" Braids, Pink Ribbons and Bows "
By: Lynne G.
Little Joe Cartwright loved to play pranks on his big brother Hoss, because he thought that Hoss was always the ' perfect ' victim, and the boy knew that Hoss would fall for anything that he had planned.
Little Joe had been trying to come up with some pranks he could pull on his oldest brother, Adam, but that was rather hard as Adam was a very serious person, who didn't seem to have time for pranks.
Oh sure, Adam had pulled some pranks on Little Joe, but most of them didn't turn out as planned and they ended up hurting the youngster's feelings.
While on his way home from school one day, an idea for a prank on Adam suddenly popped into Little Joe's head, which made him giggle loudly.
That evening as Little Joe did his barn chores, he made his plans for the prank that he would pull on Adam. He decided not to tell Hoss about any of his plan just in case Hoss accidently mentioned it to Adam.
That next day as Little Joe left school, instead of going straight home, he rode to the general store. Once he arrived there, he got off Tony, and tied his reins to the rail outside the store, and he walked into the store.
" Hi Little Joe," Tom Cass greeted the boy as he walked into the store. " Hi Mr. Cass. I was wonderin' if'n ya got lots of pink ribbon I can buy ?" the boy asked.
" Yes I do son. It's over next to all the material. How much do you need?" Tom asked as he wondered why in the world Little Joe would want pink ribbon for.
Little Joe thought about how much ribbon he would need. " About this much please," the boy replied as he spread his arms wide apart to show Tom how much ribbon he needed.
Tom then cut a length of ribbon that the boy had indicated with his arms, but decided not to ask what in the world the boy needed all that ribbon for.
" Thanks Mr. Cass," Little Joe said as he handed Tom the money for the ribbon. " Oh, Mr. Cass, please dunt say anythin' ta anyone 'bout this, ok?" the boy added. " I promise I won't Little Joe," Tom replied. " Thanks. Bye Mr. Cass," the boy said as he left the store. " Bye son," Tom answered back, still wondering why the boy wanted so much pink ribbon, but then with Little Joe, anything was possible.
Little Joe put his package of pink ribbon in his saddlebags and he headed for home with a big grin on his young sweet face that had mischief written all over it. " Now, I just gotta figure out the perfect time ta get big brother," he told Tony.
On
Saturday, Adam told Ben that he was going to ride into
Curly had
been in town for a couple of days while on his way to
Little Joe had over heard Adam telling Ben about his plans for the day, and he knew that today he would pull his prank on Adam.
As soon as
Adam had left for for
Once Adam had arrived in town, he went straight over to the International Hose to meet up with Curly. Little Joe rode over to where Sport, Adam's horse had been left tied to the hitching rail.
Adam was very proud of his beautiful horse and he made sure that Sport always looked his best. Everyone in town knew the Cartwright horses and they all knew how proud the family was about their horses.
Little Joe peeked into the diningroom just to make sure that Adam and Curly were in there. Then he went back out to where Sport was tied at the rail, next to Tony.
The boy reached into his saddlebag and he took out the pink ribbon and a comb. He stood behind Sport and he began to comb Sports tail. Then he carefully divided the tail into three equal sections and he gently began to braid Sport's tail.
While he was braiding the tail neatly, he also braided in some of the pink ribbon into the tail too. Once Sport's tail was perfectly braided along with some pink ribbon in it, Little Joe cut more ribbon with his knife and he made a large bow and he tied it at the end of the tail.
Now that the tail was finished, Little Joe tied more pink ribbon on Sport's forelocks and he made a bow that he tied between the horse's ears.
Now for the finishing touch the boy thought to himself, the mane, which he made several braids and he tied them off with pink bows.
Little Joe stood there to admire his handy work and he was very pleased with himself as he started to giggle.
" Oh Little Joe, what have you done to Adam's horse?" Sheriff Roy Coffee asked as he was laughing loudly at the way Sport looked.
" Oh,
hi Mr. Coffee. Please dunt tell Adam. I'm
just pullin' a prank on him," the boy replied as
he felt a little nervous at the moment. " Alright
son , but you know, Adam's not going to be happy when he see's
his horse. You know how particular he is about this horse,"
" Yeah I know, but it ain't hurtin' Sport, or should I say Sportetta, none. I gotta go and hide now. See ya !" the boy said as he led Tony out of sight. He knew he wouldn't have much longer to wait until Adam came out to go home. It had taken him a while to give Sport his new look.
By now a fairly large group of people had gathered near Sport and they were all laughing at how silly poor Sport looked.
As Adam and Curly walked out of the International House after lunch, Adam said, " Now don't forget to stop by the ranch for a few days on your way home now Curly."
" I promise I will. Well, I have about an hour before the stage leaves, so I will say ' good bye ' now Adam. Hum, I wonder what is so funny? Look at all those people standing there laughing," Curly said.
Adam glanced over towards the people and he stared and gasped as he saw his beloved Sport standing there in braids, pink ribbons and bows. " My horse !" Adam shouted as he and Curly quickly ran over to Sport, who whinnied at Adam.
" Hey Adam, you sure did fancy up Sport didn't you?" Wilber Runson said as he was laughing, along with everyone else who was standing there. Even Curly was laughing.
" Golly Adam, how could you do this to your horse?" Curly asked as he was laughing hard.
" Adam, your horse sure does look pretty," Roy Coffee added, as he was laughing loudly again.
" Who
did this?" Adam shouted as he was totally embarrassed and very angry as
well. " I have no idea who would mess with
your horse Adam. Haven't seen anyone around him,"
By now, Little Joe was almost rolling on the ground as he was giggling almost out of control. Luckily Adam didn't hear that all to familar giggling from his baby brother.
Adam angrily climbed on Sport and he quickly left town and headed home. As he rode off, he could still hear loud laughing behind him. He couldn't believe anyone would mess with his horse.
As soon as Adam had left town, Little Joe rode out in another direction. He wanted to get home before Adam did, so he headed for the short cut he liked to use, knowing that Adam never went that way.
When Little Joe arrived home, he quickly led Tony into the barn where he unsaddled his horse and rubbed him down. Then he he climbed up to the hayloft to hide, knowing Adam would be home soon.
All the way home, Adam tried to think of who would pull such a prank on him. Then it donned on him, Little Joe. " Why that little brat ! I'll kill him for this !" Adam thought out loud.
Before Adam had arrived home, Hoss rode into the yard, and he took Chubb, his horse into the barn so he could unsaddle him and rub him down.
As Hoss was busy in the barn, Adam rode into the yard, got off Sport, tied him to the rail and he quickly headed for the house.
When Adam opened the front door, he shouted, " WHERE IS HE ?" Ben got up from his desk and looked at a very angry Adam.
" Adam, where's who ? What's wrong?" Ben asked. " You know who, that baby boy of yours ! Where is he? I'm going to kill him !" Adam shouted again.
" Now, just a minute Adam. What is going on and why do you want to kill your little brother?" Ben inquired.
" Pa,
you won't believe what that little brat did to me. I'm the laughing stock
of
As Hoss walked out of the barn he noticed Sport standing there in braids, pink ribbons and bows, and he started to laugh hard. " Oh Sport, what on earth did big brother do to you? You poor boy," Hoss laughed as he kept looking at Sport again.
When Hoss walked into the house he looked at Adam sitting there not looking very happy. " Hey Adam, what a purdy horse ya have out there. What did ya do to him? Is he a ' she ' now? Hoss asked as he was still laughing.
" Just shut up, will you please !" Adam shouted. Ben had had enough of this. " Would someone please tell me what is going on here ?" Ben pleaded.
" Pa, go take a look at Sport, or should I say, ' Sportetta " , Hoss suggested as he was still laughing.
Ben walked over to the front door, opened it and saw Sport standing there in braids, pink ribbons and bows, and he started to laugh.
" I'm sorry Adam, but I have to say that Sport looks very funny all dolled up !" Ben told Adam as he walked outside to get a closer look at the fancied up horse. Hoss and Adam followed behind, with Hoss laughing and Adam not laughing.
" Where is he ?" Adam angrily asked again. " Where's who big brother ?" Hoss asked as he had an idea who had done the handy work on poor Sport.
" You all know who I'm talking about, and when I find him, I'm going to kill him !" Adam shouted again. " Come on now Adam, what makes ya think little brother had something to do with this?" Hoss asked.
" Because we all know that that boy loves to pull pranks, that's why !" Adam replied loudly.
" Ah now Adam, ya ain't really gonna kill little brother. Look at it this way, it's only a little prank, and I have to say, it's mighty funny too," Hoss told Adam.
Adam glared at Hoss as he began to undo the braids, ribbons and bows, since he didn't want any of the hands to see Sport looking like this, but he was too late, as several of them did see Sport and they were all laughing too and some of them were whistling at Sport as well.
Hoss stood
close to Ben and asked, "
Finally Adam had all the braids, ribbons and bows off Sport and he took his horse into the barn and unsaddled him. " Don't worry boy, we'll get that boy for this, I promise," Adam quietly told Sport, and Sport whinnied back to him.
Little Joe was about dying up in the hayloft. He was giggling as quietly as he could, with tears rolling down his face and his stomach was aching from giggling so hard to himself.
Little Joe felt so proud of himself at the prank he had pulled on Adam, but he also wondered how long he should stay hidden. After all Adam was very angry, and an angry Adam wasn't a pretty sight.
After Adam had Sport taken care of, he climbed up to the hayloft to look for his baby brother, since the loft was one of the boy's favorite places to hide. Little Joe knew that Adam would come there looking for him, so he had covered himself up with hay, and he stayed as still as possible, barely breathing.
When Adam didn't find Little Joe in the loft, he climbed down and left the barn. The boy decided to stay hidden a little longer.
Adam searched the house, the tack room, the outhouse, and down by the creek, and still no sign of Little Joe. He knew his little brother was home, because Tony was in his stall.
" Still can't find your little brother I take?" Ben asked when Adam returned to the house. " No I can't, but I will. He has to come out of hiding one of these days, and when he does, he'll be very sorry indeed," Adam declared.
" Adam, for heaven sakes, it was only a little prank, and you know how much that boy loves to pull pranks. Just think about it for a moment son, that boy can come up with some very funny pranks. He's young Adam, and he loves to have fun," Ben explained.
" Yes, but Pa, everyone in town was laughing at me and Sport. It was totally embarrassing !" Adam stated.
" I'm sure it was, but look at it this way, you made everyone feel good by laughing. Son, you take life much too serious, and you need to learn to enjoy the fun side of life. I know you can son," Ben told Adam.
Adam didn't say anything as he sat down. He knew that he needed to get back at his little brother but good, some how.
Hoss went back out to the barn to find Little Joe. " Hey Punkin, ya can come out now. Big brother's in the house, and he has settled down now," Hoss announced.
Little Joe heard Hoss and he answered back, " Ya sure he ain't in here Hoss ? " I'm sure," Hoss replied back. Little Joe came out of hiding and he climbed down the from the loft. The boy carefully looked around the barn and he was very relieved when he saw only Hoss standing there.
" Boy Short Shanks, ya really got old Adam but good didn't ya. What a funny prank ya pulled. Sportetta looked so purdy," Hoss told his brother as he smiled at the boy.
" Did ya like the way Sport looked ? Did ya really Hoss ?" the youngster squealed. " Yup, sure did. How did ya ever come up with that idea ?" Hoss asked.
" I just popped inta my head one day, and I knew it would be perfect, and it wouldn't hurt Sport. We all know how he feels about how Sport looks, so this was perfect !" Little Joe replied as he walked over to Sport and he petted him on his silky neck. " Sorry Sport, but I couldn't help it," the boy told the horse, who whinnied back at the boy.
Neither Little Joe or Hoss noticed Adam walk into the barn, but the next thing Little Joe felt was someone grab him and pick him up and carry him out of the barn.
To his surprise, it was Adam, who had a strange look on his face. " Uh oh. Hi ya Adam. What's goin' on?" the boy nervously asked. His big brother wasn't laughing as he stood there tightly holding onto his little brother. Little Joe tried to get away from Adam's hold, but he couldn't.
" Don't you ' Hi ya Adam ' to me. You're in for it now little boy !" Adam threatened as he calmly walked over to the water trough where he dropped the boy into the water.
Little Joe resurfaced and spit water out of his mouth, and he coughed. " Whatcha do that fer? Can't you take a prank big brother ?" the youngster asked.
Adam didn't answer back as he kept pushing Little Joe under water over and over. " HELP, HELP !" the boy shouted everytime he resurfaced.
As soon as Ben heard Little Joe shouting for help, he quickly ran outside, only to see Adam pushing his baby brother back under water.
" Adam, that's enough now ! What are you trying to do to him, drowned him?" Ben shouted. " Sounds like a good idea to me," Adam declared.
Little Joe resurfaced again and held onto the side of the trough, breathing hard. " Thanks Pa !" the boy said.
" Are you alright son ?" Ben asked. Little Joe nodded that he was fine. Ben let Little Joe catch his breath before he pulled him out of the freezing cold water.
" Hoss could you please go and get some dry clothes for Little Joe and take them to the washroom ? He's shivering badly," Ben said. " Sure Pa," Hoss replied. " Boy, big brother sure can't take pranks, can he Pa?" Little Joe asked as his teeth were chattering. " Doesn't look like it," Ben replied.
Once Ben and Little Joe were in the washroom, Ben told his son to get out of his wet clothes, while he went to get him some towels. " Ok Pa," Little Joe replied back to Ben as he began to take his clothes off.
Several
days later, Adam decided to get back at his little brother but good. He
rode into
He saddled Tony and tied his reins to Sports saddle horn. Then he left a note for Little Joe wishing him a nice long walk home after school. He then rode back to the Ponderosa with Tony.
The day was cold and just before school let out, it began to pour down rain. Little Joe noticed the rain and he knew he was in for a long wet and cold ride home.
He couldn't believe it when he noticed Tony missing, and the note from Adam. Dadburnit that old Adam," he mumbled as he wasn't looking forward to the very long walk home in the nasty weather. He didn't mind walking, but not in weather this bad.
Adam had made it home just before the rain started to pour down. " Ha, ha little brother, looks like you have a good long wet walk home. Serves you right !" Adam said to himself.
" Your poor little brother having to ride home in the pouring rain," Ben said. " Pa, would ya like me to put some dry clothes for him in the washroom, so he can get into dry clothes as soon as he gets home?" Hoss asked. " Yes. Thank you son. That's a good idea, and I'll put some towels in there for him too, Ben suggested.
Adam sat there with a big grin on his face, and he didn't feel one bit sorry for his little brother. " Two can play at this too little brother," he thought to himself.
" I thought that Little Joe would have been home by now," Ben nervously said as he looked at the Grandfather clock by the door.
" He's probably ridin' slow cuz of the weather," Hoss explained. " I suppose so, but not this late," Ben replied.
Little Joe walked as fast as he could in the heavy pouring rain. It was actually hard to see through the rain, but he slowly continued on. He was freezing cold, and the wind wasn't helping either.
About three hours later, a very tired, shivering and soaking wet Little Joe walked into the yard. " Finally," he mumbled.
" Mr. Cartlight, dinner ready very soon. Where Little Joe?" Hop Sing asked. " Hopefully he's on his way home," Ben replied, as he was just about ready to go and look for his very late son.
No sooner had Ben said that, when the front door opened and a totally drenched Little Joe staggered into the house. He liked like a drowned rat.
Ben rushed over to his badly shivering son. " Are you alright Little Joe ? Where have you been ?" Ben asked as he was concerned at the condition of his son.
" Oh lordy Punkin, what happened to ya?" Hoss asked. Adam was rather shocked when he saw his little brother. He didn't realize what he had just put his baby brother through.
Ben and Hoss helped Little Joe to the washroom, since the boy didn't seem to want to move on his own. They quickly got him undressed, dried off, and into dry clothes.
As Ben and
Hoss were helping Little Joe, the boy said, " I'm so tired
" Son, why did you have to walk home ? What happened to Tony ?" Ben asked. " He wasn't there. I'm so cold," the boy mumbled.
Hoss quickly picked up the youngster and carried him out to the livingroom and laid him on the sette in front of the fireplace that had a very warming fire burning nicely. Ben got a quilt and wrapped it around Little Joe, and he sat down on the large coffee table between the sette and the large fireplace.
" Sweetheart, why did you have to walk home and where was Tony?" Ben asked again. Little Joe just closed his eyes and didn't say anything. He just wanted to feel nice and warm again. He was exhausted. Walking in weather this bad was very exhausting.
" Pa, why doesn't he tell us why he had to walk home for ?" Hoss asked. " I wish I knew son," Ben replied as he looked at his youngest son snuggly wrapped up in the thick warm quilt.
By now Adam felt guilty as he looked at his little brother laying there on the sette, and the look of concern written all over the faces of Ben and Hoss.
" Pa, it's all my fault," Adam quietly said. Ben and Hoss both turned to look at Adam who had walked over to the sette. " What do you mean, it's all your fault ?" Ben asked Adam.
" I decided to get even with Little Joe. So I rode to the school, saddled Tony and brought him home. I left a note for Little Joe and told him to enjoy his long walk home. I had no idea the weather would get so bad. I'm so sorry. I should have known better," Adam explained.
At first Ben didn't say anything as he thought about what Adam had just told him. " Adam, I can't believe you would do something like this to your baby brother, and you call yourself an intellegent man? I don't know what to think," Ben said angrily. Hoss just glared at Adam.
" Don't you tell me you're sorry, tell your little brother that you're sorry. Of all the stupid things to do!" Ben loudly said.
" Geez big brother, he only pulled a cute little prank on you, that was very funny, but what you did to him wasn't one bit funny, and if he gets sick, it's all your fault !" Hoss told Adam.
When Adam looked down again at Little Joe, he saw the boy looking up at him with a hurt look on his face.
" Little Joe, I am so very sorry about this . If I could take back today I would. I had no idea this storm was coming, and if I had, I wouldn't have taken Tony home and make you walk all that way. Please forgive me little buddy ?" Adam apologized.
Little Joe continued to look at his oldest brother, and he could tell just by looking into Adam's eyes, that his brother was truely sorry about what had happened.
" I forgive ya Adam. I ain't mad, just cold and tired," the boy replied. " Thank you Little Joe. I really do appreciate your forgiveness," Adam said with much relief.
The hot beef stew that Hop Sing had made for dinner that night really warmed up Little Joe, and it tasted wonderful to the boy, as it did to the rest of the family.
Now feeling nice and warm, Little Joe was having a hard time keeping his eyes open as he ate his dinner.
After dinner he went straight to bed, and he was in a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
When Ben went up to check on his son to make sure the boy was covered up, he had to smile at the boy. For he had only managed to pull the covers half way up on him before sleep over took him.
Ben finished covering up his son and he tucked the quilts snuggly around his sleeping son. " Sweet dreams baby. I love you Little Joe," Ben softly said as he leaned down to give the boy a kiss on his forehead. He then went back downstairs.
The next day Adam told Little Joe to sit down because he wanted to talk with him. " Little Joe, did you do all the work on Sport the other day by yourself ?" Adam asked. " Yes I did," the youngster replied.
" I have to tell you, that you did a very neat job of braiding, and putting the ribbon in with the braids too. The bows you made were well done too, but next time, please use blue ribbon. Pink is definitely not a good color for Sport," Adam said.
Little Joe looked up at Adam, smiled and replied, " Ok, blue it will be !" Adam started to laugh and he grabbed the boy and gave him a big hug.
" I love you, you little imp !" Adam teased as he began to tickle his baby brother. In between his loud giggles, Little Joe told Adam that he loved him too.
The End.