One day Hoss and Joe Cartwright were in Virginia City. They saw a poster hanging.
Hoss read out loud, “ON JUNE 30 BIG RODEO IN VIRGINIA CITY. ALSO BULL CONTEST. WINNER GETS $ 500,00.”
“Hoss, we will enter that. You coach the bull and I am going to win”, Joe said enthusiastic.
Hoss reacted right away with, “This dumb plan of yours is not going to go ahead Little Joe! We both enter and the one who wins gets the money!”
“Take it easy”, Joe said a bit insulted.
They went to enter the both of them.
Once arrived at home Hoss said, “First I am going to fill my stomach and then practice for the contest. Practicing on an empty stomach is impossible for me.”
“Good idea”, answered Joe.
They went to plunder the pantry at once where after they went to work.
Hoss had grabbed a big towel and waved it in front of the bull. Of course the beats reacted full power and Hoss just could get jump aside in time. Joe couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
“Now you may try it little brother”, said Hoss.
Joe grabbed the towel and waved with it.
“Come then little bull. Look at the cloth”, said Joe.
The bull first looked at Joe, then at the waving towel and attacked then. Joe too could jump aside but the red towel didn’t survive it. The same went for the corral, the chicken run and the barn. The chickens flew up each way and cackled like they were having a ball. Hoss and Joe looked amazed around them and realized that they had done something stupid. Exactly that moment Ben, Adam and Mitch came home. They saw the havoc and the youngest had his reaction ready.
“Daddy, not even I make never such a mess”, five year old Mitch said.
“So your uncles can follow your example”, answered Adam.
“Adam, take your son inside before there gets more damage done”, said Ben.
The rancher dismounted and looked at the havoc. Adam nodded and stopped his horse where after he dismounted. With a big swing he lifted off his son. Together they went inside. Ben waited until they were inside. Then he went to his 2 youngest sons.
“WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE?”, Ben asked stern.
The anger in his voice was to be heard even in New York.
“Nothing pa”, Joe said a bit shy.
“Nothing happened here? Why is it then such a havoc?”, asked Ben.
“That is due to the gnomes”, said Hoss.
“Since when are here gnomes living here at the Ponderosa?”, was the following question of Ben.
“Since today. They made a bull wild for a contest with this red towel and made that havoc by that. The prize is 500 dollar”, Joe explained.
The rancher looked at the towel and wasn’t clearly happy with it.
“This is my towel. I got it from Mitch for my last birthday. This does get replaced. Whose idea was it to renovate the Ponderosa here with a bull?”, Ben asked strict.
“It was my idea”, Joe answered somewhat shy.
The rancher sighed deep and looked around.
“Joseph, I want that you enter that contest. With that prize you can recover all damages. Hoss helps you with the contest”, said Ben.
There was nothing else for Joe to do than to accept it. Ben took the torn towel inside where Adam and Mitch were. Adam sat on the settee while Mitch played with their dog Cody.
“What have the gentlemen done this time again?”, asked Adam.
Ben answered, “Your brothers are entering a bull contest. To practice they have used my red towel.”
He showed the towel.
“Grandpa, I had given you that towel for your birthday, hadn’t I?”, Mitch asked amazed.
“Indeed son. But they will have to recover everything. Including this towel”, was the answer of Ben.
Joe practiced each day whereby he got support from Hoss. For security reasons Mitch wasn’t allowed to play outside from Adam.
Finally it was the day of the rodeo. Of course the Cartwrights were there as well. Especially the bull contest had their attention. Joe did reasonably his bets but his bull didn’t cooperate very well. Or better said: not at all.
Adam reacted sarcastic, “Well Mitch, I think that it will be a long time before you can play freely on the yard again.”
“Doesn’t matter daddy. Then I will keep supervise on uncle Joe”, the little fellow said dry.
Home again said Ben, “Joseph, you have done it quite well but unfortunately not won. Tomorrow you start to repair everything.”
“Joe, rest assure because your sweet nephew has already offered voluntarily to supervise your duties”, Adam said smiling.
“What am I pleased with that”, sighed Joe.
Joe worked hard to repair everything and within a month the yard was like it was before the bull contest. But the youngest son of Ben Cartwright had resolved himself to never enter a bull contest ever again.