The Twilight Zone (1959) s02e12 Episode Script
Dust
You're traveling through another dimension a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination.
That's the signpost up ahead.
Your next stop, the twilight zone.
There was a village built of crumbling clay and rotting wood and it squatted, ugly, under a broiling sun like a sick and mangy animal wanting to die.
This village had a virus shared by its people.
It was the germ of squalor, of hopelessness of a loss of faith.
For the faithless, the hopeless, the misery-laden there is time, ample time to engage in one of the other pursuits of men.
They begin to destroy themselves.
Ladies and gents, it's me, peter sykes peter sykes, back from st.
Louis stocked up with everything that's necessary for kitchen and barn and the dry throat and the swollen tongue.
Ha, ha! Young mr.
Gallegos, i believe.
Now, this is a very special day, isn't it? Now, let's see.
What is this special day, eh? Ah, now i remember.
It has just this moment come back to me.
Today you gonna get hanged.
Today, young mr.
Gallegos, killer of children dances on the gallows.
Well, what will it be for you today, mr.
Koch? Don't need any more rope, do you? You ought to see the fancy, five-strand hemp i sold the town for your party, gallegos.
It could lift five of you.
Any more at home like you, gallegos? Well, what will be your fancy, mr.
Koch? What do i fancy, sykes? I'll tell you what i fancy.
I'd like you to take your fat carcass and your loud mouth out into the open air.
This is a small room and it's a hot time of the morning.
Well, what about you, gallegos? What would your pleasure be? Nice hacksaw, maybe? There's going to be a funeral procession down that street, gallegos.
You better go to the window and watch.
They're burying the little girl that you mangled under your wagon.
You sobered up now, eh? You remember the little girl don't you? You got stinking drunk and you raced your wagon down that street and what you did to that poor little girl uh-uh, gallegos.
Hey you'll have plenty of chance to move around this afternoon.
You'll be able to kick and kick and kick.
You ought to take a drink of this, sheriff.
It's a good tonic.
Just the thing to set you up fine for a hanging.
Makes you strong and firm.
Here, feel this.
I don't touch dog meat, sykes.
You talk big behind a badge, koch.
Just sounds big to you because you're a midget, sykes.
You know, i always had a little question about you.
You always had a thing for foreigners and strays but you're mighty tight-lipped when it comes to one of your own.
You're not my own, sykes, so don't claim any kinship.
As for that boy in there he had his trial and today he's going to swing for it.
There's nothing in his sentence that says he's got to be tormented by a pig who sells trinkets at funerals.
Go on, sykes.
Get out of here.
When this day is over, which one will you weep for, koch? I have tears enough for both.
Mr.
And mrs.
Canfield, i'm real sorry about this.
My condolences to you.
This afternoon will be a lot more cheery.
Yes, we going to string up the dirty little animal that done this.
She going to be avenged.
You can set your mind to rest on that score.
We'll string up that mangler of children if it's the last thing we do.
Some other time, huh, sykes? Some other time you act like a man with no brains but not now.
Now you keep quiet.
Now, look at that, will you? Ain't that the most gall you ever seen in one place? Gallegos' old man shows his face in town in broad daylight and during the funeral procession, too.
Somebody ought to take a horsewhip to that that my father wishes me to tell you that my father wishes for me to tell you that his heart is broken.
That if he could if he could give his own life in return.
His own life in return, estrelita.
His own life in return, he would.
He would do so with great willingness.
He he understands get out of the way, little girl.
Get out of the way.
Can't you see can't you see that we're burying our daughter today? Oh, please, please.
My son did not mean to do it.
He he's a lover of children as you all are.
He's a lover of children.
Hey, ozzie! Vayase a la casa.
No se le necesita aqui.
He's not needed here.
Is that what you say to your old father? Father, take estrelita home.
They will hurt you.
Please, go home now.
Vayase a la casa, por favor.
Luis luis.
My lucky coin.
It is said one can make a wish on it.
Go home, old man.
Make your prayers and make your wishes.
Luis is right.
You'll do no good here.
You never been drunk, mr.
Sheriff? You never felt such misery rising in you that salvation seemed to look at you from only out of a bottle? You never felt pain? Such pain that you had to ride through the night and not look behind you? My son was hungry and he felt such pain and he drank too much.
He rode down the street not looking, not seeing.
And he had a sadness deep inside.
Sadness that there was not enough to eat sadness that he had no work sadness the earth all around him was growing barren in the sun.
He did not see the little girl.
He never saw her for an instant.
Psst, little girl.
Wait.
Now, you stay here.
I won't hurt you.
Don't be afraid.
You go tell your papa- you understand? Tell your papa i want to help him.
You tell him that his coin is no good- it's worthless- but that i have a magic dust that turns hate into love but it is very, very precious very expensive, comprende? Understand? Now now, you tell your papa to bring 100 pesos to my room in one hour and i will sell him the magic dust that makes people love and forgive.
You understand, eh? Tell your papa, comprende? Good, now you go.
Magic dust.
of magic dust.
It should be a good attendance today.
When was it god made people? Was it the sixth day? He should have stopped on the fifth.
They're tired of hating this place.
The sun the ground that is dead under your feet.
They must go out and find something else to hate.
This isn't a carnival, rogers.
It's a hanging.
You mean the kids? They ain't never seen a hanging.
I figured it was time.
Why? Why not? They'll learn a lesson.
They'll see what happens to drunks that kill kids.
I guess that's pretty vital.
How do you teach them pain, rogers? Shoot one of them in the arm? All right, you kids.
Get down and stay together.
Is that the man they're going to put the rope on? Si, little one.
I am the man.
Will it hurt? If god wills it.
Go on, boy.
Get ready, luis.
It's about that time.
I'm ready, sheriff.
Come on, let's get it over with.
Yeah, you should've done that in the jail.
Hang him! What are we waiting for? Let's get to it.
Come on, sheriff, do your duty.
Get it over with.
The little girl told you? Yes, she told me.
She said that you had the dust.
Dust with magic properties.
That's the idea.
Little of this sprinkled over the heads in the crowd will make them feel sympathy for your son.
It's very rare.
Magic, you know.
You brought money with you? Yes.
Gold pieces? Where did you get them? All my friends.
All my friends went into the city.
One sold a wagon, another sold a horse some borrowed.
We got many pesos and we converted them.
It will work, mr.
Sykes? The magic dust, it will work? Yes.
You sold the rope to hang my son.
Now you sell me that which will save him? Well, i'm a businessman, mr.
Gallegos.
I sell that which is needed.
I make no distinctions.
This will work.
I told you, it's magic.
Luis! I'm coming, my son.
I'm coming! Just throw some in the air over their heads and then watch the magic.
Yeah, that's right.
Then watch the magic.
String him up.
We waited long enough.
Let's not stall it.
Get it over with.
What are we waiting for? Hurry it up, sheriff.
Wait! Wait! Wait! You must pay heed to the magic now.
You must stop all of this and pay heed to the magic.
Magic.
Magic! You must pay heed to the magic.
All of you! Magic magic for love.
For compassion.
Magically so, that my son can live.
As you yourselves you once used to live.
Magic magic.
You you must pay heed to the to the magic.
It's only for love.
The magic is for love.
The magic is for the love.
Magic magic.
You must pay heed to the magic.
Magic it is for love.
It is for love.
The magic is for love.
No! No but it was a new rope.
Five-strand hemp.
Nobody could have broken it.
It couldn't have gotten broken.
What about it, mr.
Canfield, mrs.
Canfield? Oh, please, please.
It's the magic.
You cannot try to defeat the magic.
Let's try it again.
There are only two people here who have the right to ask for an eye for an eye.
What about it, mrs.
Canfield? No more today, john.
No more.
He killed our child.
And part of himself while doing it.
And he's suffered enough.
Sheriff koch, there must be there must be another hand in all of this for the rope to break like that.
Another hand.
Maybe maybe the hand of providence.
You want to stop it then, mr.
Canfield? John? We leave it like this? We leave it like this.
One victim is enough.
I think we should all go home now.
I i'm free.
Are any of us free, luis? Well, you can go home now.
You have that much freedom.
Luis, it was magic.
It was magic dust.
It brought back love to the people.
Yes, father, it was magic.
It's time to go home now.
Please, let's go home now.
New rope.
Brand-new rope.
Go ahead.
Take 'em.
They're yours.
Why? Don't understand.
Why? It must be magic.
That's what she is, magic.
It was a very small, misery-laden village on the day of a hanging and of little historical consequence and if there's any moral to it at all let's say that in any quest for magic in any search for sorcery, witchery, legerdemain first check the human heart.
For inside this deep place there's a wizardry that costs far more than a few pieces of gold.
Tonight's case in point in the twilight zone.
Rod serling, the creator oftwilight zone will tell you about next week's story after this word from our alternate sponsor.
And now, mr.
Serling.
In this rather posh club, you'll see a group of men argue a somewhat metaphysical subject like time travel.
One of them maintains it's possible to go back in time make a few changes in history, and, as a result do quite a job on the present in this case the assassination of one abraham lincoln.
Next week, a story called "back there.
" I'd like you all to come with us.
I think you'll find it a most exciting journey.
Thank you and good night.
Captioned by media access group at wgbh access.
Wgbh.
Org see the newandy griffith show each week over most of these stations.
Consult local listings.
That's the signpost up ahead.
Your next stop, the twilight zone.
There was a village built of crumbling clay and rotting wood and it squatted, ugly, under a broiling sun like a sick and mangy animal wanting to die.
This village had a virus shared by its people.
It was the germ of squalor, of hopelessness of a loss of faith.
For the faithless, the hopeless, the misery-laden there is time, ample time to engage in one of the other pursuits of men.
They begin to destroy themselves.
Ladies and gents, it's me, peter sykes peter sykes, back from st.
Louis stocked up with everything that's necessary for kitchen and barn and the dry throat and the swollen tongue.
Ha, ha! Young mr.
Gallegos, i believe.
Now, this is a very special day, isn't it? Now, let's see.
What is this special day, eh? Ah, now i remember.
It has just this moment come back to me.
Today you gonna get hanged.
Today, young mr.
Gallegos, killer of children dances on the gallows.
Well, what will it be for you today, mr.
Koch? Don't need any more rope, do you? You ought to see the fancy, five-strand hemp i sold the town for your party, gallegos.
It could lift five of you.
Any more at home like you, gallegos? Well, what will be your fancy, mr.
Koch? What do i fancy, sykes? I'll tell you what i fancy.
I'd like you to take your fat carcass and your loud mouth out into the open air.
This is a small room and it's a hot time of the morning.
Well, what about you, gallegos? What would your pleasure be? Nice hacksaw, maybe? There's going to be a funeral procession down that street, gallegos.
You better go to the window and watch.
They're burying the little girl that you mangled under your wagon.
You sobered up now, eh? You remember the little girl don't you? You got stinking drunk and you raced your wagon down that street and what you did to that poor little girl uh-uh, gallegos.
Hey you'll have plenty of chance to move around this afternoon.
You'll be able to kick and kick and kick.
You ought to take a drink of this, sheriff.
It's a good tonic.
Just the thing to set you up fine for a hanging.
Makes you strong and firm.
Here, feel this.
I don't touch dog meat, sykes.
You talk big behind a badge, koch.
Just sounds big to you because you're a midget, sykes.
You know, i always had a little question about you.
You always had a thing for foreigners and strays but you're mighty tight-lipped when it comes to one of your own.
You're not my own, sykes, so don't claim any kinship.
As for that boy in there he had his trial and today he's going to swing for it.
There's nothing in his sentence that says he's got to be tormented by a pig who sells trinkets at funerals.
Go on, sykes.
Get out of here.
When this day is over, which one will you weep for, koch? I have tears enough for both.
Mr.
And mrs.
Canfield, i'm real sorry about this.
My condolences to you.
This afternoon will be a lot more cheery.
Yes, we going to string up the dirty little animal that done this.
She going to be avenged.
You can set your mind to rest on that score.
We'll string up that mangler of children if it's the last thing we do.
Some other time, huh, sykes? Some other time you act like a man with no brains but not now.
Now you keep quiet.
Now, look at that, will you? Ain't that the most gall you ever seen in one place? Gallegos' old man shows his face in town in broad daylight and during the funeral procession, too.
Somebody ought to take a horsewhip to that that my father wishes me to tell you that my father wishes for me to tell you that his heart is broken.
That if he could if he could give his own life in return.
His own life in return, estrelita.
His own life in return, he would.
He would do so with great willingness.
He he understands get out of the way, little girl.
Get out of the way.
Can't you see can't you see that we're burying our daughter today? Oh, please, please.
My son did not mean to do it.
He he's a lover of children as you all are.
He's a lover of children.
Hey, ozzie! Vayase a la casa.
No se le necesita aqui.
He's not needed here.
Is that what you say to your old father? Father, take estrelita home.
They will hurt you.
Please, go home now.
Vayase a la casa, por favor.
Luis luis.
My lucky coin.
It is said one can make a wish on it.
Go home, old man.
Make your prayers and make your wishes.
Luis is right.
You'll do no good here.
You never been drunk, mr.
Sheriff? You never felt such misery rising in you that salvation seemed to look at you from only out of a bottle? You never felt pain? Such pain that you had to ride through the night and not look behind you? My son was hungry and he felt such pain and he drank too much.
He rode down the street not looking, not seeing.
And he had a sadness deep inside.
Sadness that there was not enough to eat sadness that he had no work sadness the earth all around him was growing barren in the sun.
He did not see the little girl.
He never saw her for an instant.
Psst, little girl.
Wait.
Now, you stay here.
I won't hurt you.
Don't be afraid.
You go tell your papa- you understand? Tell your papa i want to help him.
You tell him that his coin is no good- it's worthless- but that i have a magic dust that turns hate into love but it is very, very precious very expensive, comprende? Understand? Now now, you tell your papa to bring 100 pesos to my room in one hour and i will sell him the magic dust that makes people love and forgive.
You understand, eh? Tell your papa, comprende? Good, now you go.
Magic dust.
of magic dust.
It should be a good attendance today.
When was it god made people? Was it the sixth day? He should have stopped on the fifth.
They're tired of hating this place.
The sun the ground that is dead under your feet.
They must go out and find something else to hate.
This isn't a carnival, rogers.
It's a hanging.
You mean the kids? They ain't never seen a hanging.
I figured it was time.
Why? Why not? They'll learn a lesson.
They'll see what happens to drunks that kill kids.
I guess that's pretty vital.
How do you teach them pain, rogers? Shoot one of them in the arm? All right, you kids.
Get down and stay together.
Is that the man they're going to put the rope on? Si, little one.
I am the man.
Will it hurt? If god wills it.
Go on, boy.
Get ready, luis.
It's about that time.
I'm ready, sheriff.
Come on, let's get it over with.
Yeah, you should've done that in the jail.
Hang him! What are we waiting for? Let's get to it.
Come on, sheriff, do your duty.
Get it over with.
The little girl told you? Yes, she told me.
She said that you had the dust.
Dust with magic properties.
That's the idea.
Little of this sprinkled over the heads in the crowd will make them feel sympathy for your son.
It's very rare.
Magic, you know.
You brought money with you? Yes.
Gold pieces? Where did you get them? All my friends.
All my friends went into the city.
One sold a wagon, another sold a horse some borrowed.
We got many pesos and we converted them.
It will work, mr.
Sykes? The magic dust, it will work? Yes.
You sold the rope to hang my son.
Now you sell me that which will save him? Well, i'm a businessman, mr.
Gallegos.
I sell that which is needed.
I make no distinctions.
This will work.
I told you, it's magic.
Luis! I'm coming, my son.
I'm coming! Just throw some in the air over their heads and then watch the magic.
Yeah, that's right.
Then watch the magic.
String him up.
We waited long enough.
Let's not stall it.
Get it over with.
What are we waiting for? Hurry it up, sheriff.
Wait! Wait! Wait! You must pay heed to the magic now.
You must stop all of this and pay heed to the magic.
Magic.
Magic! You must pay heed to the magic.
All of you! Magic magic for love.
For compassion.
Magically so, that my son can live.
As you yourselves you once used to live.
Magic magic.
You you must pay heed to the to the magic.
It's only for love.
The magic is for love.
The magic is for the love.
Magic magic.
You must pay heed to the magic.
Magic it is for love.
It is for love.
The magic is for love.
No! No but it was a new rope.
Five-strand hemp.
Nobody could have broken it.
It couldn't have gotten broken.
What about it, mr.
Canfield, mrs.
Canfield? Oh, please, please.
It's the magic.
You cannot try to defeat the magic.
Let's try it again.
There are only two people here who have the right to ask for an eye for an eye.
What about it, mrs.
Canfield? No more today, john.
No more.
He killed our child.
And part of himself while doing it.
And he's suffered enough.
Sheriff koch, there must be there must be another hand in all of this for the rope to break like that.
Another hand.
Maybe maybe the hand of providence.
You want to stop it then, mr.
Canfield? John? We leave it like this? We leave it like this.
One victim is enough.
I think we should all go home now.
I i'm free.
Are any of us free, luis? Well, you can go home now.
You have that much freedom.
Luis, it was magic.
It was magic dust.
It brought back love to the people.
Yes, father, it was magic.
It's time to go home now.
Please, let's go home now.
New rope.
Brand-new rope.
Go ahead.
Take 'em.
They're yours.
Why? Don't understand.
Why? It must be magic.
That's what she is, magic.
It was a very small, misery-laden village on the day of a hanging and of little historical consequence and if there's any moral to it at all let's say that in any quest for magic in any search for sorcery, witchery, legerdemain first check the human heart.
For inside this deep place there's a wizardry that costs far more than a few pieces of gold.
Tonight's case in point in the twilight zone.
Rod serling, the creator oftwilight zone will tell you about next week's story after this word from our alternate sponsor.
And now, mr.
Serling.
In this rather posh club, you'll see a group of men argue a somewhat metaphysical subject like time travel.
One of them maintains it's possible to go back in time make a few changes in history, and, as a result do quite a job on the present in this case the assassination of one abraham lincoln.
Next week, a story called "back there.
" I'd like you all to come with us.
I think you'll find it a most exciting journey.
Thank you and good night.
Captioned by media access group at wgbh access.
Wgbh.
Org see the newandy griffith show each week over most of these stations.
Consult local listings.