OLD CADI.: My people came across an ocean
to live in the mountains of this new world.
They brought with them all their hopes of a new life and a new beginning.
But we were also a people with dark secrets
we attempted to cover with an old ritual.
Yet secrets always reveal themselves in the light of truth.
In that spring of my tenth year, the whole truth was finally told.
Pa says I take after you, Granny.
That you do, Cadi.
You also have your grandpa Ewan's blue eyes
and his soul hunger.
Give your mama time, Cadi.
(GROANS )
Granny, whas wrong?
'Tis nothing, love.
If I could wish for one thing right now, you know what it would be?
To go back in time?
Thad be nice, too, wouldn't it?
But what I'm aching for is some color and beauty.
I'll be right back.
Cadi, girl? I love you, my dear.
I love you too, Granny.
Granny, I found them ! I found them.
Granny?
(SOBBING) Oh, no, Granny. Oh, Granny.
(SNIFFLES )
Gorawen told me, just days ago,
she heard the mighty voice from the mountain calling.
She wanted to tarry a while for Cadi's sake.
-Go on with you, Cadi. -Yes. Yes, Mama.
(AXE STRIKING)
Your ma send you out?
Yes, sir.
Gather up the cedar chips and take them back to the house.
Ill cut down on the stench of death.
(BELL TOLLING)
(SOFTLY) Cadi, you must listen to me, now.
Whatever you do, never look upon the Sin Eater.
Do you understand me?
He has the cast of Hell in his eyes
and he's taken all manner of terrible things unto himself,
and if you look at him, his evil will surely spill onto you.
-Do you understand me, Cadi? -Yes, ma'am.
All right, then.
(BIRD CAWING)
-Angor. -Brogan.
(OWL HOOTS )
(FIA CRYING)
(CREAKING)
(SHUDDERING)
(SLURPING)
(SHUDDERING)
SIN EATER: I give easement now to thee, Gorawen Forbes,
that you not wander forever over fields or mountains,
or along pathways.
And for thy earthly sins, dear woman,
I pawn my own soul.
(SOBBING)
OLD CADI: As I listened to that sad, wretched man,
I wondered why he would take on the sins of people
who refused to look him in the eye,
and I wondered how long it would be before he came to eat my sins away.
Would I have to live to be Granny's age to be free of all the evil I had done?
(SOBBING)
By the time I turned around, he was gone,
and with him went my hope of ever being forgiven.
You forget about him, Cadi Forbes. He's done his purpose and now he's gone.
Get on home, now.
(SHOVELING)
(HOOTING)
YOUNG CADI: Who is the Sin Eater? Who can I tell the truth to?
Who will take my sins away?
Anything I can do for you, Mama?
(WATER POURING)
Cadi, go out and get some garden sass for your mama.
Yes, Papa.
ANGOR: When are you gonna let this go and start being a mama again, Fia?
FIA: Please, Angor, leave me be. I can't take your questions right now.
Gorawen's passing...
This has nothing to do with my mother passing, and you know it.
That child is as heartsick as you about what happened to Elen and she...
She needs you.
It hurts too much.
(FIA SOBBING)
How long are you gonna make us suffer?
It shouldn't have been my little Elen. It shouldn't have been my baby girl.
Are you saying you wish it was Cadi who died?
(FIA SOBBING)
Thas it, isn't it? Thas what you're saying.
You wish it was Cadi who died.
(WATER GUSHING)
You should not be here, Cadi.
You've been warned to keep away.
ELEN: Cadi!
LILYBET: Hello, Katrina Anice.
There's a better place to cross the Narrows.
I know there is. Who are you?
-My name's Lilybet. -How do you know me?
Everybody where I come from has heard about what you did.
Everybody knows?
Everybody knows something, Katrina Anice.
But who knows everything?
-Follow me. I know the way. -To where?
To find the one who can take your sins away.
Sin Eater?
-Where do you live? -Is a long way from here, but not too far.
You're a very strange girl.
That spots no good, Cul. You should try that spot right there.
Would you shush up? You'll spook my fish.
You couldn't spear a cow, anyway.
(WHOOPS )
Cadi Forbes, you are lucky I don't have a gun.
I might have shot you for an Indian.
Leave her be, Cul. Her granny just died.
CULLEN: She hollered out just when I was about to spear me a fish,
a big fish.
Didn't mean to spook you, Cul. Lilybet and me was just...
-Who's Lilybet? -That little girl over there.
Well, she was there. She must be shy.
-I heard she ain't been right in the head... -Stand fast, Cul.
What you doing on Kai land anyhow?
Wasn't paying attention to where we were going.
Just following the river down from the Narrows.
Does your mama know that you were at the Narrows?
That ain't your business, is it?
You hungry?
You must have been going somewhere.
I am, sort of.
You mean besides scaring my fish away?
I was trying to find the Sin Eater.
The Sin Eater?
He's a monster.
He's a devil with fire-red eyes and long fangs like a wolf.
He's a man who sold himself to the devil. He smells death.
He spends his whole life hoping people will die,
so he can feast on their sins.
Aye, and Ma says if he so much as looks at you with his evil eye...
-You're dead. -Thas not true.
-How would you know? -Well, I ain't dead, am I?
You looked at him, didn't you? At your granny's funeral.
I couldn't help myself. His voice sounded so sad and Ionely.
Now you're in for it.
Pray hard. Pray real hard evil doesn't get a hold of you.
We best get on back home now. Come on, Glynnis.
I wonder where he does live.
Only time he comes is when somebody rings the passing bell.
Well, if anyone would know,
it would have to be somebody who's older than the trees.
-Where did you disappear to? -Here and there. Fagan is very handsome.
Mama, I want you to meet someone.
I made a new friend. Her name is Lilybet.
Not now, Cadi.
Thas all right, Katrina Anice. Maybe another time.
Aye, you're right. Mama is busy with her loom. Another time.
MIZ ELDA: Coming. I'm coming.
Miz Elda, I was wondering who you'll be wanting to come to your funeral?
Land sakes, child.
What a question to ask an old lady. I ain't in the ground yet.
No, ma'am. But it will be too late to ask once you're there.
Well, thas quite a good point.
(CHUCKLING)
And the Sin Eater? Will you want him to come, Miz Elda?
Indeed. I'll be in sore need of him.
I have got me a basketful of sins to unload.
-And how'll we find him for you? -You won't need to find him.
The passing bell echoes right clear in these mountains.
He'd hear it.
But why all these questions about the Sin Eater?
I...
I need his help.
Turn around, Cadi.
He can't do a thing for you, child.
Whas done at that tree bridge is done,
and you have to live your life with what happened.
And try and do good from now on
and you'll only have the one black mark at the end.
Besides, he ain't coming for you till you breathed your last.
Then I wish I was dead. That way, it would be over.
Be careful what you wish for, Cadi.
God might hear you and take you at your word.
Took my husband with all his fool complaining.
Now, you better take that right back.
No, ma'am. I can't live my whole life with what I done.
I need the Sin Eater to eat my sins now.
Please, Miz Elda, can't you tell me where he lives, so I can talk to him?
-Oh, child. -FAGAN: Hello?
Like his daddy and his granddaddy.
The Kais ain't happy unless they're killing something.
-I brought you some fresh meat, ma'am. -You been in a fight, young Kai?
No, ma'am.
Mighty thoughtful of you.
But I don't know whas gotten into the young ones in this cove,
bringing an old lady meat and flowers.
Squirrel meat?
Did you think you were going to get her to talk with squirrel meat?
Don't think I don't know why you're here, Cadi Forbes.
Maybe you do. Maybe you don't.
Do you think this is all a game, Cadi?
I asked my pa about the Sin Eater and he clean knocked me off the porch.
He said if I ever asked about him again, he'd take the skin off my back.
He said just mentioning the man brings evil into a house,
let alone look at him, like you did.
So, you looked at him, did you?
Yes, ma'am.
What were you thinking, child?
Couldn't help myself, Miz Elda. It was the way he spoke to Granny.
He was so sad. He spoke as though he loved her.
And for good reason.
After your granddaddy passed on,
your granny would take an offering to his grave whenever she could.
A bundle of carrots, half dozen ears of corn, some eggs...
And she'd leave them there on his grave, for the Sin Eater, as a gift.
No one in this cove ever treated him with such kindness.
But your granny did.
He would come down off Dead Man's Mountain...
-Dead Man's Mountain? -Dead Man's Mountain?
Thas not what I meant.
(THUMPS )
-Is time for you two to get along now. -Yes, ma'am.
Miz Elda, if I can find the Sin Eater
and he eats my sins away, will Mama forget?
No, child. She'll never forget.
But maybe she'll be able to forgive.
Was the Sin Eater the only reason you come by today, Cadi?
Yes, ma'am.
But it won't be, next time.
(WIND HOWLING)
(CREAKING)
Who'll take away my sins, Cadi Forbes?
(SCREAMS )
(GASPING)
(FAGAN GRUNTS )
See what you done.
It serves you right. I hope you broke your foot.
-Would you stand fast already? -Is your fault, sneaking up on me.
I didn't mean to scare you, Cadi. I cross my heart and hope to die.
Be careful what you wish for.
Are we going to Dead Man's Mountain or not?
-I wanted to talk to you first. -What about?
Is just I ain't never seen my pa afraid of nothing. Nothing.
But he's most assuredly afraid of the Sin Eater.
Well, I'm not afraid because I know he'd never hurt me.
Well, maybe he hurt you when you looked at him.
You just didn't know it.
What you saying?
Well, for one, you can't get him out of your head.
My ma says there's powerful dark spirits all over these mountains
that need to be left alone.
What spirits?
Maybe that girl that you were talking about is not what she seems.
Lilybet ain't no spirit. She's me friend.
Look, I'm sorry your pa hit you on my account,
but I'm going to go find the Sin Eater with or without you.
Wait, I'm going with you.
-You don't have to. -Yes, I do. I need to protect you.
There's probably a thousand hiding places up here.
Maybe I could bring my old hound up here. We could flush him out.
The Sin Eater ain't a rabbit, Fagan.
-Vittles. -What?
What are you talking about?
Remember what Miz Elda said about Granny leaving gifts for the Sin Eater?
Maybe it is like snaring a rabbit, after all.
(CLEET WHISTLING)
(WHISTLING)
I got to go.
Is Clees signal when Pa's looking for me.
But there's still light left.
I can't, Cadi. Pa will skin me if he catches me anywhere near here.
You hurry and get home yourself, Cadi Forbes.
(BEES BUZZING)
(ROOSTER CROWING)
When you're done clearing, come outside and finish your chores.
Yes, Ma.
I have to tell Fagan.
(PANTING)
Stranger.
(SIGHS )
Hear me when I call, O Lord.
Hear my prayer.
For it is unto thee, and thee alone, I pray.
You are a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness,
and there is wickedness in these mountains.
(GASPS )
(MAN CONTINUES PRAYING)
Where were you? Why didn't you meet me at the cemetery?
Because the Kai is getting sly of me missing all the time.
Well, he came, Fagan.
The Sin Eater came to Granny's grave and took the preserves I left him.
Did you talk to him?
Not exactly.
I sort of fell asleep.
But he took my gift. I know he did.
Sure he did.
Now hush up. I want to listen to the stranger.
(GROANS )
Mama !
Why did you take this to Granny's graveyard?
I...
Didn't you think I would come looking for you, Cadi?
You're always going places that you oughtn't.
Now you're a thief. Besides, stealing...
(SOBBING) From your own family!
No, Mama. I...
You never think before you do things. Why?
Fia !
What have you done?
(FIA SOBBING)
(HENS CLUCKING)
(PIG GRUNTING)
BROGAN: Angor!
(CHATTERING)
There's a stranger camped at the bottom of the Narrows.
The Kai says he's going to deal with him.
Whas the harm in letting him stay?
The Kai says he's crazy.
Besides, there's no more land for him. No more room.
Sounds like the Kai makes all the rules in this cove.
Do not be speaking bad about him, Fia.
Brogan and his family have always known whas right for this cove.
We're not gonna have anything to do with that stranger, right?
FIA: Cadi?
What is it, Mama?
I want you to have this.
Is okay. Take it.
What are you going to do with those preserves?
Save them for the Sin Eater.
Why not take them to that bee-lady? Maybe she knows where he lives.
Sin Eater.
Wait, Sin Eater.
No! You mustn't follow him, child.
Let go of me.
Sin Eater, please wait.
Sin Eater. Sin Eater, wait. I ain't going back until you talk to me.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Please. I need you.
You talked to that woman. Why won't you talk to me?
SIN EATER: Why did you dare look at me at your granny's funeral, Cadi Forbes?
Because I need you to take my sins away.
SIN EATER: Is not done that way.
Now, go home and don't come looking for me again.
If you don't take my sins away now,
then I'll make it so you can do it the proper way.
I can't go on living with this hurt inside me.
I can't live knowing all the pain I've caused everyone.
Sin Eater?
SIN EATER: Come back tomorrow.
The woman you saw, Bletsung MacLeod, will show you the path up the mountain.
Bring me whas necessary for the ceremony,
and we'll see what God allows.
And whatever happens, you must promise me
you will never come back to this mountain.
I promise.
SIN EATER: I'm here, child.
Climb no further.
I brought the wine and bread and the white covering.
Miz Elda was kind enough to give it to me.
SIN EATER: Miz Elda ought to have known better.
She wanted me to tell you something else.
She wanted you to know that she hasn't forgotten your name.
Please, give her my thanks.
Yes, sir.
Now lie down on the ground and cover yourself with the shroud
and keep your eyes shut tightly.
Tell me what sin it is grieves you so.
Did my Granny tell you her sins before she passed?
No.
Then, if is all right with you, I'd rather not say my sins aloud.
(SLURPING)
I give easement now to thee, Cadi Forbes, that you might live a long and full life.
And for thy peace, I pawn my own soul.
(SOBBING)
Nothing's changed. I feel the same.
I'm sorry, dear child.
Please. You have to tell me. How do I get rid of what I done?
I wish I knew, Cadi Forbes.
I wish I knew.