Bonanza, a 14-season Western television series, told the story of the Cartwrights, a fictional family led by the patriarch, Ben Cartwright. Ward Hawkins wrote the forty-ninth episode, The Spitfire, which aired on January 14, 1961.

Jeb Hoad’s wild and feisty daughter, Willow (Anita Sands), intends to exact revenge on Joe Cartwright after being forced to shoot and kill trespasser Jeb Hoad in self-defense. After appeasing the girl, Joe returns with her to the Ponderosa. Feeling responsible for her, Joe attempts to help Willow become a “proper” lady with the assistance of the ranch’s female staff. 

Meanwhile, Jeb’s mother, a whip-wielding Kentucky mountaineer named Maude Hoad (Katherine Warren), vows vengeance against the Cartwrights—with the help of her son (Jack Elam). 

Read The Spitfire‘s plot, including some behind-the-scenes trivia, or watch the full episode below.

Watch the Full Episode of The Spitfire

Watch the Full Episode of The Spitfire:

Main Cast

The Spitfire, the seventeenth episode of Bonanza’s second season, featured some of the show’s recurring and one-time guest cast in addition to the lead actors. See the list below for this episode’s cast members:

• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Katherine Warren as Maud Hoad (as Katharine Warren)
• Anita Sands as Willow Hoad
• Jack Elam as Dodie Hoad
• Steven Terrell as Bud Harvey (as Steve Terrell)
• Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
• Mary Treen as Mrs. Shaughnessy
• Jack Mather as Bart Hastings
• Don C. Harvey as Jeb Hoad (as Don Harvey)
• Claude Hall as Bud Hoad
• Theodore Lehmann as John Hoad (as Ted Lehmann)
• Bill Clark as Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
• Bob Miles as Hastings Hand (uncredited)
• Chick Sheridan as Hastings Hand (uncredited)

Full Story Line for The Spitfire

Jeb Hoad, a homesteader, starts a fire on the Ponderosa to clear himself a piece of land while his daughter, Willow, assists him by bringing dried tree limbs. When Little Joe tries to stop the fire, Jeb shoots him despite Joe’s warning. Jeb brings out a long rifle, ready to shoot Joe. However, the quicker Little Joe fires back in self-defense, killing Jeb.

Feeling responsible for the dead man’s daughter, Joe brings the feisty Willow back to the Ponderosa. Ben asks Hoss to have the body decently laid out while Adam report to the sheriff and gives Willow shoes, a dress, and some skirt to use.

Meanwhile, Willow’s mother, Maude Hoad, a determined woman traveling from the Kentucky hills, descends with her hulking son, Dodie, and a couple more relatives. They encounter Bart Hastings and his men, so they ask about Virginia City and her son, Jeb Hoad. Bart reveals that Jeb and his daughter camped on his ranch without permission and killed one of his steers for beef. Maude insists on camping on Bart’s land, but he refuses. One of Bart’s men draws his gun when Dodie shoots him dead. Maude whips Dodie for firing without notice. However, Maude refuses to take responsibility, stating it is an act of self-defense.

Little Joe comes back and forth in Willow’s room, bringing several buckets of water to get Willow cleaned. Hoss brings a contraption to help Mrs. Shaughnessy groom Willow. Inside the room, Shaughnessy soaks Willow as she sits on top of the wooden contraption. When they finish, Little Joe brushes Willow’s hair while Hoss puts on a shoe on her feet.

After a while, Willow’s cleaned and dolled up. They set up a mirror in the room, and Willow looks pleased with her look. Little Joe excitedly shows Ben how Willow looked. However, much to his surprise, Willow has fled with Ben’s horse.

The sheriff arrives to tell Ben about the Hoads, who intend to exact revenge on the Cartwrights. Upon hearing that the Hoads set camp at the Ponderosa, Ben and Hoss saddle their horses to face them.

Once the Cartwrights and the sheriff arrive at the Hoads’ camp, they see Maude with her whip and her men aiming their rifles at them. The sheriff asks for Dodie to stand trial for the death of Slim Carter, whom he shot at the Lazy K ranch. However, Maude insists once again that it was self-defense. The sheriff tells Maude that it’s up to the jury to decide. Maude argues that when Dodie’s wife died after some wild bunch shot her, the lawman only drove them off. Ben introduces himself. Maude tells him they want to kill the person responsible for Jeb’s death. Ben tells Maude that it was an act of self-defense, and the sheriff backs him up, insisting he takes Dodie. Seeing Maude wouldn’t surrender Dodie, Ben tells the sheriff they leave for the meantime to think about what to do next. Once they’re far enough, Ben tells the sheriff he’ll reason with Maude alone.

Ben tells Maude they should set aside grief and hate and try living as neighbors. He offers her private land, a head of beef, and ten horses. However, considering Ben’s generous offer, Maude thinks it’s a lie. Ben argues that it’s a trade to stop the killing between their families. Still, Dodie has to stand trial. Undecided, Maude tells Ben that her answer would be Dodie’s arrival at sundown the next day while ending their conversation with a warning.

As Willow flees out of the house, Little Joe rushes after to bid his farewell and tell Willow that she can keep everything they’ve given her. Joe understood that Willow heard her family was nearby, so he let her go. Moreover, Joe thinks it’s best to tell the Hoads about what truly happened, just as he promised Willow.

When Willow arrives at the Hoads’ camp, she tells Maude about the pretty things she received from the Cartwrights, including details about their house. Willow also tells Maude that the Cartwrights invite her to visit them anytime. However, Maude reminds her that the Cartwrights killed Jeb, expressing her determination to avenge her son.

Little Joe visits the Hoads’ camp. However, Maude was busy talking to Willow. Dodie talks to Joe, but after seeing the rifles aimed at him, Joe refuses to talk. Dodie brings up shooting Adam, forcing Joe to tell him what happened between him and Jeb. At some point, Dodie is about to shoot his gun, so Joe retaliates, killing Dodie in the process. Maude threatens to kill Joe, thinking everything is just a trick.

When Joe leaves, Maude orders the other Hoads to go after Joe and Ben. However, they threw their guns, expressing their disgust for killing. They explained how Dodie attempted to murder Joe, so he only shot in self-defense. Maude whips them until Willow stops her, saying Jeb also tried to shoot Joe twice.

After burying her sons’ bodies, Maude and the rest of the Hoads set to face the Cartwrights.

Maude tells the Cartwrights that she believes what Willow, John, and Paul said about her sons, accepting Joe’s act of self-defense. She subtly asks to see the fixings Willow mentioned, earning an invitation from Ben to visit their place anytime.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Spitfire

[Music]

what are you going to do put out my

fireboard get it started

ain't neither green it's you sash your

paw once more

i'll take a strap to you you get over

the wagon get them wet sacks

i don't want no fire around their wagon

look at it go now wind's just right

dipping them trees in no time

how far it burns on up through the

canyon

up that ridge i spec 500

000 acres make a nice piece of land

a lot of trees are burned can't eat

trees

well the stock can eat grass and rice

will burn too grass will grow back in

thicker and richer than ever fire

purifies the land

always like to burn over my land four

star

somebody's coming here as good as you

can

who are you and what time are you doing

with that fire i'm jeb hodd

it's my daughter willa i'm clearing

myself piece of land

i might settle down here if i like the

look of it bear

are you crazy fool you're gonna burn the

whole range give me that sack some more

of these sacks and help me

get that car alone you get yourself

killed

shoot him shoot him good

now look you you try reloading that

cannon i put a hole right through you

you killed my paw i'm sorry

i gotta get this fire put out

[Music]

[Music]

uh

[Applause]

[Music]

still like to cut my heart out wouldn't

you

i still know what i'm gonna do with you

can you just listen to reason just give

me a chance let me try to explain

your father didn't know what he was

doing there's a lot of people living up

in these hills people with homes people

with families

these woods were as dry as tinder once

the wind got behind that fire he

wouldn't have burned

a thousand acres he'll burn 20 000 maybe

more

all right all right i i know it's not a

reason to kill a man for

i didn't want it to happen i didn't want

it to come to that

look you have to listen to me i i warned

him not to shoot didn't i

didn't i warn him not to try it again

it's not too good a time to explain i

guess

i can't leave you out here alone

i'll take you back to the house see if i

can't help you

come on let's go

i'll kill you i'll kill you then i'll

kill you

come on come on come on

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

just wait on my kin folks get here they

are coming

they'll get you they'll kill your family

they'll

burn your place down too grandma hold

can do it

shall make you wish you never was born

wait and see

tarnation yellowman let me over here

i'll

tell you i'll tell you sure you're born

what happens name what have you got here

her name's willow

i killed her father

you what

clearing the timber of a box creek

canyon they're gonna burn it off

pull it off that's right oh

fire in the canyon would turn it into a

chimney but

half the ponderosa i told him to put it

out he wouldn't do it

i tried to put the fire out myself he

warned me if i went near it he'd kill me

i didn't think he meant it but he did

i had to kill him to stay alive you

can't keep me here

my kin folks are coming they'll kill you

all grab a whole fate in the hogs

what about her

after i killed her father she came at me

i had to tie her up there's nothing else

i could do

us have the body decently laid out

adam i better go and report this to the

sheriff

see if he can get out of here if

possible ask mr shaughnessy to drop up

here we'll need some help

on adam you better have a bring some

things for the girl

shoes and dress maybe a skirt

you better put the girl in the east

bedroom i'll kill y'all

you can't keep me here my kin folks are

coming to kill you all

grab hold of fate in the hogs

[Applause]

[Music]

you boys want to see some first class

stock look you honor

[Applause]

whoa what do you make of it dodie

only see one gun mind what i told you

here i heard you

get up

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

whoa

[Music]

howdy stranger afternoon ma'am

we be the holds traveling west out of

kentucky we want no trouble with man of

east

i'm bart hastings is the lazy k these

are my men

like you i don't want any trouble you're

welcome to travel across my land

now that's real nice of you

know of a place called virginia city not

well

i'll fair be it about a week's travel

with your rig

ever seen the likes of us before

why do you ask son of mine jeb holding

his young and likely passed through here

some time ago

you'd know him for our can if and you've

seen him pass through here about a week

10 days ago

you didn't take to him i did not

don't take to folks like us he camped

here without asking

killed one of my stairs for beef didn't

ask about that either

weens ain't like much hang

tight together got to her get killed

nobody does a hurt to a whole certainly

pays for it

i didn't hurt him what's more i gave him

the beef he and the youngster looked

half-starved

then i ordered him off my land that why

you ain't asking me and mine to light

here and rest ourselves kind of that

steer

that's right we travel a fur peace today

near 20 mile

winds of war thin stock needs feed needs

water

you can't stay here and that's an order

you got to move on

[Music]

i wasn't i wasn't gonna shoot i was just

i was up

[Applause]

he's dead he's dead

we killed another one

[Music]

come on bring him out of there before

that horse tramples him he's dead

ever no dirty to miss come on bring him

out of there

give him a hand

you won't get away with this nothing to

get away from it was murder

that man drawed his gun don't do to draw

on a hold

too many of us have been killed you know

it was murder

i saw you beat the man for it it wasn't

murder i want

him about or what dodie cause his shot

thought i told him to

i warned him when we got here call it

murder or not

he'll hang for it i'll see to that best

think on that real hard you ain't never

seen

killing till you kill one arse

[Music]

is she that dirty

yeah yeah we're gonna have to soak her a

good long while to get her clean bro

well are you gonna manage that horse has

got this contraption rigged up he thinks

it's gonna work

sure hope it does yeah hope it does

[Applause]

hey i think it's all just about doing

[Music]

you take this out of here good mirrors

are hard to come by

[Music]

hey honestly maybe we better just put it

off for a while you know maybe i could

talk to her calm her down a little bit

we've waited long enough now there's no

use in putting it off any longer

all right now look you promise me you're

not gonna hurt her if she starts to

fight a little bit too much we'll just

let her go

i promised and i'll keep my promise and

and don't forget you might be afraid of

water

oh nonsense it's just another excuse to

fight she'd fight if you fed her cherry

pie

now if i had my say i'd take that

snapping bite out of her with a razor

strap

[Music]

well shauna see take it from me it

doesn't do any good to fight with her we

use a little patience and a little

kindness we we can don't worry little

joe i'll do it your way

now i'm here take this

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

there she is she's a good one too stout

i jumped up and down

what is it well it'll work fine if i

need it now you two get out of here go

on yeah

[Music]

oh

i don't think it's going to work don't

you fret yourself sean says run more

critters through that cheap dip and have

the rangers alive

you can't go in there

maybe she did drown

did you hear nothing [ __ ] shaughnessy

shaughnessy all right answer me

[Applause]

we're having a real nice soap

[Music]

oh i can't do this i'm all thumbs you're

the one that says it takes gentleness

and patience

well stay there and be gentle and

patient be careful she doesn't bite a

finger off you

[Music]

here it is charles i moved that buckle

over by the means you don't fit real

fine now

try it and see

me we might need someone strong

[Music]

yes sir

easy girl

real easy though don't you kick me

[Music]

easy now that's the way

it won't hurt

[Music]

hey you know something joe

she is a pretty little gal pretty as a

spotted pony

[Music]

oh what's the matter now she bit me

that's what's the matter

it can't hurt that bad she took the hide

off me trick to hide right off me well

you pulled a hair or something

never was any good hair no hair does all

the platinum of the tails means around

here me

all right better be careful

don't you bite me i'll i'll swatch you

one

hey horse will you hurry up with that

thing

come on hurry she's hard to hold i'm

coming

here what are you going to do with it

where she can see herself a minute i let

her go uh over by the window house for

the light's the best

yes him you know watch her

okay you you watch her now i'm gonna let

her go

easy go easy that's it

hey hey hey joe you know something

you know something i think he's right

yeah

she's a gal ain't she and he gotta

rather look pretty nut i knew she'd

quiet down the minute she saw herself

all females are vain

[Music]

can i show them mister hey you sure can

he's gonna be real surprised too he

didn't know he had such a good looking

gal in the house

[Music]

hey bob hey pie i got a surprise for you

all right i'll check the barn joe yeah

[Music]

[Applause]

[Applause]

[Music]

oh that's good and i i you stay like

that i want pot to see it just like it

okay

[Music]

[Applause]

hey pop what

[Music]

believe what

so help me pawn i'm going to bring her

back and tame her if it's the last thing

i do

hey don't you tell her she could take

pulsars my horse

[Music]

[Music]

wow

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

so

[Music]

[Music]

so

oh boy oh boy

the dead burn a book of poetry

hard to believe ain't it i never figured

a

book of poetry is good for anything yeah

that book of poetry turned the bullet

and saved my life

hmm hey there's some pages here it ain't

torah mind if i read it

who is it it's a sheriff

paul's down there talking to you i

wonder how you found out i was

bushwhacked so fast

i don't know i'm gonna find out

well ben this is the first i heard that

adam had been shot but until what i was

going to talk to you about i

think i know who shot him who adam's

never had any enemies around here

he has now you all have you got a whole

dirn nest of them

what do you mean well that girl adam

said you had here

her kinfolk the hoads they come to town

just like she said they would

now you you don't mean that it was one

of her family that shot at him

well then like you say adam didn't have

any enemies that would do a thing like

that but

the hoax did find out there was a cart

right killed a girl's father

no question about that that talks all

over town so somebody must have pointed

at him out when he went through virginia

city you still got that girl here

yeah yeah she's she's still here roy

she's out with a little joe somewhere

but she's still here

you mean she's roaming around loose what

adam said you just about had to keep her

locked up in a cage

well she's staying down now roy she's uh

wearing a dress and

washing and eating at the table with us

even learning how to embroider

but we still have to keep her locked up

at night yeah the gun's locked up

anything with an edge on it like a

like a knife or an axe or something even

so she sounds a lot tamer in the rest of

her family

that's what i wanted to tell you man the

hoeds killed one of bart hastings best

men in the lazy k when they come through

there

killed him or murdered him well it all

depends on who you're listening to

bart claims it without not murder and

the holds they said was just plain

self-defense

anyway there's got to be a trial i'm on

my way over now to pick up dodie hold

the one that done the shooting

thought you and should come along it's

on your property

what the hoads camp near here just over

the ridge

we'll come along i'll settle up a

horse's paw i'll be right out

they'll come don't you fret yourself

about that

they killed my boy jeb because he wanted

to settle on a piece of land

he'll come to drive winds off too

have we got to kill him graham got to

kill the one that killed my boy jeb

least wise

got to show them we can kill man for man

so next way we can stay alive

i wish it wasn't so

has to be bud folks like them been

handing us

every foot of the way from saint joe

fighting us denying us the simple means

of living

killing us it wasn't for us showing them

we could

kill quicker quicker than they could

we'd be in our grazer for this

that's true graham they do helmets i

never could figure out just why

queens ain't like them that's why they

don't

take the folks are different they

hate them fear them just feel they got

to be rid of them

well i don't see that we're like they

are

no we ain't

our folks settled in kentucky and

tennessee more than a hundred year ago

but we ain't like them

we got two hands two feet we got red

blood in our bodies

we gotta love in our hearts for our

youngins and our odins

and we pray to god almighty but we ain't

like them

we'll be fighting them all the rest of

our lives i expect

our lives may not be long they can kill

us off near any time they take a notion

can't give in to them that's the worst

can't let them fence us out or deny us

our rights to the land or kill us

without punishment

winds will be better dated many times

over if we've done that

well i'd rather be alive and marry the

willow like we as promised

i'd rather have a piece of land than a

place to raise youngs

i'm a fear they're never going to let

you and will marry

they're a gathering of guinness right

now you know that i reckon

they'll come on hard and i reckon they

won't stop till we're all dead

i know we won't if it comforts you

they'll bury

twice as many of theirs as they will of

ours i promise you that

you don't comfort

not none at all

i hear writers

[Applause]

high enough

[Music]

ma'am i'm the law not here you ain't

here i'm the law don't be a fool mrs

hoard

i come out for the one you call dodie

what do you want with him

stand trial for the killing of slim

cotter the lazy k

ranch then drawed his gun

dodie killed him before he could kill

one ass that ain't nothing to stand

trial about

it's up to the jury to decide whether

he's guilty or not my job is just to

take him in as the law requires

where was the law when they killed

dodie's wife

dodie's wife i know nothing about a

woman being killed

i'm telling you near a month ago out in

the prairie some

wild bunch came and shot up our wagon

for no reason

dodie's wife didn't draw a gun but they

killed her

dodie ain't been real right in the head

ever since

did you report that kill into the law i

told a law man

he done nothing just drove us on

there's a law for humans in the law for

williams but it ain't the same law

now look ma'am it is the same

at least we surround here it is who

might you be

ben cartwright i own this land

then you must know who i am i reckon

you're gonna know why i'm here

yeah i know your granddaughter willa

told us all about you

i want her but more than that i want the

man that killed jeb hold

what about that too mama sorry about

what happened

little joe said it was unavoidable i

mean to see he hangs for it

little joe is my son and jeb hold was

mine

the law determined that little joe acted

in self-defense

there's a law for euns and the law for

wins and it's not

the same law well i say it is the same

law for both of us

and don't you defy it now i come out

here to take in dodie hold and i'm going

to take him

you try it and they'll likely bury all

of us

is that right maybe we uh

maybe we better think on this huh yeah

maybe so

come on boys

[Music]

roy yeah

[Music]

you know she like what she said every

word of it we try to pull our way in

there they'll be dead to bury

most of theirs and most of us but i

gotta go in she's defying the law well

she's not defined as she's afraid of it

what's the difference whether she's

afraid of it or not the law is alone

i've sworn to pull it

well maybe you didn't swear it when you

took office but you're bound to uphold

human lives before the law

then you've got to be realistic them

holds her like a pit full of

rattlesnakes and twice as dangerous

you heard her say she wanted to hang

little joe didn't you well she meant

every word of that

she was upset she had every right to be

i know how i feel if one of my sons had

just been killed oh roy

you got to let me go back and reason

with her

all right ben

paul what you gonna do

i'm gonna hold out my hand to it

[Music]

i gotta beat on him ma just say when

[Music]

stand there what tricks are you playing

no tricks i'm a man with sons

tired of killing i've come to talk to a

woman with sons

who must hate killing will you hear me

i'll hear you we can fight each other

and kill each other over a man already

dead

and that'll pile grief on grief and

settle nothing

oh we can call the dead man buried

we can set aside grief and hate

we can live as neighbors

will you look at what i've come to show

you

i'll look

i'm going 20 miles from here a rich

valley

with sweet water and good grass

sheltered land i'll give you 50 head of

beef and 10 horses two broken to the

plow

your neighbors i'll be one of them we'll

help you build before the snow flies

it has the look of a lie a trap

yeah that it does but the truth that

look exactly

the same no

man gives away so much i'm not giving

i'm trading

exchange you won't make me kill some of

yours to protect mine

and i won't make you kill some of mine

to protect yours

what about my boy doody sheriff said he

wanted him

yeah he'll have to stand trial

a fair trial i promise you

show me your face

i ain't seen nothing but a lion cheating

men for a long

long time i'm about decided all the

goodens are dead

[Music]

what did you see

i'll study on it

dodie will come in at sundown tomorrow

or not

that'll be your answer

some down tomorrow if this be a trap

a trick to blind me or some way to kill

dodie

i'll come after you ben cartwright and i

won't rest till you're in your grave or

i'm in mine

and i'm mean to have my granddaughter

back with me

you remember that

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

hmm

you can't keep me now my ken's here i

can go if i want i got no rats

i don't want to keep you here well i

just came out say goodbye that's all

[Music]

this pony and your clothes all the

clothes you got back in your room

are yours to keep

[Music]

make sure you come back and get them

come back and visit us real soon too not

[Music]

[Applause]

here

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

what happened she run off again

yeah she left

you uh really thought you could tame her

huh i wasn't that

she heard us talking heard her family

was nearby and she wanted to be with him

so i let her go well that's probably the

best thing don't you think

i suppose

[Music]

what you'll miss her huh yeah i guess i

will

it's kind of cute when we got her face

washed you know

cause i kind of got used to having her

around

something else on your mind yeah

yeah i promised willow i'd tell her ken

how i come to kill her father

i still have that to do i think i'll let

ponder sheriff take care of that

oh i'm the one that killed him i'm the

one that should tell them

oh look joe you can't take a chance like

that i wouldn't go near that place

without some help

i wouldn't mean anything if i went in

there with an army could mean you'd stay

alive

adam i don't think the hodes are driver

killers

besides we don't even know it was one of

them that bushwhacked you

and i promised willow i'd tell him face

to face

i killed her father adam i think it's

the least i can do

no now joe you can't no now listen to me

joe come back

[Music]

it's willis just come back you let me

handle this boy

well i see you got away from them girl

they didn't even try and stop me

they just let me go like it's not

because i knew i'd come after them if

they didn't

you all right they didn't hurt you none

did they oh they didn't hurt me none

they gave me these clothes though and a

lot of pretty things graham it was nice

there

the house was big real splendid like and

they got a looking glass most tall as me

i'd like to see something like that not

frost none of that stuff

the shirt you got on a hussy shirt

get [ __ ] of it here well i think it's

real pretty willow

you look so different i ain't different

but not inside i ain't

graham they was good to me well they

even asked me to come back and visit

anytime at all

don't forget these the ones that killed

your paw

and don't you fret girl we're gonna kill

the one that done it

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

now who do you reckon this might be

ain't ever seen before dodie

little fella kind of pretty

heard it was a pretty little fella that

killed jeb

hey but you don't know this one's him

yeah i do

gotta feel in my bones remember what ma

told you

all right here now she's back talking to

willard

feels like it's up to me to figure out

what to do what's that gonna be

you all just wait here and watch you'll

see

gonna have me some fun killing a pretty

little fella to kill my brother

looking for somebody stranger yeah

looking for a family named hode

reckon you found them there a woman here

named grandma hoed

she's busy i'm dodie hod you can talk to

me

i think i'd rather talk to her kane

you got something to say say it to me

hell i don't think i will next to me

like you want trouble and i don't

i know you've come this far i wouldn't

be nably i'll let you go away without

you spoke your piece will it

hell i'll be back when i can talk to the

right person

oh don't be in a hurry neighbor maybe i

can help you

you come here looking for the man that

shot your brother ain't that right

well you found him i shot him

no you like to shoot me huh you shot my

brother jeb

and she got a shooting coming to you

your brother jeb tried to shoot me in

the back

he missed and i want him not to try it

again

he did and i had to kill him there was

nothing else i could have done

yeah i figured it was you i felt it in

my bones

i want to get on my horse and i'm going

to ride out of here

and like i said i don't want any trouble

don't try it you raise that gun i'm

gonna have to kill you

[Music]

it was a trick it was a trick after all

a trick so you could sneak in and kill

dodie

you a fast gun a killer i didn't come

here to kill him

but he was bound to kill me

i warned him but he had to try it

all right now i'm warning all of you

i'm going out of here now i don't want

anybody to make a move i'll come after

you

never fear you can't go far enough away

you'll die for this and your pap he'll

die for the turkey played me

what kind of man are you that man killed

your brother and yonder he goes riding

free

what are you standing there staring for

your water in your veins have you rope

for spines

take your rifles now and go do you hear

i want him dating his father dave

go now go on out here here

what do you mean by that we're done with

killing

done with killing dodie was bound to

murder that boy ma

he would have shot him in the back if

need be the boy could have done no less

than what he'd done and live

you cogs sniveling

that man killed your brother dodie he

killed your brother jeb

he murdered them don't that mean nothing

to you

neither murder graham he's right paul

tried to shoot him in the back he tried

twice

it's like john's telling you we killed

enough

i want that boy dead i want him dead now

i never would have known you that's how

much you changed willa

the only thing is i i keep thinking you

changed toward me

i've been living for the day that we we

catch up to you and we can be married

like was promised

now i'm afraid

there never was another man for me bird

and there never will be not as long as

we live

i told graham hogan i didn't think we'd

ever live long enough to get married

i guess i got no reason to change that

now

we done all we could you and me and john

and paul

we talked ourselves clear time maybe she

heard us

maybe not but if she says we gotta fight

them

we got to we got to do what she says

you know that

make yourselves ready we're going now

we're gonna see the man that killed my

[Music]

sons

[Music]

uh

[Music]

[Music]

reckon you know dodie won't be giving

himself up sundown tomorrow

yes i know boy there killed him

i know jeb killed dodie the same way

he's real fast with a gun my son doesn't

enjoy killing

he had no choice

two of my sons killed the same way

by the same man

willa saw the first killing john and

paul ii

they say it was done the same way it

ain't easy seeing two sons killed

willow says her paw was going to shoot

you in the back

john and paul say dodie tried to do the

same thing

i believe they never lied to me

i believe you've done what any man would

have done

you had to kill me

reckon i can't hold no anger again

well it says yulin's got all kinds of

fixings in your house

mind if not step in the sea

[Music]

my house is your house you're welcome at

all times

[Music]

do

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

you

Behind the Scenes of The Spitfire

The episode’s title in German is “Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung,” which translates as “The Taming Of The Shrew.”

This episode appears to be the first out of two, directed by William D. Faralla, also known as William Dario Faralla.

Jack Elam (Dodie Hoad) makes his first out of three appearances in the series through this episode.

Katherine Warren (Maud Hoad) makes her only appearance in the series, credited as Katharine Warren, through this episode.

Anita Sands (Willow Hoad) makes her only appearance in the series through this episode.

The “Kentucky Rifles” used by the Hoads are US Army M1873 Trapdoor Springfield breech-loading rifles. Although altered to look like muzzle-loading frontier rifles, the weapons retain the breech-loading mechanisms.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Add Bonanza to your list of must-watched series to enjoy alone or with your loved ones! NBC network televised the 14-season program on the channel from September 1959 to January 1973, keeping avid viewers hooked to its storyline through the years. The Spitfire is the 49th episode out of 430 and the seventeenth for Bonanza’s second season.

You can find more about any of the 430 Bonanza episodes here>>