Times were hard everywhere
during the days of the Great Depression.
But on Walton's Mountain, we were better off than most.
For many though, it was a time of wandering...
of looking for some better place...
a new grasp on life or a change of scene.
And I remember when some wanderers
came to our mountain...
one wild, stormy summer night.
No one.
Get the others.
Came to the right place.
There was nothing wrong with where that dial was set.
It's the storm doing it.
I'm just trying to get it come in a little clearer.
If that static keeps up, maybe we ought to turn it off.
That's what I've been trying to do with her for years.
I don't know which is more fun making popcorn or eating them.
-Making them. -Eating them.
Big old thunder and lightning storm coming up.
It'll probably shake down the whole house.
Mama, she's scaring me again.
Mary Ellen, stop scaring your sister.
Honestly, isn't she the nastiest thing?
That's exactly how I feel. Nasty as an old fishing worm.
It feels squishy.
And they taste squishy, too.
"I see the lights of the city...
"Gleam through the rain and the mist
"And a feeling of sadness comes over me
"that my soul cannot resist
"A feeling of sadness and longing
"That my soul cannot explain
"And resembles sorrow only As the mist resembles the rain"
Ben, I'm gonna knock a hole clean through you!
I don't care, they were picking on me!
Can't even take a joke, Mary Ellen.
Everybody in this house is always picking on me.
Nobody in this house ever really listens to me.
I listen to you.
Tell me one thing you've ever heard me say.
A while ago, you said....
Someday I'm going 1,000 miles away from this place.
You'll hear from me only after I'm famous and go on the radio.
What are you gonna do on the radio?
Sing, crack jokes, and tell all the world
how you all picked on me all the time.
-Who's ready to make popcorn? -I am!
-Watch out, it's hot! -That looks good.
Careful.
Found a new word in the dictionary today.Ambivalence.
That's me: Wanting things to stay like they are forever...
here on Walton's Mountain...
and yet wanting to be grown up and away...
to find new things to see and write about.
Ambivalence. It's a good word.
Thing is, knowing the word doesn't make
the two wants any easier to live with.
There was no violence, however, as the wily gunman...
spirited out of the area by the time the police moved in.
Nelson is known to be a close friend of John Dillinger...
public enemy number one.
And police have established....
What's with the static from the young'uns
and static from up there, I think we'd best go to bed.
You're right, Pa. Turn it off. It's driving me crazy.
How come when we're all eating the same thing...
Jim-Bob always makes his look like it tastes better than mine?
It probably is.
Keep it out of your hair, Jim-Bob. You, too, Elizabeth.
-Yes, ma'am. -I will.
Why I try to listen to the radio when a storm's threatening.
It's enough to drive a man to drink.
Try a popcorn ball.
Going over to Matt Beckwith's tomorrow to help with plumbing?
Said I would.
I want you to take a casserole to Martha when you go.
Jason, when we finished airing out the Baldwin place...
do you remember if you closed the second story window?
-Didn't you? -I think so, but I'm not sure.
You think? Miss Mamie and Miss Emily are paying you a fortune
to look after their house while they are away.
I know. We better go check on it right away.
Better wear something warm.
Jason, get my coat and gloves. I'll go light up a lamp.
-Sure. -Alright, you children.
Let's save some of this for tomorrow.
-Oh, can't we keep them? -No.
Go get Daddy.
Sure made a big hole.
Times are hard enough without feeding the foxes as well.
It was no fox, Mama. Too big. It was a dog.
Would you look at that?
The way I make it, it killed four hens, Mama.
Leghorns.
I never saw a fox that size before.
-It was a dog. -I reckon.
Fox or dog, we'll have to shoot it if it comes here again.
-Come on inside. -I'll fill up the hole, Daddy.
Get in!
Franzia, at last.
Mama...
you?
Come.
Something wants my baby.
No, Franzia.
Twice today...
the wind tried to suck his breath away.
And when the black clouds were overhead...
something dropped from them that was not rain.
Little black drops of poison.
The old one will know what to do.
Excuse me, everybody. I gotta run.
Where are you rushing off to, young lady?
G.W. Haynes. Promised him we'd meet and toss a few.
I'd like you to toss a few dishes first.
Why can't Erin do them? Erin likes doing dishes.
Look at her putting words in my mouth. I hate doing dishes!
Alright, girls. Get about your chores.
You ought to take turns.
John, I told you it wasn't gonna rain.
How'd you know that, Grandpa?
Because of the new crescent moon tilting upwards.
It never rains when it is in that position.
I'm glad it didn't...
since you two boys never did get to check on the Baldwin place.
I'm sorry, I forgot.
That fox raided the chicken coop last night, it slipped my mind.
I still say it wasn't no fox, it was a dog.
-You'd better get over there. -Thank you.
I've gotta meet Matt Beckwith at Ike Godsey's.
If you fellows want a ride, hurry up, I'll take you.
I've a few things for you to pick up.
Make a list and you've got them.
I'm gonna warm up the truck. Come on, Jason.
-So long, Daddy! -So long, Daddy!
We may have left a window open, but I know we locked the door.
Come on.
Do you see anything?
There's people in there.
They're real strange-looking.
Could be Baldwins.
No, they look like foreigners to me.
-Let's go. -What do you wanna do?
We'd better tell the Sheriff.
-Here you go, Matt. -Thanks, Ike.
I tell you the truth, if a fellow's gonna face bad times...
he's better off facing them here than in a big city.
I tell you, the smartest move you ever made...
is moving here and buying the Benson place.
I'll tell you something else, too.
This is the first time in my life that I've met real people.
You take John Walton.
He's not only doing that plumbing job for me...
but he drove all the way to Drew Narramore's place...
just to pick up them used U-joints.
You're the one who told about them just to save me money.
John said if he wasn't back in an hour...
that he'd meet you over at your place.
I was kinda depending on him for a ride.
I don't know how to get that pipe to my place.
I'll bring it to your place at lunchtime.
-Can I use your phone? -What's the matter?
Some Gypsies broke into the Baldwin place.
We nearly walked in on them. Lucky we're still alive.
Let's go there and take a look.
I think I better let Sheriff Bridges know first.
You've done enough in telling us.
-Ike, can you round up-- -I think John-Boy is right.
I think the Sheriff should take care of this.
-Just round up two or three-- -I've heard things about them.
Never thought I'd run into them.
A band of them came here a year or so...
and walked out with half my merchandise in their pockets.
We had a situation up North. Just last year...
a whole band of them no-goods.
We settled with them in short order.
I'll tell you, by the time we were done with them...
we didn't have any more trouble with Gypsies.
Not as long as I lived there.
Well, you should've let the law take care of that.
Law's too slow.
We had one thing in mind: Get those foreigners out of there.
-They're still there? -Far as we know.
Settled in for the winter, if I know that breed.
How many are there? Could you tell?
Four or five.
-We'll come with you, Ep. -I don't need any help, Matt.
I'm going that way, I could use a lift.
We're gonna come, too, Sheriff.
What am I running, a sightseeing tour?
Come on, climb in. Let's go.
Yes?
-You're the leader of them? -Alright, I'll handle this.
Jason, go inside and see...
what kind of damage there is in there.
You folks are trespassing. Who are you?
And what are you doing here?
My name is Volta. I am seeing to the needs of my family.
By breaking and entering?
By any means I can.
Your means just landed you in a peck of trouble, Gypo.
Alright, now hold it, Matt!
You're breaking the law, mister.
There was a storm coming.
The wagon roof was broken. The women needed protection.
I brought them here because there was no other place to go.
So you just bust in and make yourself at home?
We have harmed nothing!
It so happens that the owners of this place are our friends.
Matt, I'll thank you to keep out of it.
Is that baby sick?
Bringing Lord knows what kind of disease.
They've broken the law, arrest them.
How am I gonna lock up five Gypsies and a sick baby?
That baby needs a doctor, not a jailhouse.
Jason, what kind of damage was done in there?
There's no harm done, Sheriff.
It's a little messy, but nothing broken.
What am I gonna do?
I reckon they could camp out at our place.
Oh, John-Boy. You don't know what you're saying.
They've got a broken wagon and a sick child.
What do you expect them to do?
Can't you just see this passel of ungodly thieves...
descending on the Walton place?
You're welcome to come to our home if you like.
Daddy, Gypsies are coming to live here!
I know. I just saw Ep Bridges and Matt Beckwith.
Where is John-Boy anyway?
He's off with the Gypsies, showing them the way here.
It's alright to be curious about people, I can understand that.
But bringing Gypsies home, now that's going too far.
Gypsies steal children and make slaves out of them.
On second thought, it'll be fun to travel in a Gypsy caravan.
I wouldn't volunteer if I were you. Let them abduct you.
Livie, what ever possessed that son of ours?
Maybe some of his father's generosity, I guess.
Look, they're coming!
Reckless, stop that. Ben, tie him up behind.
Okay, Mama.
Volta, this is my mama and daddy...
my grandparents, and my brothers and sisters.
-Where best we put the wagon? -It's fine where it is for now.
-John Walton. -Welcome.
But for the broken roof of the wagon and the sick baby...
we would not be bothering you.
What's wrong with the baby?
He has a bad humor.
-I'll look at him. -I do not think so.
This is my family. That is Zvelei, my brother.
The boy is Craska, my son.
This is Franzia, my woman.
Zena, my mother.
We will repair our wagon, and we will go.
You're welcome to use any tools you need.
We ask for nothing. We take nothing.
That's the croupiest cough I ever heard.
-Let me take a look at that. -No!
Good heavens, I was just trying to help.
Zena will look to him.
We will now look for a place to make our camp.
They're not exactly friendly.
They're proud, Grandpa.
What have they got to be proud of?
Grandma, you don't know anything at all about these people.
And you do?
It'd take a long time to get acquainted with them.
Alright, you children, get in. Time to wash up for supper.
Go, get out of there!
Daddy, I'm sorry, but I couldn't let them sit there...
with that sick child, and maybe get arrested.
I've been thinking.
Maybe they ought to camp right here, near the water spout.
Alright, I'll go tell them.
I thought I'd bake an extra pie for them.
Take care you don't get your hand bitten.
That's just their way.
Most people have been mean to them, they don't trust anybody.
Hi.
You wanna swing?
Go on, I'll push you.
We need wood for the fire.
We've got lots. Take some of ours.
Go to the forest. Cut what we will need for supper.
How goes it?
It goes alright.
Where do you folks hail from anyway?
Across the water.
You headed any place special or you just....
No.
What's it like, traveling around?
-It's alright. -It must be wonderful.
Sometimes.
Don't let me interrupt, I was passing the time with you.
-You want anything else, Mama? -No, thank you.
Amos 'n' Andy will be onin 10 minutes.
I'll be right there.
Just listen to those vagabonds out there.
Takes all kinds to make a world.
Maybe.
But I'm too old to have to learn how to cope with the odd ones.
I can't see them traveling on with a sick baby.
Yeah, that baby needs better looking after.
What he needs is a poultice to loosen up that cough.
They're caring for it in their own way.
They sure are.
That cough's real bad, and what are they doing?
They're sitting out there, playing that Bolshevik music.
Mikkla, come on.
Good morning.
You come from very far from here?
-Very far. -Where?
A place you have never heard of.
I know lots of places. I read about them in my geography book.
Places I'll go someday.
You hear of Bulgaria?
Sure. It's in Europe, on the Black Sea.
When did you leave there?
We are not long here.
This butter's almost done. Would you like some?
We ask nothing. We take nothing.
I made some extra. I thought you might like some.
It's vegetable stew.
My family likes it and I thought....
We will take.
I've seen better manners.
Some folks need a good swift kick in the britches.
-$1.51. -Thank you, John-Boy.
John Walton's got them staying at his place
like they are part of the family.
Matt, John is just trying to help them on their way.
Now, what's wrong with that?
You just wait until they show their true colors.
You'll whistle a different tune, believe me.
What harm can they do?
They're just a bunch of poor people wandering the world...
without a place to call their own.
What about them chickens that got torn
to smithereens out at your place?
-Fox. -Dog.
They've got that dog foraging, same as they do.
They're dirty, and they carry dirt.
Lord knows what kind of disease they're spreading...
with that sick baby.
I say we get rid of the whole pack.
You don't know a darn thing about those people.
Do you?
Yes, sir. I think I do.
Since they here, that dog hasn't come near our chickens.
They haven't touched a thing that belongs to us.
I don't know what's wrong with that sick baby...
but can you honestly tell me you can turn it away from your door?
Like that.
Then I feel sorry for you.
See you later, Ike.
Up you go.
There you go.
What are you so cheerful about, son?
The Depression over?
FDR gonna give us all 40 acres and a new mule?
Are the banks open?
I cannot abide Matt Beckwith and his kind.
You have a run-in with Matt?
Tempted to...
but I held my tongue.
He's at the store telling everybody
to get ready for the plague!
I don't believe the Lord would inflict...
us with a plague on top of the Depression.
He's spreading word over half the county...
that the Gypsies brought something with them.
Telling everybody about that poor sick child.
Where did it come from?
The woman.
She brought.
You took from her?
-Foreign woman, but good. -You took from her!
-I have family to feed. -I feed!
Volta, this is all.
We ask for nothing.
We take nothing!
Even if we go hungry.
It's frustrating to have these people in the front yard...
and not learn a thing about them.
What I'd like to do is go down thereand sit with them.
Such sad music.
We are so lucky.
Where is the old woman?
-Zena is in the forest. -Good.
That cough's getting worse.
You mark me...
that baby needs right attention...
or there's no telling what might happen.
We are doing for it.
Let me take a look. Maybe there's something I can do.
Zena is in the forest for the roots.
The roots?
The roots, gathered the first day after the crescent moon.
My baby will be well soon.
It looks for all the world like influenza to me.
We better keep the children away from them.
Esther, couldn't you be mistaken?
Of course I could.
But that tight cough, chills, fever. All the signs are there.
And that old woman's treating that baby
with some kind of hocus-pocus.
Daddy, Sheriff Bridges is outside.
Why don't you try some asafetida?
That dog around now?
He's with my boy. They're hunting game.
I know exactly what kind of game they're hunting.
What's the trouble, Ep?
Matt here says this fellow's dog raided his chickens last night.
He killed three and dragged one off.
-You see the dog? -Clear as day.
What you gonna do about it, Sheriff?
That dog could get itself shot if he keeps this up?
The dog was with my son all night.
Is that all you're gonna do, Let him off with a warning?
If you want my job, I suggest you run for it next election.
I just might do that. We'll have a little justice around here.
In the meantime, I'm gonna run this the way I see fit.
Don't touch!
Children, all of you, get back in the house.
Why, Grandma?
That little baby might have influenza
and we can't chance getting it.
What did she say about influenza?
Grandma thinks the baby may have it.
Come on, Ep. Let's get out of here.
-I'm sorry for the bother. -No bother.
You tie that dog as soon as he gets back.
If you wish.
Matt Beckwith sure has it in for those people.
If he weren't them he'd be picking on somebody else.
My baby! He can't breathe!
-Give him to me. -Don't touch it!
Come on.
I was afraid something like this might happen.
His little throat's so swollen he can't get any air in.
You mumbo-jumbo all you like, but I'm gonna tend to this baby.
Stop her! She will kill it.
-They kill Gypsy babies. -Old woman, be quiet!
-Is the flannel hot, Livie? -Almost.
-Zeb, get the menthol salve? -Yeah.
John, we'll need a crib in my room.
This baby will need medication every couple of hours.
Come on, breathe in.
Okay, breathe in.
He's better already.
Thank you.
I'm just mighty glad that I knew what to do.
In the winter, we go south for the warm weather.
It is a hard journey.
Many towns will not let us stay overnight.
We keep going.
Very hard for me to imagine.
Traveling all the time, never having a home.
Home to us is not a place.
It is a feeling of being together.
The family.
Your little boy's resting easy. Breathing real smooth.
I thank you.
Mikkla, come!
Daddy, he's over here.
-No! -Craska.
Come here, look at this!
It was a fox.
Good dog, Mikkla. Come.
You have been good to us.
Good luck to you folks.
For your trouble.
We ask nothing. We take nothing.
They might have come from some different planet...
but they touched our lives briefly...
and then, in my mind, went on into some
gaudy, mysterious and wonderful world.
Nearly 30 years have passed...
but still those days are bright in my memory.
I can still hear the scratch of my pen
as I recorded all that wonder.
The cozy patter of rain on the roof...
and our voices just before going to sleep...
as we called one last drowsy message.
Mama, Mary Ellen's sleeping on the floor.
Mary Ellen, why are you sleeping on the floor?
I'm pretending I'm a Gypsy, Mama.
Traveling in a caravan across Bulgaria.
-Try to be home by morning. -I will.
-Sweet dreams. -You, too, Mama.
In a moment, scenes from the next episode of The Waltons.