It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without dropping in our favorite farm friend Elbert. We hope you enjoy this traditional JEM short story and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Elbert's Thanksgiving Day Surprise
“The weather is just fine this morning, just fine indeed,” thought Elbert, as he looked around a quiet farmyard. “Today is the perfect time to start training for the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey competition!” “I can see it now,” he imagined. “After all, being chosen the family's Thanksgiving Day turkey is the highest honor bestowed on the family farm, and this year it's going to be me.”
Just then, a group of turkeys came racing around the barn corner and smashed right into Elbert, causing clouds of feathers spinning in the air. Elbert was dazed and confused, but the turkeys just kept on going and laughed at him as they disappeared into the horizon. “Those turkeys think they're so big and strong, I'll show them,” thought Elbert. He continued to train by running, jumping, and eating twice as much every day to show the turkeys what he was made of.
Elbert's chest grew larger with pride every day. When the sun came up, he was the first one to begin training. When the sun went down, he counted all his new muscles along with his blessings.
“I'm finally beginning to earn some respect around here,” thought Elbert, who had come to live on the farm at a very early age. He had tried numerous times to be just like the other larger and stronger birds, but they always seemed to give him a wing up and shooed him away. Now, they stood along the fence and watched in sheer amazement as he ran circles around them in training. They would always stop what they were doing to watch him run by. Their beaks would suddenly drop open and their eyes would grow wide as saucers as if to say something when he sped by. He couldn't always figure out what they were thinking, but he knew deep down inside they were afraid of losing the competition.
The night before Thanksgiving, Elbert heard a strange noise and jumped to his feet. There, under a stream of moonlight in the distance, he caught a faint glimpse of the turkeys trying to sneak away from the farm. He called out to them, but they disappeared over the dark hills the farmer always warned them were filled with danger. Elbert desperately wanted to go after them, but he was too afraid of what lie over the hills. He spent the night worrying and wondering what had happened to make the turkeys flee their home. He finally concluded that, after watching him train for the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey competition, they were all too ashamed to stick around and learn of their losing fate. Elbert finally decided to go to bed and assured himself that the farmer would be calling his name first thing on Thanksgiving morning.
Morning finally came, and Elbert was filled with anticipation. He listened very carefully for his name to be called, but he never heard a sound. “How can this be?” he wondered. “The farmhouse is always filled with excitement and celebration by now.” By afternoon, he caught a whiff of the sweet smell of pumpkin pie filling the air. “Something is definitely happening,” he thought and walked boldly around the barn, across the farmyard, and straight up to the farmhouse. He used all his winged might to jump up and crawl into an open window. He went over with a thud and was greeted with quite a shocking sight.
There! Right in the center of the Thanksgiving Table of Honor, was a great big juicy pink ham nestled atop a bed of tasty farm greens.
Elbert shrieked in disbelief! He caught the attention of every family member around the table. “What is the meaning of this injustice!”? he demanded. “It is not a ham but a turkey that should hold this place of honor,” he added sternly. “I, Elbert, must insist that I replace this ham immediately and preserve this Thanksgiving Day tradition for one and all.”
Elbert felt every eye at the table settle on him. Then, from within a crowd of family and friends, he heard one child's voice say to his dismay...”but Elbert, you're just a chicken.”
JEM Publications wishes you and your family a very
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
No comments:
Post a Comment