Old Yeller 1957

In the aftermath of the Civil War, a young family settles in the dusty town of Salt Licks, Texas, seeking a fresh start. Jim Coates (Fess Parker), along with his wife Katie (Dorothy McGuire) and their two rambunctious sons, Travis (Tommy Kirk) and Arliss (Kevin Corcoran), struggle to make ends meet amidst the economic hardship that has beset the community. The majority of the townspeople face similar financial struggles, as they cling to the dwindling value of Confederate currency.

As the family’s fortunes remain uncertain, Jim joins forces with other local ranchers to embark on a perilous cattle drive to Kansas, where they hope to sell their livestock and secure the funds necessary for survival. Prior to his departure, Jim entrusts Travis with the responsibility of tending to their homestead, vowing to return within three to four months and present his son with the prized horse he has long desired.

Meanwhile, Travis is busy plowing the family’s cornfield alongside Jumper, a faithful mule. The tranquility of the scene is shattered when a rambunctious yellow dog bursts into the field, hot on the heels of a fleeing rabbit. Jumper becomes spooked and makes a break for it, dragging Travis behind. As the young boy manages to free himself from the plow harness, he finds himself at odds with the errant canine.

The younger brother, Arliss, has developed a peculiar habit of collecting small animals and secreting them in his pants pockets, much to the dismay of their mother. When news of the marauding yellow dog reaches him, Arliss becomes immediately smitten and determined to capture the wayward canine. The next morning, the dog lies waiting outside the family’s front door, its fate hanging precariously in the balance.

As Travis prepares to chase the dog off with a makeshift club, Arliss stands his ground, refusing to relinquish his newfound friend. Their mother’s gentle intervention ultimately persuades Travis to reconsider his animosity towards the yellow dog, paving the way for its adoption and the subsequent joys it will bring to their humble abode.

As Travis (no actor name provided) stubbornly tries to avoid any connection with the yellow dog, a sudden change in his demeanor occurs when he brings home a freshly killed deer and deliberately hangs the meat on the porch, issuing a warning to the canine not to touch it lest he face dire consequences. The next morning, Travis arms himself with his gun, anticipating that the meat would be gone by now, thus providing him with a valid reason to dispatch the dog. However, much to his surprise, the meat remains untouched and the yellow dog lies quietly nearby, its unexpected obedience earning it a newfound respect from Travis.

As the days pass, Arliss has taken to affectionately dubbing the yellow dog “Yeller,” and their bond grows stronger as they engage in various activities together. They go fishing, with Yeller even catching a catfish, and take leisurely swims in the family’s spring water pool. One day, while Arliss is breaking off small pieces of bread and tossing them to a playful black bear cub, he suddenly jumps on it, attempting to catch it. The frightened cub lets out a cry, and before long, its mother appears on the scene, charging straight for Arliss. Yeller springs into action, bravely defending Arliss until Mrs. Coates intervenes, rescuing her son from harm’s way. Travis is further impressed by the dog’s unwavering bravery and protective instincts.

As if this weren’t enough, a visit from Bud Searcy (Jeff York) and his daughter Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn) adds an unexpected twist to their quiet lives. Bud, a lazy blowhard who was left behind by the community’s men to look after the families while they were away in Kansas, is only redeemable for his ability to appear at mealtimes, get his daughter to handle any tasks, and regale them with outlandish tales of his experiences and those of his family. Elizabeth, a young girl around Travis’ age, confides in him that she has spotted Yeller pilfering eggs and cornbread from the community’s members, but instead of reporting it to her father or anyone else, she chooses not to because she knows Yeller is the father of the pups her dog is expecting.

As Travis endeavours to contain Yeller’s wanderlust, he devises an innovative solution - appointing the wayward canine as sentinel in the cornfield, where raccoons have been pilfering the harvest. To everyone’s delight, Yeller proves a skilled sentry, successfully warding off the marauding coons.

Meanwhile, Rose, Coate’s solitary milk cow, embarks on an unexpected adventure into the woods to deliver her calf, prompting Travis and Yeller to embark on a mission to locate them. Upon finding the wayward cow and her newborn, Travis and Yeller face a daunting challenge: calming the protective mother. Undeterred by Rose’s ferocious display, Yeller intervenes, employing its impressive strength to gently subdue the cow twice before she relinquishes her maternal instincts. As Travis carefully carries the calf back home, Yeller herds Rose back with a watchful eye.

Rose’s ire has yet to dissipate, her confinement without her calf still rankling. Undeterred by this emotional turbulence, Travis attempts to milk her, only to be met with resistance as she kicks at him. In desperation, he summons Yeller, who arrives on the scene with an air of calm determination. Rose, seemingly mollified by their earlier encounter, ceases her agitation and instead keeps a wary eye on Yeller. Mrs. Coates is visibly impressed.

Their tranquility is short-lived, however, as Burn Sanderson, a rancher from San Antonio, arrives at the homestead, bearing news of his recent loss - a majestic yellow dog with an uncanny talent for cattle herding. Despite this canine’s penchant for pilfering provisions, Sanderson hopes to recover it. Mrs. Coates dispatches Travis to fetch Yeller, which he reluctantly does. As Sanderson attempts to ensnare Yeller in a rope and prepares to depart, Arliss seizes the opportunity to express his discontent, pelting Sanderson with rocks that send his horse into a panicked gallop, ultimately bucking its rider off. Recognizing the profound impact Yeller has had on this family, Sanderson approaches the situation with kindness and wisdom, proposing a trade: the yellow dog in exchange for Arliss’s prized horned frog and a ‘woman-cooked meal’. The offer proves too enticing to refuse, and Arliss’s mother assists in completing the transaction.

As Travis prepares to bid farewell to Sanderson, the seasoned rancher imparts a grave warning: cases of hydrophobia have begun to surface in the area, spreading fear and uncertainty among the local population. With a stern expression, Sanderson cautions Travis against procrastination when encountering unusually aggressive animals, emphasizing the importance of swift action to prevent further spread of the deadly disease. Moreover, he implores Travis to keep the true nature of the epidemic from his mother and Arliss, aware that the truth would only serve to alarm them.

Later, Bud Searcy shares a crucial piece of information with Travis: the Coates family herd has been spotted roaming freely just a short distance from their farm. Recognizing the importance of marking the newborn hogs with the distinctive Coates mark, Travis sets out on a mission to accomplish this task with the able assistance of his loyal companion Yeller. As they work together in perfect harmony, Travis skillfully corrals the hogs beneath a low-hanging branch, utilizing a rope noose to capture each pig and notch its ear before moving on to the next. The successful marking of one small pig is soon followed by an unexpected turn of events: an adult hog loops around the tree trunk, pulling Travis out of his perch with surprising force.

In the aftermath of this mishap, Travis finds himself struggling against a fierce boar with razor-sharp tusks, its attack leaving him with a deep gash on his leg. Yeller, ever loyal and protective, intervenes to save his friend from harm, but in doing so, suffers a severe injury to his own torso. As the sun begins to set, Travis uses a neckerchief to dress his wound before carefully wrapping his shirt around Yeller’s injured area and guiding him into a nearby cave for shelter.

As Travis seeks medical attention for himself and Yeller, he is accompanied by Mrs. Coates, who returns with him to the farm along with Arliss and Jumper. With her husband away, Mrs. Coates takes charge of Yeller’s treatment, employing one of Jumper’s tail hairs to sew up his wound before transporting him back to the ranch using a makeshift travois.

Meanwhile, Travis and Yeller are forced to rest and recover from their ordeal, providing a welcome respite from the challenges they have faced. However, their peace is short-lived, as Mr. Searcy and Elizabeth soon arrive at the farm. Elizabeth, still carrying the emotional scars of her previous visit, presents Travis with a small yellow puppy - one of Yeller’s own pups - and asks that he take it in. Travis declines, recommending that Arliss be the more suitable recipient, but his words fall on deaf ears as Elizabeth, deeply hurt by Travis’ refusal, deposits the pup into Arliss’ lap before departing in tears.

Arliss, overjoyed by the new addition to their family, is initially unaware of the depth of emotion his mother’s actions have stirred. As Searcy and Travis discuss the events that transpired during their encounter with the hogs, the threat of hydrophobia looms large, serving as a potent reminder of the dangers that lie ahead.

Here is the rephrased section:

As the days pass, Rose, the dairy cow, begins to show signs of distress due to her hydrophobia. Mrs. Coates, with a sense of solemnity, instructs Travis to put the afflicted animal down at a safe distance from the farm, in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease. However, as Travis’s family tends to the carcass, a sudden wolf attack ensues, leaving them vulnerable. Yeller, ever vigilant, springs into action and confronts the wolf. Travis rushes out with his rifle, securing a clear shot and dispatching the predator. Though the wolf is vanquished, it becomes apparent that Yeller has sustained bite wounds, prompting Mrs. Coates to advise Travis that he must put down the dog as well, citing the likelihood of infection given the wolf’s erratic behavior.

Despite this dire prognosis, Travis convinces his mother to confine Yeller to a pen and monitor its condition. Over the next nearly four weeks, the once-loyal canine gradually transforms into a snarling menace, initially targeting Travis before extending its hostility to Arliss. Recognizing the inevitable, Travis prepares himself for the heart-wrenching task ahead.

With considerable trepidation, Travis finally brings an end to Yeller’s suffering, and the following day, Mr. Coates returns home bearing gifts: a new dress and shoes for his wife, an Indian headdress and hatchet for Arliss, and a new horse for Travis. As Travis and Elizabeth work to bury Yeller, Travis is consumed by grief, failing to respond as his father had hoped upon seeing him and the new horse. Mr. Coates, however, grasps the gravity of the situation and offers words of wisdom.

The elder Coates cautions Travis that life can sometimes deal crushing blows, leaving one reeling in pain. He emphasizes the importance of being mindful not to let life’s setbacks overwhelm us, allowing all joy to be extinguished by suffering. Mr. Coates encourages Travis to seek out the good amidst the bad, and as he does, Travis begins to see the truth in his father’s words.