Good morning everyone. I promised a turkey story for thanksgiving so here goes. Proud Tom Tom strutted around the big pen chasing the hens away from the fence if anyone came by. every morning Mrs. Brown came out with a bowl of corn and while Tom ate shed tell him what a beautiful bird he was getting to be, what fine feathers he had and how handsome he was. She was fattening him up with the planthat hed tip the scales at22lbs or better. Not knowing this,Tom was so full of pride he could hardly stand hearing all of Mrs. Browns fine words. Hed forget all about the corn and fluff up his feathers, shake his head, gobble, gobble, nad strut up and down along the fence. As Mrs. Brown watched him shed count the 15 hungry people again. Let,s see now There are five children, three in-laws, four grandchildren, possibly two girlfriends of the younger sons, and of course Mr. Brown. Mrs. Brown always forgot to count herself so there were really sixteen people. What Mrs. Brown didnt know was someone else was watching Tom also Crafty Mr. Fox lived up on the ridge behind the barn. He had a Mrs. and four hungry little ones at home and he was thinking what a feast old Tom would make. He was tired of living on field mice and since it took a lot to feed all those hungry mouths. Hed had his eye on Tom ever sense Mrs. Brown had put him in the pen. That was months ago. At that time Mr. Fox knew that Tom wasnt bigger than a mouthful. He would hardly feed one of the little one, let alone the whole family, so he decided to wait until Mr. Brown had fattened Tom up. One day, about a week before Thanksgiving, as Mrs. Brown was standing by the fence admiring Tom, and Tom was strutting his usual stuff, Mr. Brown came out and stood there looking. Well now mama,is your platter big enough to hold old Tom? He asked. Oh sure, said Mrs. Brown. Never been a bird too big for that platter. With that they headed for the house, discussing the menu for the rest of the meal. Poor old Tom! What a shock this was !He was meant for Thanksgiving dinner! Down went his tail feathers. His strutting turned to pacing back and forth in front of the gate. Somehow he had to get away. His chance came sooner than he thought it would. Mr. Fox decided hed better make his move now or Tom would be Thanksgiving dinner for the Browns instead of his brood. Keeping close to the barn, he inched his way to the chicken house. The door to the hen house was locked . So was the gate to the pen. He circled the pen three times, looking for an easy way in. No such luck. He had to dig a hole into the pen. Once inside he found the trap door that the hens used to go into the yard, unlocked.yard. He was able to get his nose under the door, lift it up and squeeze inside. Now to find old Tom among all those hens. Suddenly Tom, up on the highest roost, spotted Mr. Fox. Tom started to gobble, gobble. The hens all started sqwacking and flying around. What a racket!! The hens made so much noise that Mr. Brown heard them and came running to see what was going on. Never suspecting a fox in the hen house, he swung the door wide open and shone the light around inside. Quick as a flash, Mr. Fox grabbed a fat hen and dashed right between Mr. Browns legs, out the door, around the corner of the barn and off across the meadow with Mr. Brown in hot pursuit. Mr. Fox got away . Meanwhile, back at the hen house, Tom saw his chance. He flew out the door and ran as fast as he could across the yard in the opposite direction, into the brush beside the road and on towards the woods he went. He was feeling very pleased with himself to think that he had gotten away from Mr. Brown and Mr. Fox too. For three days Tom stayed in the woods but he was getting very hungry. The thought of the corn that Mrs. Brown gave him was drawing him back. All of a sudden he heard a familiar sound. The shacking of corn in a dish, and Mrs. Browns soft voice calling, Tom, Tom. Wheres my beautiful, handsome bird?. Here Tom. Let me see those beautiful feathers. What a fine fellow you are. Tom listened for a while. Then he could stand it no longer. His pride was so puffed up that out he came with his Gobble Gobble He shook his feathers and strutted, big as you please, right up to Mrs. Brown.......... But that was before Thanksgiving.... And in his pride, Tom forgot what still could happen at that time. A few days later Thanksgiving Day arrived, sunny and bright. What was the scene that day? Mr. Fox and family were enjoying the fat hen and a few mice, Mr. Brown and all the family were seated around the big dining room table, awaiting Mrs. Browns arrival from the kitchen. With fanfare she finally walked in....There was old Tom more beautiful than ever. He filled that platter right to the brim. All golden brown and juicy. The oohs and aahs would have had old Tom struttin his stuff more than ever. He was sooooooo proud.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 16:57:10 +0000
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