[insects chirping]
[Polly groaning]
[Polly] Aah!
[groaning continues]
[Polly groans, exhales]
[Polly breathing heavily]
[groaning]
They coming fast or slow?
Ooh... was fast, but getting slow.
- Okay. - [horse neighs]
Breathe.
Ah... I wet myself, Mabel.
Oh, I bet you did. Mm-hmm.
[groaning]
[Mabel] Cora, go tell Moses.
[Polly exhales]
Go on, now!
- Breathe. - [groans]
[breathing deeply]
[chicken clucking]
[horse neighs in distance]
[metal clanking]
[footsteps approaching]
[door creaks open]
[Moses clears throat]
[horse neighs in distance]
[stammers]
[breathing shakily]
We all sad he born still, Moses.
But your woman gonna bleed to death
if you don't call on a doctor.
[Moses sniffles]
[spits]
[Mabel] Moses.
Moses...
Moses! Moses!
[metal clanking]
God.
- [Connelly] Clean her up. - [gasps]
Yes, sir.
[Polly sniffling]
[shuddering]
[sobbing softly]
[metal clanking]
[insects chirping]
[sighs]
[rustling nearby]
[distant hooting]
Praise the Lord you found him.
Moses gone and brought him back to Polly.
- Where she be now? - With the doctor.
Moses begged Connelly,
promised him we'd all pick double time if he sent for him.
[Jockey exhales]
Maybe they both found a little bit of God in this child's face.
- [Ruth] Amen. - Well...
best thing we can do now is bury this child proper
in a dignified way.
- [Ruth] Amen. - [sniffling]
Amen.
You best hurry, now.
[horse neighs]
[indistinct chatter]
Need to check you over.
You keep filling Polly's sack, you hear?
Yes, ma'am.
[indistinct singing]
All right, now. Come on. Come on.
- [pained groaning] - Uh-huh.
- [straining] Mm! - Okay.
- Let me... Mm. - Aah! Mm.
Your bosom's sore because the milk coming in.
Okay?
Guess God figured
He ain't punish me enough by making me a slave.
Now, that's nothing but nonsense.
[sniffles]
What's going on with your body is natural.
- [sniffles] - Okay?
It's part of being a woman.
Naturally cruel.
Being born a slave and a woman, too.
I'll dig up some herbs.
Some sage, some parsley, help dry up your milk.
Meantime, don't drink any more water.
Okay?
[Mabel] No, baby, that's just old holly root.
Keep looking.
Afternoon, Master Connelly.
- Moses. - [Moses] Where you been?
[Connelly] Never mind that, I need you
- to come along with us. - Yes, sir.
- Where we going? - Excuse me?
On account of my girl, sir.
Master Randall found out about Polly
and said we... stepped into some good luck.
[Connelly] What he means to say is that everything happens
according to God's plan.
Down on the Hicks plantation,
a woman give birth to two pups, twins.
From the seed of a big ole buck,
but their mammy died in the birth.
Now they got a midwife on the plantation, but no wet nurse.
So Mr. Randall...
he offer up Polly to nurse them pups
till a time comes they don't need no nursing.
I'm happy to hand-feed those babies pap.
My mama taught me the best recipe
to make 'em strong, just like from the breast.
Nah, Mr. Hicks say he wants milk, not pap.
Moses...
tell him your woman lost two other pregnancies
before anybody but us knowed she was carrying.
Forcing her to suckle someone else's babies before her mind
can heal up ain't right.
It's cruel, Moses, tell him!
[grunts]
[Moses] Master say what it's gonna be,
and that what it's gonna be, damn it.
[Connelly] Now get up to the house
and look after them babies.
What about my Cora?
[Connelly] She can stay back there
with the rest of the pickaninnies.
Shouldn't be more than a week.
Well, go on!
Take that mess with you.
- Come on, Moses. - Yes, sir.
[clock chiming]
[baby coos]
[footsteps approaching]
- [door opens] - [baby coos]
Never had mens look in while I shows a woman how to feed.
Master put me in charge of them babies.
Each one of these little bucks worth more than five of you.
Go on and ask Connelly who spent two weeks
teaching his sister how to feed.
Mm, yeah, that may be, Mabel,
but I'm no fool.
All right, now get on with it,
so's you can get back to your'n, you hear?
[baby coos]
All right, now y'all get to it.
But you still got to pick your fair share, Mabel.
Connelly tell me to see to it.
[baby fusses]
[baby crying]
[clock ticking]
[door closes]
[baby coos]
[Mabel] Polly, what's wrong with you?
Nothing.
Mm. Just...
[sighs]
Body's been changing.
Feel like I don't know my own bosom.
[baby cries]
Everything just getting low...
and dark.
[Mabel] That's all right, Polly.
That's all right.
Body change 'cause it knows you in need.
Ain't nothing I ain't seen, now.
[softly] Please?
[Polly exhales]
[baby fussing]
Okay.
First things first,
we got to get him to latch onto you.
Let me see the size of your nipples.
Okay?
[baby fussing]
[Polly grunts, chuckles nervously]
[Mabel] Okay.
- [gasps] - Other side.
[Polly grunting softly]
[baby fussing]
- [pained groaning] - I know, I know, I know.
Okay.
[baby crying]
Hold him like that.
[baby grunting]
[shudders]
Nobody tells womens, but...
nursing is something you learn,
not something you know.
Same for the babies.
When they drain the milk, you'll feel better.
That's it, Polly.
That's it.
You got mothering coursing all through you.
♪ ♪
[laughs softly]
♪ ♪
[clock ticking]
♪ ♪
[clanging]
♪ ♪
[rooster crows in distance]
[rustling nearby]
[footsteps approaching]
[Connelly clears throat]
Now...
I know you like midwifing over working in the field,
but that's Moses' woman,
and Moses aim to take care of her hisself.
Y-Yes, sir, I know, sir, but...
Well, finish your thought.
The babies getting all the milk they can handle.
Polly don't need me, you right, but...
...Polly's not well.
What you mean, she not well? Her milk bad?
No, sir, that's not the well I mean.
A woman's mind a tricky thing, and, see...
I got doubts about Moses' capabilities
in this matter, sir.
Well, be that as it may, that's for Moses to deal with.
Moses gonna deal with it the way he see fit.
You understand me?
Yes, sir.
[indistinct chatter]
[insects chirping]
[baby coos]
[whispering indistinctly]
Yeah. [chuckles]
[whispering indistinctly]
Polly in here now.
Babies, too.
[baby sputters]
The boss done cleared everybody out of here,
so ain't no fresh niggas in here to bring no sickness,
just us and these children, so...
as of today, you can go back working in the field full-time.
Won't be needing your help no more.
All right.
Just wants to collect my tinctures, that's all.
They over there.
- [tinctures clinking] - [man in distance] Moses!
[man continues shouting indistinctly]
Moses!
Leave us be now, Mabel.
Might have something real nice here.
[baby cooing]
Polly... you okay?
Oh, I'm good.
Real good.
Our babies healthy and Moses say he wants to get married
so we can have some more.
[laughs softly]
Who babies?
Me and Moses.
[Mabel] Polly.
Them babies ain't yours.
Babies belong to Hicks,
and they gon' sell them down the river
just as soon as they can stand upright, now...
[Polly] It's time to feed my babies now, Mabel.
[baby cries]
All right, Polly.
All right, then.
[Polly laughs softly]
[metal clanking in distance]
[insects chirping]
[chickens clucking]
[frogs croaking]
Mama, look.
[fading] Mama?
♪ ♪
[chickens clucking]
[dog barking in distance]
[metal clanking]
[horse whinnies in distance]
[door creaks]
[metal continues clanking]
[sobbing softly]
[sobbing loudly]
[continues sobbing]
[Mabel] Cora!
Go on and get back home now, you hear?
Girl, I done told you, you better get on inside.
Cora, get home now.
But, Mama...
You do what I tell you.
[woman] Come on, now. Come on.
[floor creaks]
[fly buzzing]
[insects trilling]
[insects trilling loudly]
[Moses sobbing softly]
Prideful!
Yes, sir, boss.
You think you can handle this whip?
Yes, sir.
All right, show me.
Ezekiel!
[Ezekiel] Yes, sir!
[Connelly] Have Thomas fetch me some more tobacco.
[Ezekiel] Yes, sir, boss. Right away, boss.
- [whip cracks] - [Moses cries out]
Come on now, if you can't handle it,
I'm gonna pull him down and have him whup you.
- [whip cracks] - [Moses cries out]
[Moses groans]
- [whip cracks] - [groans]
- [whip cracks] - [whimpers]
[panting]
- [whip cracks] - [grunts]
- [whip cracks] - [Moses groans]
[Moses panting]
- [whip cracks] - [Moses groans]
[whip cracks]
- [whip cracks] - [Moses groans]
- [whip cracks] - [cries out]
[grunts, panting]
- [whip cracks] - [cries out]
- [whip cracks] - [groaning]
That's enough now, Prideful.
[Moses whimpering]
Pull him down, fix him to the post.
What y'all standing around for? Get back to work!
[Moses groaning]
[chains jangling]
♪ ♪
[door creaks]
[flies buzzing]
[water sloshes]
[flies buzzing]
[water sloshes]
[water dripping]
[scrubbing loudly]
[gasps]
[exhales shakily]
[flies buzzing]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
[insect wings fluttering]
[water sloshing]
♪ ♪
[insects trilling loudly]
[trilling fades]
- [gasps] Cora. - [insects trilling loudly]
[whimpers]
[gasps]
- Aah! Oh... - [snake hisses]
[whimpers, groans]
[whimpers]
♪ ♪
[whimpers]
♪ ♪
[panting]
♪ ♪
[tool scrapes]
♪ ♪
[metallic creaking]
♪ ♪
[creaking stops]
♪ ♪
[gun clicking]
[footsteps echoing]
[wind whistling]
[footsteps echoing softly]
[wind whistling softly]
- Cora? - Yeah?
When the fighting was happening, I found it.
Took it up off the ground.
[Cora sniffles]
[sniffles] Come on, huh?
[exhales] Let's get ourselves up above.
[wind whistling]
[metal rattling]
[breathing heavily]
- [bird squawks] - [animal growls]
[metal rattling]
[animal growls]
[Cora breathes heavily]
[wind whistling]
[grunts]
[metal rattling]
[wind whistling]
[rustling]
[metal rattling]
[wind blowing]
[birds squawking]
[gasps]
[sobs softly]
[breathes deeply]
[whimpers]
[sobs softly]
[sighs]
[breathes shakily]
[sobs]
[sniffling]
♪ ♪
[sighs]
♪ ♪
[sniffles]
♪ ♪
[metallic creaking]
[Cora] Hmm.
I'm hungry.
I know, baby, just...
[sighs] Just give me...
[horse neighs]
[Cora breathes shakily]
- [Cora grunts] - [metal clanks]
[Cora] Stand there.
- [horse snorts] - [carriage rattles]
Whoa.
Whoa. Whoa.
[horse snorts]
[Cora breathes heavily]
[horse snorts]
Y'all hungry?
We're very hungry, sir.
Are you kind, mister?
Most times, yes.
Of course, like anybody, I falters, of course.
Where y'all headed?
There ain't much around here, so I figure...
either you running from or running to.
[Cora] Where you going?
Heading down to St. Louis.
From there, catch a trail to California.
Gon' meet some people in Missouri.
Is that good with you, uh, Miss...?
Cora.
Nice to meet you, Cora.
I go by name of Ollie.
I don't mean you no harm.
Promise you that.
I'm Molly.
How do, Miss Molly?
Come on.
Come on up. I'll get you. Come on.
There you go. Up.
There we go, yeah.
Watch yourself now.
- All right. - [Cora grunts]
[Ollie] Catch your dress...
Come on. There you go.
There you go. Sit on down.
All right. There you go.
- You headed west, huh? - Yeah.
That what's best, Miss Cora.
All right, here, here you go.
Some water for you.
There you go.
All right.
[speaking indistinctly]
Now, y'all get cold...
...there's a blanket under the seat.
Settle in. All right.
Let's go.
Hyah!
♪ ♪
[♪ Mahalia Jackson: "How I Got Over"]
- ♪ How I got over ♪ - ♪ How I got over ♪
♪ Yeah, how I got over ♪
♪ How I got over ♪
♪ Well, my soul look back and wonder ♪
♪ How I got over ♪
♪ Lord, how I got over ♪
♪ How I got over ♪
♪ Well, how I got over ♪
♪ How I got over ♪
♪ My soul look back and wonder ♪
♪ How I got over ♪
♪ Well ♪
♪ Just soon as I see King Jesus ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ The man who died for me ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ Well, the man who bled and suffered ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ You know He hung on Calvary ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna thank Him for how He brought me ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna thank Him for how He taught me ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ Oh, thank Him for how He kept me ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna thank Him 'cause He never left me ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna thank Him for old-time religion ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna thank Him, child, for a vision ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna sing hallelujah ♪
♪ Oh, and shout trouble over ♪
- ♪ I'm gonna thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank You, my Lord ♪
♪ For all He's done for me ♪
♪ Well, I'm gonna wear a dyed garment ♪
- ♪ Oh, yes ♪ - ♪ In the New Jerusalem ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna walk those streets of old ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ In the homeland of the soul ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna view the hosts in white ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ They been traveling day and night ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ Coming up from every nation ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ On the way to the great coronation ♪
- ♪ Oh, yes ♪ - ♪ Coming from the south ♪
♪ North, east and west ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ On their way to the land of rest ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna join the heavenly choir ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ I'm gonna sing, yeah, and never get tired ♪
♪ Oh, yes ♪
♪ And I'm gonna sing hallelujah ♪
♪ Yes, I'm gonna shout trouble over, thank God ♪
- ♪ I'm gonna thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank You, my Lord ♪
♪ For all He's done for me ♪
♪ Well, I'm gonna thank Him ♪
♪ Thank Him ♪
- ♪ Thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank Him ♪
♪ Thank Him ♪
- ♪ Thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank Him ♪
♪ Thank Him ♪
- ♪ Thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank Him ♪
♪ Thank Him ♪
- ♪ Thank Him ♪ - ♪ Thank Him ♪
♪ For all He's done ♪
♪ He's done ♪
♪ For ♪
♪ Me ♪♪