Cowboy Harold

## Stats

**Cowboy Harold** is the thirteenth and final episode of the series *Harold and the Purple Crayon* that aired on March 23, 2002.

## Summary

While it was a bit still early for Harold's bedtime, he was sent up to his room because he refused to eat squash. He was on his rocking horse with a cowboy hat on, still upset at the fact that he was supposed to eat something that he knew would've tasted awful. Harold preferred to be alone, so he draws an empty desert and decided to become a solitary cowboy as he already had the hat, and so he drew the lasso.

Of course, even the independent cowboys needed one important thing: a horse. Harold sketches one and also sketches a trampoline for he is much too short to reach the top of the horse, which he uses to bounce up. The horse starts running automatically, and it almost runs right off a cliff, but Harold's lasso grabs a peach tree branch, which makes the horse stop. Harold and the horse go over to the peach tree for a snack, but they aren't the only ones as there is a beehive on the tree. The bees briefly chase them until Harold is quick on the draw, quite literally, and draws a bunch of flowers that distract them.

As they ventured more the horse was getting tired, so Harold creates a running stream of water, but because the horse is too thirsty to even move, Harold puts water in his hat and gives it to the horse to refresh it. Harold read that towns were built where there was water, so he draws one right next to the stream. A young damsel named Miss Rosie runs out of a building to tell Harold that somebody robbed the bank, and she can't find her father, Mayor Cobb. Harold draws the mayor's office and Cobb finds her daughter just like that. To award Harold, he hands the duty of the sheriff to him but Harold was feeling hesitant to take it, but nevertheless, he agrees.

At the same time too, Harold also has to catch that bank robber all by his solitary self. Harold reminds himself that cowboys must be brave. He makes sure that his trusty horse is all ready for this big event, but his horseshoe seems to be coming off. Harold creates a repair shop, and the blacksmith nails the shoe back on, then tells Harold the direction where the robber went to. Harold sees cacti and has heard that there was water inside, but he had no idea how to get to it because of how prickly the plant is. The horse takes a bite of the cactus and Harold sees the water inside. Harold draws a little straw for him, and a bigger one for his horse. The night falls, so Harold draws a campfire and because he was all alone, he could eat whatever he wanted to eat and cooks sausages over the fire. Before it was time for bed, Harold draws a rooster for an alarm clock, but he couldn't go to sleep until one more song. After the song, Harold was a bit scared sleeping all alone, with the sound of the howling coyotes. Harold draws a circle and flicks it over the moon, changing it from night to day.

Since it was daytime, it was time for Harold to catch his crook. Remembering how villains had their hideouts in TV shows, Harold draws a shack built for a robber, then comes up with a plan with the rooster and horse. While he hides behind a rock, the rooster crows outside the door, making the bank robber open it and come out. He chases the rooster until he trips, and then the horse goes into the shack. The robber pounds on the door, and Harold catches him when he draws prison bars over him. Miss Rosie thanks Harold with a smooch. Harold decides to retire his sheriff duties and travels off with his horse, and the rooster. But Harold was sad at how lonely he was with no one to talk to. Suddenly, Miss Rosie comes up to him with her horse to tell Harold that the townspeople were wanting to do a barn dance in honor of Harold's duties, but they didn't have a barn. The townspeople, with food, come and help Harold build one after he just sketched the front of it, and everybody dances with one another. After that, everybody eats the food, but because Harold couldn't get to the front in time, the only thing left was squash. He thought it was gross, but feeling hungry he had no choice but to try it. To his surprise, Harold loved it. Finally, he figured it was time to go home, but first, he lassoed two stars from the night sky and handed them to the horse, and the rooster. Harold drew his bedroom and was glad to be back home, and glad to try squash after all. The purple crayon drops to the floor and Harold falls asleep.