Little Big Man Quotes
Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Indians and fighting with General Custer.
Jack Crabb: Grandfather, I have a white wife.
Old Lodge Skins: You do? That's interesting. Does she cook and does she work hard.
Jack Crabb: Yes, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: That surprises me. Does she show pleasant enthusiasm when you mount her?
Jack Crabb: Well sure, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: That surprises me even more. I tried one of them once, but she didn't show any enthusiasm at all.
Old Lodge Skins: You do? That's interesting. Does she cook and does she work hard.
Jack Crabb: Yes, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: That surprises me. Does she show pleasant enthusiasm when you mount her?
Jack Crabb: Well sure, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: That surprises me even more. I tried one of them once, but she didn't show any enthusiasm at all.
Jack Crabb: Do you hate them? Do you hate the White man now?
Old Lodge Skins: Do you see this fine thing? Do you admire the humanity of it? Because the human beings, my son, they believe everything is alive. Not only man and animals. But also water, earth, stone. And also the things from them... like that hair. The man from whom this hair came, he's bald on the other side, because I now own his scalp! That is the way things are. But the white man, they believe EVERYTHING is dead. Stone, earth, animals. And people! Even their own people! If things keep trying to live, white man will rub them out. That is the difference.
Old Lodge Skins: Do you see this fine thing? Do you admire the humanity of it? Because the human beings, my son, they believe everything is alive. Not only man and animals. But also water, earth, stone. And also the things from them... like that hair. The man from whom this hair came, he's bald on the other side, because I now own his scalp! That is the way things are. But the white man, they believe EVERYTHING is dead. Stone, earth, animals. And people! Even their own people! If things keep trying to live, white man will rub them out. That is the difference.
[last lines]
Jack Crabb: Well, that's the story of this old Indian fighter. That's the story of the Human Beings, who was promised land where they could live in peace. Land that would be theirs as long as grass grow, wind blow, and the sky is blue.
Historian: Mr. Crabb, I didn't know...
Jack Crabb: Get out. Get out.
Jack Crabb: Well, that's the story of this old Indian fighter. That's the story of the Human Beings, who was promised land where they could live in peace. Land that would be theirs as long as grass grow, wind blow, and the sky is blue.
Historian: Mr. Crabb, I didn't know...
Jack Crabb: Get out. Get out.
Old Lodge Skins: Let's go back to the teepee and eat, my son. My new snake wife cooks dog very well.
Jack Crabb: All right, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: She also has a very soft skin. The only trouble with snake women is they copulate with horses, which makes them strange to me. She say's she doesn't. That's why I call her "Doesn't Like Horses". But, of course, she's lying.
Jack Crabb: All right, Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: She also has a very soft skin. The only trouble with snake women is they copulate with horses, which makes them strange to me. She say's she doesn't. That's why I call her "Doesn't Like Horses". But, of course, she's lying.
Old Lodge Skins: Come out and fight! It is a good day to die! Thank You for making me a Human Being! Thank You for helpin' me to become a warrior! Thank You for my victories, and for my defeats! Thank You for my vision, and the blindness in which I saw further! You make all things and direct them in their ways, O Grandfather. And now You have decided the Human Beings will soon walk a road that leads nowhere. I am gonna die now, unless death wants to fight. And I ask You for the last time to grant me my old power to make things happen.
[Lies down to die. After a moment, props himself up on his elbows to add: ]
Old Lodge Skins: Take care of my son here. See that he doesn't go crazy.
[Lies down to die. After a moment, props himself up on his elbows to add: ]
Old Lodge Skins: Take care of my son here. See that he doesn't go crazy.
Jack Crabb: General, you go down there.
General Custer: You're advising me to go into the Coulee?
Jack Crabb: Yes sir.
General Custer: There are no Indians there, I suppose.
Jack Crabb: I didn't say that. There are thousands of Indians down there. And when they get done with you, there won't be nothing left but a greasy spot. This ain't the Washite River, General, and them ain't helpless women and children waiting for you. They're Cheyenne brave, and Sioux. You go down there, General, if you've got the nerve.
General Custer: Still trying to outsmart me, aren't you, mule-skinner. You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really *don't* want me to go down there!
General Custer: You're advising me to go into the Coulee?
Jack Crabb: Yes sir.
General Custer: There are no Indians there, I suppose.
Jack Crabb: I didn't say that. There are thousands of Indians down there. And when they get done with you, there won't be nothing left but a greasy spot. This ain't the Washite River, General, and them ain't helpless women and children waiting for you. They're Cheyenne brave, and Sioux. You go down there, General, if you've got the nerve.
General Custer: Still trying to outsmart me, aren't you, mule-skinner. You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really *don't* want me to go down there!
Jack Crabb: Grandfather, I am glad to see you.
Old Lodge Skins: Glad to see you too, my son. My heart soars like a hawk. Do you want to eat? I won't eat with you, because I'm gonna' die soon.
Jack Crabb: Die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, my son. I want to die in my own land, where Human Beings are buried in the sky.
Jack Crabb: Well, why do you want to die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Because there is no other way to deal with the White Man, my son. Whatever else you can say about them, it must be admitted: you cannot get rid of them.
Jack Crabb: No, I suppose not, grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: There is an endless supply of White Man. But there always has been a limited number of Human Beings. We won today... we won't win tomorrow.
Old Lodge Skins: Glad to see you too, my son. My heart soars like a hawk. Do you want to eat? I won't eat with you, because I'm gonna' die soon.
Jack Crabb: Die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, my son. I want to die in my own land, where Human Beings are buried in the sky.
Jack Crabb: Well, why do you want to die, grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Because there is no other way to deal with the White Man, my son. Whatever else you can say about them, it must be admitted: you cannot get rid of them.
Jack Crabb: No, I suppose not, grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: There is an endless supply of White Man. But there always has been a limited number of Human Beings. We won today... we won't win tomorrow.
Mr. Merriweather: You're improving Jack, you just can't seem to get rid of that streak of honesty in you. The one that ruined you was that damned Indian, Old Tepee.
Jack Crabb: You mean Old Lodge Skins.
Mr. Merriweather: He gave you a vision of moral order in the universe and there isn't any.Those stars twinkle in a void there boy and the two legged creature dreams and schemes beneath them, all in vain, all in vain Jack.
Jack Crabb: You hear anything?
Mr. Merriweather: Listen to me, a two legged creature will believe anything and the more preposterous the better: whales speak French at the bottom of the sea. The horses of Arabia have silver wings. Pygmies mate with elephants in darkest Africa. I have sold all those propositions.
Jack Crabb: Or maybe we're all fools and none of it matters.
Mr. Merriweather: Ahhhh...
Jack Crabb: You mean Old Lodge Skins.
Mr. Merriweather: He gave you a vision of moral order in the universe and there isn't any.Those stars twinkle in a void there boy and the two legged creature dreams and schemes beneath them, all in vain, all in vain Jack.
Jack Crabb: You hear anything?
Mr. Merriweather: Listen to me, a two legged creature will believe anything and the more preposterous the better: whales speak French at the bottom of the sea. The horses of Arabia have silver wings. Pygmies mate with elephants in darkest Africa. I have sold all those propositions.
Jack Crabb: Or maybe we're all fools and none of it matters.
Mr. Merriweather: Ahhhh...
Old Lodge Skins: Come out and fight! It is a good day to die! Thank you for making me a Human Being! Thank you for helping me to become a warrior. Thank you for my victories, and for my defeats. Thank you for my vision, and the blindness in which I saw further. You make all things and direct them in their ways, oh Grandfather. And now, you have to silence the Human beings! We'll soon walk a road... that leads nowhere. I am going to die now, unless death wants to fight. And I ask you for the last time: to grant me my old power to make things happen.
Old Lodge Skins: [Proceeds to lie down on the ground. After a few seconds, props himself up and adds one more thought] Take care of my son here. See that he doesn't go crazy.
Old Lodge Skins: [Proceeds to lie down on the ground. After a few seconds, props himself up and adds one more thought] Take care of my son here. See that he doesn't go crazy.
Jack Crabb: I know of a white man who is as brave as any Human Being. His name is General Custer.
Old Lodge Skins: I would like to meet this man and smoke with him. What does his name mean?
Jack Crabb: It means 'Long Hair'.
Old Lodge Skins: Good name. How did he win it?
Jack Crabb: He won it in the war of the whites to free the black men.
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, the "black" white man; I have heard of them. It is said that a "black" white man once became a Human Being. They are a very strange creatures. Not as ugly as the white man true; but they are just as crazy!
Old Lodge Skins: I would like to meet this man and smoke with him. What does his name mean?
Jack Crabb: It means 'Long Hair'.
Old Lodge Skins: Good name. How did he win it?
Jack Crabb: He won it in the war of the whites to free the black men.
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, the "black" white man; I have heard of them. It is said that a "black" white man once became a Human Being. They are a very strange creatures. Not as ugly as the white man true; but they are just as crazy!
Little Horse: [an obvious "two-spirit" Indian approaches Jack] Little Big Man! You have returned. Don't you remember me? That hurts me deep in my heart.
Jack Crabb: [voiceover] It was Little Horse; the boy who wouldn't go on the raid against the Pawnee. He had become a "heemanee" for which there ain't no English word. And he was a good one, too. The Human Beings thought a lot of him.
Jack Crabb: [voiceover] It was Little Horse; the boy who wouldn't go on the raid against the Pawnee. He had become a "heemanee" for which there ain't no English word. And he was a good one, too. The Human Beings thought a lot of him.
Old Lodge Skins: Don't worry my son, you will be back with us, I dreamed it last night. I saw you with your wives
Jack Crabb: Wives, Grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, there were three... or four, it was hard to tell. It was very dark in your teepee and they were under buffalo rugs as you crawled among them. Anyway, it was a great copulation.
Jack Crabb: Wives, Grandfather?
Old Lodge Skins: Yes, there were three... or four, it was hard to tell. It was very dark in your teepee and they were under buffalo rugs as you crawled among them. Anyway, it was a great copulation.
Old Lodge Skins: Am I still in this world?
Jack Crabb: Yes Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: Heeya... I was afraid of that. Well sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't. Let's go back to the tepee and eat my son. My newest snake wife cooks dog very well.
Jack Crabb: Alright Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: She also has very soft skin. The trouble with snake women is they copulate with horses which makes them strange to me. She says she doesn't, that's why I call her "Doesn't like Horses." But of course she's lying.
Jack Crabb: Of course Grandfather.
Jack Crabb: Yes Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: Heeya... I was afraid of that. Well sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't. Let's go back to the tepee and eat my son. My newest snake wife cooks dog very well.
Jack Crabb: Alright Grandfather.
Old Lodge Skins: She also has very soft skin. The trouble with snake women is they copulate with horses which makes them strange to me. She says she doesn't, that's why I call her "Doesn't like Horses." But of course she's lying.
Jack Crabb: Of course Grandfather.
General Custer: Take my advice. Go West!
Olga Crabb: [in a Swedish accent] Vest?
[She wails and bursts into tears]
Jack Crabb: My wife, she's awful scared of Injuns.
General Custer: My dear woman, you have nothing to fear from the Indians, I give you my personal Custer guarantee.
[Abrupt cut to a wagon train being attacked by Native Americans and Olga screaming]
Olga Crabb: [in a Swedish accent] Vest?
[She wails and bursts into tears]
Jack Crabb: My wife, she's awful scared of Injuns.
General Custer: My dear woman, you have nothing to fear from the Indians, I give you my personal Custer guarantee.
[Abrupt cut to a wagon train being attacked by Native Americans and Olga screaming]
General Custer: A scout has a certain look... Kit Carson, for example. You look like... a muleskinner!
Jack Crabb: Uh, General I don't know anything about mules...
General Custer: Lieutenant, it's amazing how I can guess the profession of a man just by looking at him! Notice the bandy legs, the powerful arms. This man has spent years with mules. Isn't that right?
Jack Crabb: Uh, yes sir!
General Custer: Hire the muleskinner!
Jack Crabb: Uh, General I don't know anything about mules...
General Custer: Lieutenant, it's amazing how I can guess the profession of a man just by looking at him! Notice the bandy legs, the powerful arms. This man has spent years with mules. Isn't that right?
Jack Crabb: Uh, yes sir!
General Custer: Hire the muleskinner!
Jack Crabb: Uh, Mr. Hickock, how many men have you... gunned down?
Wild Bill Hickock: I don't rightly remember. You?
Jack Crabb: Oh, about two dozen.
Wild Bill Hickock: Is that a fact?
Jack Crabb: [voiceover] No, it wasn't a fact. In my gunfighter period, I was a terrible liar.
Wild Bill Hickock: I wouldn't have put your total that high. No offense, Hoss, but you ain't got the look of murder about you. Not like that fella over there
[nods toward a drunk sleeping at a nearby table]
Wild Bill Hickock: .
Jack Crabb: [laughing] Him! Why, he's just a common drunk.
Wild Bill Hickock: I don't rightly remember. You?
Jack Crabb: Oh, about two dozen.
Wild Bill Hickock: Is that a fact?
Jack Crabb: [voiceover] No, it wasn't a fact. In my gunfighter period, I was a terrible liar.
Wild Bill Hickock: I wouldn't have put your total that high. No offense, Hoss, but you ain't got the look of murder about you. Not like that fella over there
[nods toward a drunk sleeping at a nearby table]
Wild Bill Hickock: .
Jack Crabb: [laughing] Him! Why, he's just a common drunk.
[Sunshine has brought her widow sisters]
Sunshine: It is very sad. They have no husbands and they cry.
Jack Crabb: Well, that's too bad; I'm sorry.
Sunshine: Digging Bear had a baby and lost it. And so did Corn Woman. But Little Elk had no baby at all.
Jack Crabb: All right, what do you want me to do about it?
Sunshine: I knew you'd understand.
Sunshine: It is very sad. They have no husbands and they cry.
Jack Crabb: Well, that's too bad; I'm sorry.
Sunshine: Digging Bear had a baby and lost it. And so did Corn Woman. But Little Elk had no baby at all.
Jack Crabb: All right, what do you want me to do about it?
Sunshine: I knew you'd understand.
