The Cow (گاو)

The Cow

Cast: Ezat-Ollah Entezami

Ali Nasirian

Jafar Vali

Jamshid Mashayekhi

Esmat Safavi Mahin Shahabi

Screenplay: Gholam-Hossein Saeedi — Darius Mehrjui

Music: Hormoz Farhat

Director: Darius Mehrjui

Catch him, don't let him get away.

Why are you doing this? Get out of here... Go!

- Why do you bother him? - We didn't do anything to him.

Oh no? Why did you throw him in the water?

Who will take care of him if something happens?

It's all Saffar's fault.

He's always playing with kids half his age.

My fault, huh? OK, guys... Let's show him!

- Hello, chief. - Hi.

It's a wonder, chief...

Saffar's son has only been in trouble,

ever since he's come back from the city.

It's all he's learnt out there.

Are you going for milk? Hassan's pasturing his cow.

And one cow is all we have in this village.

Hello, Hassan.

Come sit down and have some tea with us. Come on, you need a break.

Keep away. Don't come any closer!

Go on, don't stand here. Get away from her.

Go on, get out of here.

- Here you are. - Thank you, chief.

Where have you been?

They've been waiting for a little milk.

I took her grazing.

- Don't give her that, she'll be sick. - Get away, kid!

What is it, Hassan? You're so touchy today.

The damn Bolouris are here again.

What?

Bolouris? Where?

- For God's sake, keep away! - Didn't I tell you to stay away?

I saw them on the top of the hill, on the way back.

How many of them were there?

Those three, as usual.

See? Chief, I keep telling you we should do something about it,

but no one listens!

What can we do now?

There's nothing we can do.

These Bolouris don't believe in anything.

We have to leave it to God.

They'll just get worse if we don't do anything.

They took 3 of my sheep.

They ruined me, and no one did anything about it.

Hassan's cow is probably next.

What?

My turn?

God forbid!

Let me tell you this, chief...

Hearing their name makes me boil over.

I'll have my revenge, if it's the last thing I do.

What could you do?

I'll do something.

Right!

You're scared of them like hell. What in the world can you do?

This boy has no manners.

Hassan, don't take your cow out.

You don't need her to graze all day long.

He's right, Hassan. Why do you take a pregnant cow out?

Leave her in the cowshed, it's almost time for her.

Where to, in such hurry?

I have to take her to the cowshed.

I'm going to bed early.

I must take off to work early morning.

- Bye. - Bye.

Woman! Bring me that lamp.

Let's make sure there's nothing to harm her, around here.

Give me that.

I'll go sleep in the cowshed tonight.

Why? What's the matter?

The Bolouris are hanging around. Give me that lamp.

- Does it belong to Bolour? - Yes.

- Did you steal it? - Yes.

Oh God!

Why did this happen to me? God!

What's wrong, ma'am?

Move aside. Move aside!

Get out of here... Move!

Breathe in. Breathe!

Breathe!

Give her some water.

Shake her arms.

God, help her.

- Eat, eat. - In the name of God.

Eslam? Eslam?

- Is something wrong? - Mind your own business!

Why did this happen to us?

It's terrible.

What is it?

Tell us what happened. Say something!

Hassan's cow died.

I took her some water

and found her lying on the ground,

with blood everywhere.

But why?

She wasn't ill, was she?

No.

She was fine this morning.

She was eating nonstop.

It must be an evil eye.

What evil eye? She says blood came out of her mouth.

There you have it!

God save us all from evil eyes.

Eslam? Eslam?

Is there anything wrong?

Leave me alone, for God's sake!

What am I to do now?

Tell me what to do.

Nothing, what could you possibly do?

She's dead, and she'll never be back!

What should we do, Eslam?

Poor old Hassan.

Poor Hassan.

Maybe it was a snake.

Believe it or not,

the Bolouris did this.

How could the Bolouris have done it?

Well, it's clear. They did it.

Any person or animal dying is always their fault?

Yes.

Those heathens steal what they can,

and kill the rest.

What good does arguing do us?

Let us be calm and think of what we can do.

See what happened, chief?

What am I to do now?

Can you imagine how Hassan would react to finding out his cow is dead?

She's right. She's right.

I know how he'd feel when he finds out.

What should we do, chief?

I can't come up with anything.

Listen!

When Hassan comes back,

nobody tells him his cow is dead, ok?

Don't tell him,

but when he doesn't find his cow, he'll figure it out.

Won't he, chief?

He's right, Eslam.

When he doesn't find her, he'd figure it out.

Listen, no one tells Hassan his cow is dead.

His wife will tell him...

...that the cow is dead!

Would you let him finish?

I'm not stopping him!

His wife will tell him that the cow ran away.

Hassan won't believe that.

He knows the cow would never do anything like that.

He's right, Eslam.

A pregnant cow doesn't run away.

You want them to tell him his cow is dead? The truth could kill him!

His wife will say the cow ran away,

and that Esmayil went after her.

But Eslam, I'm here. I haven't gone anywhere.

We'll just suppose you've gone after the cow. Let's just suppose.

Thank God, that's solved.

Tell me, Eslam...

What are we to do with the cow, now?

We need to hide her somewhere,

so Hassan doesn't find her.

How about skinning the cow, before hiding her?

No, we can't do that.

First of all, it's a sin to use the skin of a dead animal.

Secondly, what if Hassan shows up and finds out?

How about using Eslam's cart and dumping it into the valley?

No. People would see

and Hassan would hear of it sooner or later.

Then what can we do?

I really don't know.

May God help us.

It's such a tragedy. May God help us.

Turn her around.

May God help us. It's such a tragedy. God help us.

Now... everyone be careful not to tell Hassan about this.

Hopefully, no one will say anything.

Even if no one says anything, he will!

Hey, boy!

I'm talking to you, listen carefully!

Don't you tell Hassan anything!

Come here. Here!

Move it!

Don't tell Hassan

his cow is dead, got it?

Right.

He won't say anything. He's not that stupid.

Wait a second!

You'll tell Hassan his cow is dead, won't you?

Yes.

There's an easy solution to this.

We'll tie him in the old mill until it cools down.

Yes, that's right.

- Esmayil? - Yes?

You'd better go hide so Hassan doesn't see you.

Well... I'll just stay home.