They were here. The tracks are fresh.
I don't see them.
If you could, it'd be too late.
- Come on. - Hey, uh...
Galen can't keep up.
His tail's dragging.
Chimps do not have tails. And I'm all right.
Sure you are, you're Iron Man. Excuse me... Iron Ape.
- And Michigan's great running back? - That was a while ago.
Like about 2,000 years, give or take a century.
Let's move out. There's no telling how close Urko's men are.
Let's try to make that forest before dark.
Coming, Mother.
Sack time, huh?
Let's check in here. I'm ready.
No way, baby.
This is our chance to get clear.
We know what direction we're going in, they don't.
There's nothing in any direction. What difference does it make?
You can tell direction by that? I mean, without the stars?
Yeah, it's called a compass.
That needle always points north.
And that cloud cover's a big break.
Urko's men won't know what direction they're going in, so they'll go in circles.
- We can go straight on. - Compass?
- Is it witchcraft? - Witchcraft? No.
It's handicraft. I made it.
Next handicraft class, make me a trail bike, twin jet.
You got it. Come on.
Through here. They've been this way.
Clouds. Blasted clouds!
Forbidden to travel without the stars.
Nothing's forbidden when you ride for Urko.
Then how come the spirits have pulled our horses' tails in a circle?
All right. All right!
We'll camp here. Make a fire!
And stand watch to see if it chases the clouds.
If not, we're going on until we catch them!
[Sighs] Why didn't I buy that nice little bar in Jersey City?
Come on. We're following the, uh, uh... handicraft. Come on!
- Galen, heads up! - Take it easy. It's rough in there.
Galen!
Take it easy, Galen.
Don't move. Don't move.
- Lie still, man. - [Groaning]
- Tourniquet, hurry. - I'm-I'm sorry.
- Great. - Don't worry about it.
I always make tourniquets for my friends.
Take it easy, Galen. We have to stop this bleeding first.
It was dark. I fell.
No kidding.
Next time, wait for the lights to change.
We gotta keep moving. We're sitting ducks.
- Hey, wait a minute. - What is it?
It's a farm. It looks isolated.
[Groaning]
This could be it, Pete.
Show me a couple of nice, smelly ol' tractors, and it's home sweet home.
All right, saddle up. Let's move on.
I'm beat. I don't care if this farmer doesn't have a daughter.
[Cow Mooing]
- [Knocks] - Anybody in there?
- [Knocking] - Anybody inside?
You get away from here! Now!
I'm warning you. We have clubs and corn knives.
We need help.
Our frienďs been hurt.
We don't help humans.
[Whimpering]
Oh, dear!
Terrible! He needs help.
Wait. Who are you?
My name is Galen. These are my friends.
- His tired friends. - You're their prisoner. They captured you.
No. No, no. P-Please help us.
Are you rich? They're your bonded humans, right?
[Galen Groaning] No!
Put that thing away and help him, will you!
Now look, we're no danger to you.
Get him inside. I'll see what I can do.
Ask your questions later.
Can't you see he needs help?
Don't direct me, wife!
I'd already made up my mind.
But not you two!
Anto and I will carry him.
You two can wait in the barn.
And don't touch anything, or don't steal anything...
or I'll put the patrol on you.
You just take care of him.
Man, I could sleep standing up.
Leave a wake-up call for February.
What year?
- Ow! Hey! Take it easy, Sarge. - Get up!
- I didn't even hear reveille. - Thanks for waking us up.
Why did you sleep so close to the cow?
- If she doesn't object, why should we? - We're not gonna hurt your cow.
Humans are a curse to cows! Everyone knows that.
- Live and learn. - [Cow Moos]
Five years I've waited for a bull calf.
My own ox to start my own farm,
and nothing but female calves.
Heifers... for the landlord!
Put the stabber down, pal. This could be your lucky year.
Wait a minute. I don't understand.
Ah, you understand.
When a son becomes of age, he has to wait for a bull calf to be born...
before he can start his own farm.
Five years I've waited.
And the signs were against me.
Nothing but female calves.
This year, I knew the signs were right.
- [Cow Mooing] - Until you came.
[Mooing]
You hear? You're a bad omen!
If you've put a curse on her,
I may kill you.
- Now, wait a minute... - Remove the curse. Go away today.
Hey, you two. Galen's asking to see you.
He's awake.
Wait.
It's bad enough having humans in the house,
but wash first.
There's a smell about you.
Well, nobody's perfect.
Oh. You know, you really are wonderful.
I feel so much better. Have you done this before?
I once trained to be a nurse.
- Until I met Polar. - Hah!
A city. No place to raise a family.
- Or even visit. - Someday.
Always the same answer.
Anto needs his bull calf,
Remus's hardly out of rompers, and Jillia hasn't even sought out a husband.
- Daddy! - You won't be able to stand on this for some time.
- How long? - Oh, several days at least.
I can't have those humans around here! It's dangerous!
They've been known to kill cows just for the meat.
Virdon and Burke are not going to kill your cows.
Where are they from, those humans?
You simply must let them stay.
- They'll work for their keep. - Work?
Of course they'll work. That's what they're for.
Well?
I'll see.
[Whispers] He means well.
- You'll see. - Thank you.
Did you send for my friends?
How can you keep calling them friends?
I think we're gonna have to stand inspection.
You ready?
Oh, uh, I've made up my mind.
You can stay until your friend is well or able to walk.
- No! - You heard my decision.
All right.
But the cow is my say.
They stay away from the cow.
Uh, he's right about that.
The cow is his say until the calf is born.
Anything you say.
But you'll work... every day,
just as though I could afford you.
- You got a deal. - Just as though I owned you.
I get one of'em. One of them's mine.
- We'll see. - [Horse Approaching]
The mounted patrol! Are you sure you're not escaped bonded slaves?
I give you my word. We are free humans.
- You will work for me? - Yes, yes.
All right. Go in the back and hide.
I'll talk to him.
Yes?
I'm looking for escaped bonded slaves. Have you seen any?
- Humans? - Of course humans. What else?
We know nothing of bonded humans.
- We're just poor tenant farmers. - [Wife] Yes, we can't help you.
If you see any, report immediately.
- Failure to do so carries a severe penalty. - I understand.
Are you dumb? Do you understand?
Yes, I understand.
If you see a stray human, report at once.
Ah, yes. Your name?
Polar.
I wonder if there's a reward.
Didn't look like one of Urko's men.
Don't kid yourself.
He's some kind of a local patrol, but they're all Urko's men.
[Cow Moos]
Don't tell me your troubles. We've got enough of our own.
Rocks! There's no end to them.
The earth seems to keep breathing them up.
How do you know?
I lifted half the rocks in Jackson County when I was a boy.
You keep talking strange. There's no such place.
There was.
It's a bad field, but we need it... every foot.
It's gonna get worse every year, you keep plowing like that.
- What? - Come here. I'll show you.
Here, look.
Every time you plow up and down a hill, the way you're doing there,
whenever it rains, it's gonna wash off more of your topsoil...
and gullies are gonna start to form, and they'll get deeper and deeper.
And they steal your land because you have to work around them.
Playing in mud?
But, if you plow around the hill instead, like this...
You see?
Then when it rains, the furrows hold the water.
It won't run off with your rich topsoil.
- And there are no gullies. See? - Look, Anto, it's true.
It's foolishness. Everyone knows that plowing down the hill...
gives the ox rest from plowing up it.
Foolishness! Where did you learn this?
My family owned a farm when I was young.
We'll plow around like he says.
Then he'll plow around, 'cause I'll have no part in it.
Don't mind him. He's worried about the bull calf.
Nothing else on his mind.
You lied, didn't you?
No, no, you'll see. Take the ox...
About your family owning a farm.
Only apes ever own farms.
Then only the rich ones who have friends in the government.
No! No! No!
Stop!
- I order you to stop. - What's your problem, boss?
That's the wrong kind of fence.
You show me a bale of barbwire, I'll build you a proper one.
But right now, this is the best I can do.
Poles, set up and down.
Stuck in the ground, like... like these.
Come on, Remus. You knock yourself out puttin' up a stick fence like this.
Then the first time ol' Bessie rubs against it, it falls in.
Take a nice rail fence, like this.
Locked tight, bull strong.
Last you a lifetime, and it's pleasin' on the eye.
Fences never last long. They're not supposed to.
That's where you're wrong, Lieutenant.
I'm not wrong, I'm in charge.
Uh, this kind of fence grows on you.
And say you want to move it. Polar wants it over there, say.
All you do is take it apart and put it back together.
- Is that right? - Would I lie to a nice ape like you?
Hmph.
Hmm. I've decided.
- It's a good job. - Thank you, boss.
Back to work.
Yeah.
Who taught you to build a fence like that?
- Abraham Lincoln. - I'd like to meet him.
So would I, Massa, so would I.
Five years you let them get away.
We could not follow them at night, sir. The clouds.
Virdon, Burke and that traitor Galen...
I suppose they can see through the clouds to the stars.
[Scoffs]
- How long? - Four days' hard ride, sir.
This is all farm country. Tenant farms.
- A few plantations. - Yes, sir.
They could steal horses.
It's death for a peasant or human to ride a horse there, sir.
Yes, I know that!
- Could you find your way back again? - Yes.
But it will be slow. The weather is covering the stars again.
Then the gods will guide us.
These humans are dangerous.
They stir up trouble!
They think they're as good as we are.
Make an ox pitch hay into the barn?
Isn't that enough to convince you he's not right in the mind?
Wait. Watch.
Okay, ready.
Work is meant to be work, and hay is meant to be pitched...
by the forkful.
Drive the ox ahead. Go ahead.
Ho, there! Ho!
Oh, that's good!
That's very, very good!
It's not bad for a guy who doesn't have all his marbles, right?
- Show me how to make the trick work? - Sure. It's easy.
You saw. That's better than forkin' a whole load full of hay.
[Cow Mooing]
[Low Groans]
You see. She must've already eaten some hay that fell in here...
from that evil device.
She's dying, I know it.
They're a curse. I told you!
Anto makes a strong argument.
- How soon is she expected to calf? - Three weeks, I think.
I think your calendar's a little off.
More like two or three days.
She'll be off her feet for a while, that's all.
It's a lie!
Throw them all out now, or she'll die.
Your cow is not going to die, Anto.
We can't leave here until Galen's able to walk.
By that time, your cow will be a mother, and we'll be on our way.
No. I'm the eldest. The cow is in my charge.
Have we shown you anything evil yet?
Tell me, Polar. If we have, then send us away.
The farm seems to profit from them.
You can stay. But if anything happens to the cow...
as Anto fears, your fate will be up to him.
- What gooďll that do? - Enough!
Then it'll be too late.
Maybe not.
Where's Anto?
I think he has some things to work out of his mind.
Remus, I thought you were shelling corn for seed.
- I am. - Burke should be doing it.
Have a heart. We didn't discuss coffee breaks, but it's part of the deal.
Remus will shell the corn.
It's the job of the youngest son to prepare the seed.
Here. Always use the best ears for seed,
- not the smallest. - [Anto Laughing]
Did you hear that?
The best ears are for feed and flower.
The little ears are for seed.
Oh, I see.
Well, uh, then I guess it's the bad spirits...
that have been making the stalks in the field...
smaller and smaller every year.
Virdon used to be a farmer when he was young.
Not much of a farmer.
Wasting big corn on seed? [Scoffs]
Tell me something, Remus.
Do you expect to be big and strong like your father someday?
Of course.
[Virdon] Well, that's because Polar is good seed.
If your father were small and weak,
then you probably wouldn't grow big enough to handle a calf,
let alone an ox.
See, every year, if you use the biggest, best ears for seed,
then your crop will get bigger and bigger.
It will, I promise you.
I can remember sitting around a fire something like this...
with my own son,
and telling him the same thing.
Chris.
I wonder how he is.
I wonder what...
Is something the matter?
Well... they have feelings too,
just like us.
Now, you hush.
Why are you so interested in a runaway, bonded human?
You couldn't afford to buy one.
I just wondered if there was a reward for helping you find one or two.
Reward? Why? Do you know where some are?
I thought maybe you could tell me what they look like.
All humans look alike. You know that.
Maybe I'd go hunting for them...
if it'd pay enough to buy a new bull calf.
You farmers are all the same.
You wanna get paid for doing your duty?
There's no reward! Now, move on,
unless you want to be arrested for loitering around horses.
The returning of slaves should be worth something.
- Who was that? - Some backcountry farmer.
Thinks we ought to be giving a bounty on humans this year.
He looked familiar. I've seen him before...
in the past few days.
Yes. Polar's farm.
He was looking for bounty, you say?
Perhaps Polar's farm needs to be...
watched more closely.
[Cow Mooing]
She'll die. Then what'll I do?
Wait for another heifer to freshen? Another three, four years?
[Polar] Virdon says she'll be all right.
He's turned your mind with clever talk and tricks.
This cow is dying from their curse.
She started dying the day they walked in here carrying that,
that human-lover Galen.
I'll have a talk with them.
Galen can stand. I've seen him.
They are staying so the cow will die, I tell you!
Humans burn the flesh and eat it.
You've heard tell of that!
You say Galen can stand?
Hello.
Not too much at one time.
Mother says you'll break open the wound.
Oh, no, no. The pain has turned to itching now. That's very good.
Won't Virdon and Burke be surprised when I just walk right in on them?
- Not quite yet. - Why?
Well, I mean...
Well, I don't quite understand you, anyway.
- You must've come from a good family. - Well...
Now you're running with humans...
who have filled your mind with mad ideas.
They're not mad ideas. And I can't tell you any more,
so you just stop asking, huh?
Why don't you just let them go on?
Well, you see, um,
I can't.
And that is just another way of you asking exactly the same question.
Just like the female.
I thought you might never notice.
So you see? What'd I tell you? It's...
It kind of goes... And then it's one of these...
Virdon, tell him what you're... No. Wait.
I remember. It's... It's our very own windy mill.
Windmill.
- That's what I said. Isn't it wonderful? - What good is it?
This is the power unit to your irrigation system, Polar.
I don't understand.
When Virdon finishes the wheel, it goes up there and the wind makes it turn.
We pump water out of the ground and onto that dry field, where you need it.
You see? Making oxen lift hay that should be pitched.
And now conjuring up the wind to make water pour where it shouldn't.
It's unnatural!
No wonder the cow is dying!
Tell them!
Anto says he's seen your friend Galen stand.
If this is so, you must go.
It's true. He can stand.
They can't go now, not until they finish so I can see it work.
It's not for you to say. The youngest has no say.
I do have a say. I have a say.
Anto's only worried about a bull calf.
Wait till your time comes to worry.
- [Remus] Please! - [Polar] Stay! Leave! Stay!
Go! My mistake was being a father.
Do what you want! No, I just live here.
That Anto is not one of my favorite apes.
Yeah, he could be trouble.
That mounted patrol was looking for escaped laborers,
but he didn't look too fussy about who he picked up.
See, the gods have been with us. We've made excellent time.
Yes, but the horses, they need rest.
We ride!
I stood for several minutes today without this.
What's the big secret? I thought we were friends.
- I wanted to surprise you. - Well, lovable Anto...
is chomping at the bit to get us out of here.
Apes do not chomp at bits.
Oh, I'm-I'm sorry. He's anxious.
Better.
I think we'd better accommodate him. He could turn us in.
We ought to help out that cow. Give her Epsom salts and get this thing moving.
If that calf isn't a bull, then we could be in bigger trouble.
- If that cow dies, Anto is entitled to kill you. - I'm glad he knows his rights.
Just give me a couple more days. I'm healing fast. See?
We could carry you again, Galen.
But the minute we leave here, Urko's gonna pick up our trail.
- If we could get ahold of some horses... - Uh-uh.
I take it this isn't horse country?
No. Only landed apes and police are allowed to have horses.
Farmers have to walk or ride oxen or cows.
Nice arrangement. Keep 'em poor and busy.
Then that's it. We're stuck.
All right, we sit it out.
See whether Galen here or that cow makes it first.
I can hardly wait.
Whoo! Oooh!
I don't mind being a peasant just so long as I have all the conveniences of the rich.
Well, even the rich don't have showers in this world.
As long as you're adding conveniences, maybe tomorrow you can put in hot water.
How about a massage parlor, a sauna bath and a gym?
- Will that make you happy? - Yeah, for openers.
[Burke] Whoo! Oooh!
[Bonging Sound]
[Bonging Continues]
[Bonging]
It's her time. The tolling of the bell.
She's dying.
[Cow Moos]
Trouble, Doc?
- If I can remember what the vet used to do... - Try hard.
I got a feelin' we don't want to lose this patient.
- Dying. Dying. - Anto, look.
Anto, look. Listen to me!
Your cow is having a premature birth.
She's suffering because the calf is turned.
Do you understand me? Do you?
- [Yelling] - [Shouting]
You! You've done this!
Wait! The cow is not dead. You can't claim a life yet.
The cow doesn't need to die. I can help.
The calf has gotta be turned around.
Oh, no. You've worked your last trick here.
When she dies, you die.
Anto, stop!
Come on in, you human lover, and see what you've done!
Blame me, then. It's my wound that brought us here.
- We'll all leave now! - I'm packed and ready, I'll tell you that.
Anto, there's nothing they can do.
No one will leave...
until this is all over, one way or another.
Toll the bell, Remus.
It's probably too late, but toll the bell.
[Bonging]
[Bonging Continues]
[Cow Mooing]
Polar, talk sense to him!
Say the word, and I'll commit a clipping penalty that'll get us 15 yards.
- What are you saying? - I'm talking about a fve-legged race with Galen.
No way. Our best bet is with the cow.
Speak so I can understand.
We're inches from becoming shish kebab. Let the cow find another doctor.
Anto, there's nothing they can do!
You're right. Because if they try anything, I will kill them.
- All of them! - Anto, I can help the cow live.
I've seen doctors do it a dozen times.
No.
Polar, do you want your cow to die?
At birthing time, the fate of the cow is in the hands of the oldest son.
- I have no say! - Who says you have no say?
Those are old words passed down for so long...
from our fathers'fathers, we don't even know if they're right!
Be still! Don't say such things in front of the young ones!
No, I won't be still. It's Jillia and Remus that I'm thinking of.
Anto, listen. You have seen these humans...
show us how to stop the rain from washing the hills away.
And you have seen them create cropland from dry fields.
Please, Anto. You want that calf.
And the bell asks that it be a bull.
- Let him help you. - [Cow Moos]
No, you won't touch the cow.
Give me a reading on the odds. You sure you know what you're doing?
No. But I know that cow will die if she doesn't get help.
Remus, do you trust me? Just play along.
I like the odds better your way. Get ready to operate, Doc.
Back away! All right, Anto, I've got a knife.
Drop the fork or your brother's never gonna live to see your baby bull born.
- He's not fooling! Do what he says! - You heard him. Drop the fork.
Anto!
Anto, do as he says!
If you want it to be a bull, ring the bell.
You won't get away.
'Cause when this is over, if I don't kill you, the police will.
'Cause I won't lie to them again.
- [Cow Mooing] - [Bonging Sound]
Okay, sweetheart. I'm gonna do my best for you.
I want you to do your best for me.
Nice work, Remus. We make a heck of a team.
- Can I go watch? - Well...
You can watch.
I get a little queasy in operating rooms.
You can tell me all about it later. Not too much detail.
Go ahead.
You think he can do it?
Instruct a cow in the birthing of a calf?
Well, he's made an eagle that can see directions, even on a cloudy night.
Yes, I would think that he could direct a baby calf into the world.
- [Cow Mooing] - [Bonging]
What's the score?
It's worse than I thought.
How bad is that?
It's about twice as bad.
[Sighs]
Just a quiet little bar in Jersey City.
A little bell over the door.
Mounted patrol from some outpost.
- Sir. - I'm Urko, headquarters.
Sir.
Your horses are lathered. For what reason?
Escaped bonded humans. Patrol thinks he spotted them at a farm near here.
- Standing under a stream of water. - How far?
- We're almost there. - We're hunting two escaped humans...
and a defector, enemies of the state.
- Sir, I doubt... - If there are doubts, I will have them,
- after we have a look. - Yes, sir.
Lead the way.
[Cow Mooing]
- [Cow Mooing] - [Calves Bleating]
[Burke] Anto, come have a look! You hit a jackpot!
Twin bulls, straight across!
[Laughing]
Oh my!
[Sighs]
When you said "twice as bad"...
- You're a genius, Alan. - Thank you.
I'll never knock a farm boy again. Twins!
Two bulls, Anto. That, uh,
bell ringing really did the trick.
Police! All kinds of police!
Hide up there. Quick, outside. Anto, come on.
- Polar? - That's Polar.
Why do you come riding through here?
You make enough thunder to shake the turnips from the ground!
Shut up, female! You're hiding escaped bonded humans, Polar.
No, that's a lie. He was here before.
- Silence! - He was standing under that thing.
One of them was standing under there in a kind of rain.
[Laughing]
What's so funny, farmer?
You won't laugh with Polar hanging on the end of a rope.
[Laughing]
[Anto] It was me! He saw me!
We're a poor farm family. Would you deny us...
what little fun we can make for ourselves?
Look. See?
I make the family laugh!
[Polar Chuckling]
[All Laughing]
White, like a human. See?
And then I walk around like a straight-necked goose.
[Laughing]
- Like a human. See? - [All Laughing]
Ahh! I'll have some meat! I'll have some meat!
I'm gonna cook it good! Ahh!
Don't you see? This is what he saw.
My room for taking my makeup off.
- [Laughing] - Fool!
Search the barn.
Eyes that deceive once can deceive twice.
A clown, hey? We'll see.
[Calves Bleating]
No humans here, sir. Two brand-new calves.
They woulďve been eaten if there were humans around.
Demote that patrol. He's made fools of authority.
Yes, sir. Idiot!
Virdon, I'm... I'm sorry for how I acted to you in there.
I just couldn't believe.
Thank you very much.
Anto, I saw what you did out here, and, uh,
if I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed that either.
I'd say we're about even.
Will you show me what I must do just in case someday when you're not here?
Just ask me, Anto, I know. I watched the whole thing.
I put some bread in there.
Oh, thank you, Zantes.
Be careful of your leg.
I don't want you to come back here...
- laying around for, for me to wait on. - Oh?
- Where will you go? - Well, we don't really know.
West always seemed a good direction. Maybe we'll try it again.
Thank you, Virdon. I'll never forget you.
It'll be a long time before I forget you too, Anto.
[Calves Bleating]
I named the bulls.
One Burke, the other Virdon.
Hey! Just watch the heifers around the one named Burke.
- [All Laughing] - Bye.
- Good-bye. - Bye.
So long.
- What is this? - A windmill.
Where does it come from?
- I made it. - He's a very bright boy.
If you were bright, old farmer, you'd keep him at work in the fields,
not building these toys to play in the wind.
Next spring we'll plant that new field they made for us.
Good, rich earth.
And I'll plant the best seed, like Virdon said, huh.
Yes, we'll try it.
The best seed this time.
Uh, if there's no objection, I think we should go that way.
Does it matter? Everywhere we go there's apes.
- Yeah. - Some good, some bad.
Come on