." "They was mighty natural..." "And considerate." "Things be better now they have their father home." "I understand... [ voice breaking ] you want me to s-sleep someplace else." "I'm not the man you married." "I'm not the woman you married, neither." "[ breathing raggedly ]" "[ exhales deeply ]" "Everything don't change much." "[ whimpering ]" "Mother:" "Sounder dreams of hunting all the time." "Him and me both." "If you're gonna go hunting with him, you better do it." "He'll be leaving soon -- going back to school." "Seem like I've come a long way home" "Just to have him leave it." "I could never keep him here." "Think I could?" "One word from you, he stay." "He waiting for it." "But you better be sure it's a word you want to speak." "Don't want him to go." "Think I did?" "[ hinges creak ]" "Read something from the scriptures" "For your father tonight." "He never asked me before." "Now, don't sass me." "Read to your father." "[ door opens, closes ]" ""Joseph had his chariot made ready" ""and went to meet his father," "Who thought he was dead in the Land of Goshen."" ""and as soon as he appeared," ""his father threw his arms around his neck" ""and for a long time wept on his shoulder" ""and said, 'now I can die," ""'now that I've seen you again," "And seen that you're still alive.'"" "Ain't no earthly power can make a story end" "As pretty as Joseph's." "Time was when you wanted to be like me." "Truth to tell..." "I had to do it all again..." "I wouldn't mind being just like you." "Come on, Sounder!" "You too tired, child." "We ain't going that far no way." "Come on." "Let's go, boy." "We gonna hunt something tonight." "[ laughs ]" "He's been mighty pert." "He'll be happy now he can go hunting again." "I'll go get the wood." "[ father humming ]" "[ door opens ]" "[ birds chirping ]" "[ scratching ]" "[ Sounder barking ]" "Sounder just couldn't poke slow enough for your father." "[ Sounder whining ]" "Lantern wouldn't have burned out in that time." "He must have fallen." "Sounder will show me." "Come on, boy." "Show me where he is." "[ barks ]" "[ panting ]" "How'd the two of you get this far?" "How far he go?" "[ whines ]" "[ whining ]" "[ whines ] [ sobbing ]" "When life is tiresome, ain't no peace Like the greatest peace." "[ sobs ]" "The Lord's hand's holding you now." "[ sobbing ]" "(music) you got to walk (music)" "(music) that lonesome valley (music)" "(music) you got to walk it by yourself (music)" "(music) nobody here (music)" "(music) can walk it for you (music)" "(music) you've got to walk it by yourself (music)" "(music) Jesus walked (music)" "(music) this lonesome valley (music)" "(music) he had to walk it by himself (music)" "(music) nobody here (music)" "(music) could walk it for him (music)" "(music) he had to walk it by himself (music)" "That's plenty of wood now." "Sounder ain't got no spirit left for living." "He hasn't gone to the woods with me since pa died." "He don't even whine no more." "He just lie on his coffee sacks on the cabin steps." "He'll be gone before you get home." "I dug a grave for him under the cedar tree." "Should be ready when the ground freezes." "I put some coffee sacks in to keep him warm." "Well..." "Well..." "Hey, boy." "It's gonna be okay." "I'll be back." "I promise." "Everything's gonna be okay." "Everything gonna be okay." "Boy:" "I used to think words were important" "If you found them in a book." "Now I think different." "Words are important if they're true," "Whether they be in a book or no." ""everything don't change much."" "Father:" "Everything don't change much." "There's eating and sleeping and talking and setting." "One day might be different from another," "But when it comes to the important things..." "He just crawled up under the house and died." "Wasn't no trouble at all." "What's that?" "Story I wrote." "You're in it." "Pa, too." "Didn't know what to call it till now." "Sounder's in it, too." "He died under the house?" "Where?" "Under where you used to sleep." "Father:" "One day might be different from another," "But when it comes to things that matter," "There ain't much difference when they're all put together." "Everything don't change." "{{{ the end }}}"