01x06 - Broomstick Wedding

[bunniefuu]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a bold adventuring man ♪

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ Battled for right with a powerful hand ♪

♪ His blade was tempered, and so was he ♪

♪ Indestructible steel was he

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter, a fearless and mighty adventuring man ♪

- [Narrator] In 1829, Louisiana had been an American state

for almost 20 years,

but still present were many evidences

of the Spanish and French rule of the previous century.

This is the story of one American

and two of those heritages.

Spanish cattle, Cajun women, and Jim Bowie.

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

- Hey, Rafe Bradford!

- Jim Bowie.

- How are ya?

- You oughta know better than to

try and rope them Spanish cattle.

Why, that's man's work.

- Look at this pommel, broke right off.

Seems it's been cut.

- Yeah, yeah.

What you need is one of these big old

Spanish saddles like this one here.

Big old horn reinforced with iron,

there ain't no steer critter alive

gonna pull off this horn.

Don't care how shag nasty he be.

- It's a fine saddle, alright.

Where'd you get it?

- I won it playing cooncan last year

over at Natchitoches, off a cowboy.

Yeah, it's a real antique.

Awful hard to come by.

You like to buy it?

- Huh?

How much?

- Well uh...

I'll tell you what,

being you're an old friend and neighbor, you know?

I'll trade you your outfit for mine, horses to boots.

[laughs]

- Rafe, you running away from something?

You in trouble?

- Me, in trouble?

Now, Jim you ever heard of me in trouble?

- I've never heard of you out of it.

- Oh, I'll admit to fighting and brawling,

but that's little trouble.

You ever heard of me in big trouble?

- Then why are you so greedy for a fast horse?

- Well, it's a speculation up in Natchez way.

If I can get there fast enough, I stand to make a fortune.

Now speak up, Jim.

Are we swapping, or am I riding on?

- Well, I'll tell you something, Rafe.

Last time I was in Natchez, I almost made a fortune myself.

A fellow tried to sell me something, a real bargain,

for a thousand dollars.

- Well, what was it?

- A gold brick.

Now, you get that cow-hocked,

jug headed, hay burner outta here.

- I should've known you'd be too smart

at horse trading for me, Jim.

- Well, I guess this is the end

of steer running for me today.

- Now, wait a minute, Jim.

Seeing you're set on steers, why don't you take my saddle?

No swapping, just a loan.

- No.

No thank you, Rafe.

I'm not that set on it.

- Why not?

I'm only riding home.

- I thought you said you were going to Natchez.

- No, No, that's just horse trading talk.

- Oh.

- I'll tell you what, take my horse with it.

Save us both on saddling, and you can bring it back

in a day or so and I'll just ride home on yours.

- Well, I would like to get that steer.

- Sure you would.

Now, you just get on this horse here

and try a good saddle, huh?

Yeah, stirrups about right.

- Yeah, stirrups are fine.

Hey, Rafe.

You're being mighty obliging.

- Well, I hadn't outta tried to out slick you.

Wasn't very neighborly, I'll admit it.

You know, I'd just at least poke you in the nose,

I feel that cuts it with myself.

[chuckles]

Anytime you feel like poking me in the nose,

brother Rafe, you're welcome to try it.

- Well, now the next free minute I have,

I'll just drop by your place and take a lick at it.

♪ Hm, hm, hm,

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

- Halt where you are, monsieur.

- What is this, a robbery?

- A thousand pardons monsieur, but we are pursuing someone

and you have much the appearance of the man we seek.

Except the horse and the saddle are not the same.

- Well, I'm glad to hear it's not me, gentleman.

Who is this fellow you're after?

- A man by the name of Bradford,

Monsieur Rafe Bradford.

- Rafe Bradford.

Seems I've heard that name somewhere.

My name happens to be Jim Bowie.

- I am Francois Leprie.

This is Jean Brezau, my cousin.

- Say, what does this critter Bradford look like?

I passed a couple of fellows on the trace.

- Well, he has much the same appearance and coloring

as yourself, monsieur.

We have never seen him, of course,

but one thing we are sure of.

He is riding a white horse with a Spanish saddle,

and a red Indian blanket.

- Spanish saddle?

You mean a rig with a high pommel and antique leather?

- Monsieur, you have seen this saddle?

- Have I seen him?

I talked to a man on such a saddle not two minutes ago,

about a quarter mile back on the trace.

- Merci, monsieur.

Merci beaucoup.

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

- Howdy.

- Halt, monsieur.

One move, you're a dead man.

- Huh?

If you're looking to rob me, you're outta luck.

Everything I own is in plain sight.

- We do not want your money, monsieur, we want you.

- Me?

- Did you not just admit to owning that saddle, monsieur?

- Oh, no.

No, don't tell me Rafe Bradford

just swapped me a stolen saddle.

This saddle yours?

- Monsieur, you have done a shameful thing

to an innocent girl.

The daughter of my sister.

You have kissed her, and you have run away.

- I have kissed her and I have run away?

[laughs]

- According to the customs of my people, monsieur,

a kiss is a promise to marriage.

- So that's why Rafe...

You think that I'm...

- Now you will come with us, please.

- Where are you taking me?

- To our village, monsieur.

And remember, we have the g*ns on you.

Now go.

♪ Oh, oh , oh , oh, oh, oh

- [Narrator] Thus was Jim Bowie escorted

to an unwanted wedding, with an unknown bride.

Pondering the while on the perversity of fate,

and the perfidy of friendship.

In the clannish Cajun fishing village of Bayou Batiste,

Jim was a foreigner, therefore a curiosity.

The ladies were fascinated, the men reserved,

the bride nowhere to be seen.

- Annette!

Annette, [yells in foreign language]

- Howdy, ma'am.

[speaking in a foreign language]

- Oh, you fool, this is not the man!

- Come on, what do you say?

[speaking in a foreign language]

- This is not the man who was betrothed to my daughter.

- This is how you described him, tall and dark.

And what is most unmistakable, he was riding a white horse

with a Spanish saddle, and a red Indian blanket.

- True, true, the saddle is the same,

but the man, no, he's not.

- Well, gentlemen, I'm sorry to tell you that

that's what I told you.

- Oh, monsieur, a thousand pardons.

Jean, the knife.

- Thank you.

- This is what comes from trying to please a woman.

- I'll bet.

- Did you tell me that I was mistaken

for this young lady's intended husband?

- Oui, monsieur.

- [Jim] This is what Rafe Bradford was running away from?

- [Leprie] Uh-huh.

And monsieur, you are free to go at any time.

But we would be most happy if you would honor us

with your presence at the wedding festival tonight.

There was to be two weddings, of course,

but now there will be only one.

You will stay, monsieur?

- Well, it'll be my honor sir, thank you.

Mademoiselle Rojean, my heartfelt sympathies.

- Merci, monsieur.

- And I can only say that Rafe Bradford is a bigger

fool than I thought he was.

- Monsieur, you would like a drink, no?

- Yes, sir.

- Annette, do you see him?

[speaking in a foreign language]

He is even more desirable than the other.

- Mama!

- You had your chance and you lost it.

[crowd laughing]

Look, the whole village is laughing at us.

[yelling in a foreign language]

What is the matter with this man?

- He's a stranger.

Besides, he is an American.

- The other was an American also,

and has proven even stranger than this one.

- But, I do not love this one.

- Love, ha-ha!

Love.

[speaking in a foreign language]

It's a luxury which women cannot always afford.

Men are scarce in these villages.

This one has been sent to us form heaven, I tell you.

Annette, did I not love your father?

But certainly, Mama.

- But not before the marriage.

The marriage was arranged by our parents.

The love came after.

- But, Mama, who will arrange this with him?

- Oh, are you not a woman?

Have you not the eyes, the lips, the good sense to use them?

- Mama, I have always listened to you,

but this thing, I will not do.

- Very well, then, die a spinster!

[speaks in a foreign language]

♪ Hm, mm, mm, ah, ah , ah , ah , ah ♪

- Mighty fine dinner, thank you.

- My pleasure.

The wedding ceremony will start soon.

- Isn't it a little unusual, a wedding at night?

- We do not have enough priests for all the villages

in the bayou.

Those we have spend their time traveling

from village, to village,

preforming the marriages, the baptisms,

the first holy communions.

Sometimes it is months between their visits.

So for the young people in love,

we have the broomstick wedding.

It's like your civil ceremony.

Then when the priest comes,

they are married again with the full rites of the church.

I think you will find the ceremony is charming

as it is practical.

Shall we go?

- If you don't mind, I'd like to bed my horse down first.

Why don't you go ahead, I'll join you.

- Just as you say, monsieur.

- Now, now cherie.

- Mama, I will not do it.

I will not set a trap for this nice man.

- Oh! [speaking in french]

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪

- Monsieur.

May I speak with you a moment, please?

- Well, sure, miss.

- It is very embarrassing when a man runs away from

a Cajun girl that he has kissed and promised to marry.

- Yeah, I guess it is.

That Rafe.

- You will see him again, perhaps?

- I sure will.

- You will give him something for me?

- I'll make a point of it.

- We go to the cabin of my Mama, and we can talk?

- My pleasure, miss.

[foreign singing]

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la , la, la ,la ♪

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la , la, la ,la ♪

- Sit, monsieur.

- Thank you.

- Oh, monsieur [speaking in a foreign language]

- Oh.

This is the smallest settee I ever sat on.

- It was a present for Mama.

- Oh.

- Monsieur, this is what I'd like you to return

to Monsieur Bradford for me.

- Did he give it to you?

- Oui.

Mama does not know.

Is it not beautiful?

- Why don't you keep it?

- But, is it not the custom to return such gifts?

- He won't expect it back.

- But, he ran away from me.

- He'll come back, he'd be a fool not to.

He's probably just not ready to settle down yet.

- Oh, truly, monsieur?

- Truly.

Here, let me put it on for you.

Would you mind lifting your hair at the back here?

- Alright?

- Yeah, thank you.

- Monsieur, do you think that I will die a spinster?

- I very much doubt it, miss.

- You know, I do not think so too.

- There we are.

Let's have a look.

Very pretty.

You know, where I come from when a fellow puts a necklace

on a girl, the gentleman gets a kiss for it.

- Americans have very nice customs.

I think so.

- I think so too.

- Ha-ha! [speaking in a foreign language]

- Well, now, look at this.

- Mama, it is not what you think it is.

- No, no.

- No, no, no, no, Mama.

- Mr. Leprie I...

Let me explain.

You see, I just put this necklace around her--

- To think that my friend, the man I broke bread with--

- Uncle, no, no!

- There is only one honorable path

for you to follow tonight, monsieur.

The broomstick wedding for the both of you.

[group of people arguing]

- [Narrator] Weddings are always emotional,

and this was no exception.

As Jim Bowie heard the words of this quaint,

but nonetheless binding ritual,

making crystal clear that couples who jump the broomstick

were married in the eyes of Cajun customs,

he was filled with emotion.

The emotion was pure panic.

- I am sorry, monsieur.

- Yeah, I'll bet.

- It was not my idea to trap you, it was the idea

of my Mama.

- In that case, why don't you tell em'?

- It's too late now.

♪ Jump, over, and over, and over, you go, jump ♪

- Monsieur, if I should help you escape

could you bring Monsieur Bradford back to me?

- Yes, ma'am, with pleasure.

- Promise.

Wherever he is.

I love him, and he loves me.

- I'll bring him back if I have to hog-tie him

and drag him all the way.

- Then, listen closely.

- Hm?

[whispering]

♪ Jump the broomstick

♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪

♪ Jump the broomstick

[crowd applauding]

- And now you, monsieur.

[clapping in rhythm]

- Now, monsieur.

You must jump the broomstick cleanly.

A stumble is bad luck.

- Yeah.

- Remember, monsieur.

It is official, and it is binding.

- Yeah.

- May happiness be with you, monsieur.

Go.

- Don't move.

Drop those g*ns.

[g*ns hit the ground]

Get over there.

First one of you moves, I'll sh**t.

[crowd chattering]

♪ Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do ♪

♪ Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do ♪

[horse galloping]

- There he goes!

Over here!

[g*nshots booming]

- Jim!

Why dog my cats, son, I didn't expect to see you so soon!

- I might say the same thing about you, brother Rafe.

Weren't you in a powerful hurry to get someplace yesterday?

- I'll admit it.

One of those things just didn't work out.

- Oh.

Yeah, you weren't hurrying to anyplace,

you were hurrying from someplace, that's all.

- Oh, did they catch up with you, Jimmy boy?

- Uh-huh.

- And did they take you back with 'em?

- Uh-huh.

- Well, come on, boy, what happened?

You can tell old brother Rafe.

- Same thing that would've happened to you.

They almost got me married.

- You?

You with that black eyed Cajun?

- Yeah, Annette.

[both laughing]

- Oh, what a gal, huh?

Just think, you and Annette.

- Yeah, just think.

[both laughing]

Rafe.

- Yeah, Jim?

- She's a mighty fine girl, that Annette.

- Oh, don't you worry about her.

She's too pretty a gal to stay single long.

- Because I promised that little gal

you were going down there to marry her.

I promised her you're gonna jump the broomstick with her.

- Now you are being funny, Jim.

You are the funniest ever.

[fist thuds]

Why, brother Jim.

- Now, you gonna come peacefully,

or do I have to drag you?

- Oh, no, I ain't coming peacefully,

and you ain't man enough to get me back any other way.

- Get on your feet, and we'll see whether I am or not.

[crashing]

[fist thuds]

Well, brother Rafe, I believe you said

it wouldn't take me longer than a minute.

- I'll give you one more chance to quit, Jimmy boy.

That was you can save yourself a terrible licking.

- Try again, brother Rafe.

[loud banging]

[fist thuds]

[screams]

[glass shatters]

[first thuds]

Give up?

- Why, shucks, no.

[both grunting]

- Oh!

Ow!

[fist thuds]

[splashing]

Let me be the first to congratulate you, brother Rafe.

- Huh?

Oh.

Next time we have a sociable little fight,

I won't let you off so easy.

- You won't, huh?

- Nah.

You know, the only reason I lost this fight,

was 'cause my heart wasn't in it.

I got to thinking about that little Cajun gal,

and I just couldn't bear the thought of losin' her.

I'll admit it.

- Well, one things for sure, brother Rafe.

You got a real nice place to set up housekeeping.

[both laughing]

[clapping in rhythm]

♪ Over, and over, and over you go, jump ♪

♪ Over, and over, and over you go ♪

[all cheering]

Hey, Rafe, just a minute.

I claim the best man's privilege.

- Oh?

Uh, brother Jim.

Wait a minute, brother Jim.

- Hm?

- Let's get out of here before he claims

more than he has a right to.

- Thank you Monsieur Jim, for everything.

- You're welcome, Annette.

[all applauding]

Bye!

Good luck!

Good luck!

- Monsieur, it was noble of you to bring him back.

- Oh, not to noble, just came back for my Spanish saddle.

I left in such a hurry I forgot it.

- Oh, these Americans, I do not understand their customs.

You get the Spanish saddle,

he gets the beautiful daughter of my sister.

I think he got the better of the bargain, monsieur.

- I'll admit it.

[all laughing]

♪ Jim Bowie, Jim Bowie

♪ He was a fighter

♪ A fearless and mighty adventuring man ♪