Strawberry Roan

Howdy, partner.

Hello, stranger.

It's a lovely camp you got here.

Yeah, why don't you join us?

I will.

Make yourself at home.

Do you see what I see?

Why, it's the old maverick himself.

We just been talking about him.

Why, Ken, you old horse fly!

How'd you happen to find us?

That was easy. I heard you playin'.

You're the world's worst, you know?

Where you been keeping yourself the last two or three years?

I've been settled down in my own place

for quite a spell, and I got a hankering

to see the gang, though. And well, I'm here, ain't I?

Boy, you are welcome.

You know a lot of the boys here.

The rest of 'em would be mighty proud

to meet up with you.

-Come on. -Hey, boys!

Hey, cowboys, come up here.

Meet our old buddy, old boy.

You know Billy.

Hello there.

-Ken. -How are ya?

- Bill, how are ya? - Nice to see you, Ken.

This looks like quite a gather.

This is quite a reunion, isn't it, huh?

Yeah, I say, Ken, I just put

a brand new bridge in this old fiddle box.

Give her some of that old time music

like we used to play.

Yeah, I don't mind if I do.

You fellas were getting along pretty good

when I come up though.

Sounds mighty good.

Best choose it. What do you wanna play, partner?

Well, I don't think there's any better

rain song than that old "Strawberry Roan" of yours, Curley.

Let's play it.

Old boys.

Sure like old times, boys.

For wine and for women, he never was strong,

but he's a double barrel wild cat when it comes to song.

Haven't changed a bit, Shanty.

The only person finds cowboying captivity, huh?

How's you fitting?

Everything's all right now, let's go.

All right, here we go.

Here, Hank, take it.

Always something with the boys.

Glad to play.

Yeah, come on back.

Well, gang, how goes everything? How you been getting along?

Oh, all right, Ken. We're still punching dogies.

-Yeah, where you working now? -In the north part, Ken.

Oh, I thought you was over in that brush creek country.

Not yet.

What have you got to say for yourself, old buzzard?

Not much, Ken.

Put in charge and just as poor as I always was.

Curley, that reminds me of the old days.

That sure is some song.

I'll say it is, and that sure was some horse.

Yes.

Some horse, what do ya mean?

Why, that's only a song some hombre wrote.

Says you, smart guy.

There sure was such a horse.

Hey, Ken, tell these fellas about

that old Strawberry Roan, will you?

Well, yeah, what's the matter?

Some of these boys

don't believe there ever was such a horse.

I guess there was such a horse, wasn't there, boys?

-There was. -What a pony!

-He'll tell 'em about it. -He sure will.

Say, Shanty, let's play "The Strawberry Roan"

again for him, just to get him in the spirits.

Nice and easy like.

There wasn't a whole lot to it.

Bunch of us was over in the river rock country one time.

We were poor, didn't have a dime in our pockets.

That's fine, boys!

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

That's just what we're playing for.

I'll have mine.

Here you go, boys.

This is sure gonna hit the spot.

This ain't gonna miss.

-You... -Ha.

I thought you hombres were out looking for a job.

I should toil and fret and sweat,

while rounding up dumb steer, when for a tune,

I can earn the room and have some left for beer.

Well, we were out looking for work all morning, Ken.

Honest we were.

Jobs are awful scarce around these parts.

Yeah, you're right, boys.

I've been out all morning myself,

couldn't find a thing.

Whoa, boy, whoa!

Quiet.

Take the line there, daughter.

You wait here a few minutes for me, will ya?

-Yes, Daddy. -I won't be long.

Bart. Bart!

Bart, hurry, you know this rheumatism has got me down.

Yes, sir.

Easy now.

Mighty concerned you don't hurry.

Give me my stick. Give it to me. You know I can't move much without it.

I gotta ask for everything I get.

Bart.

Remember, no drinking.

Who, me?

Not a chance.

Come on, come on, Bart. Hurry up, will you?

What's the matter with you?

All right, boss.

Hello, Jim.

-Hey! -Hi, Jim.

Hello, Jim.

I ain't feeling too good today.

No, that's not enough for me.

You're looking pretty good.

Come on, boys, everybody have a drink with me.

That's it.

Go on then, set 'em up, set 'em up for the house.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Well, Jim, how are things?

Oh, things are pretty good,

except that old roan is on the rampage again.

-No. -Yes.

What's that darned lord done now?

Killed anybody?

Oh, he ain't killed nobody,

but he pawed up one of my boys pretty bad.

I'm here to hire any of you bronc fighters

that's out of the job and looking for work.

You can count me and my two partners

in on that, Mr. Edwards.

I'll say you can't.

Boss, it'd be cheaper to let that roan

run off a few mares now and then,

instead of staging such a round-up.

Oh, Bart, I'm determined to see that roan saddle rode.

That suits me, Jim.

- We'll make a contest of it. - Contest?

Yes, and I'll hang up a prize, it'll be well worth riding for.

What prize?

To the man who can ride that roan till he quits,

I'll deed my title to the Double Bar Ranch.

-You mean it? -Yes, sir.

Well, what do you think of that, hey?

That's some prize, ain't it, hey?

Hey, sure, Shanty, any one of us can ride that roan.

Colonel, that looks like a mighty big prize

for just a little horse riding.

-What's the catch? -No catch.

I've got enough to last me the rest of my life.

And I have a notion that the man

who finally conquers that roan

will be the kind of man to own the Double Bar.

Jim, when you get that roan corralled, let me know,

and we'll begin the contest.

Attention, boys.

Any of you boys that want to get in on this

better saddle up.

I'm leaving for the ranch, pronto!

If I get a chance for that old horse for a long time...

I'd wrangle it to save us all, boys.

Hello, Alice.

I didn't know you were in town.

How've you been?

I intend but... I feel neglected.

Why haven't you been over to see me?

Well, I've been pretty busy looking for a job.

I finally found one though.

Oh, really?

Something I've been wanting to do

for a long, long time.

You're not going away?

-Afraid I am. -Oh, Ken.

I'm coming right over to your house and go to work.

Your father just hired me.

-No! -Sure, he did.

Well, now maybe we'd get rid of this cussing roan.

Well, we'd better, boss.

We've been wanting this dang thing for a long time.

All right, here we go.

Here, take my cane, daughter.

Yes, Daddy.

Boost up a little bit there.