Once upon a time, in the lively Forest of Fiddlewood, lived a turkey named Mr. Gobble – better known as Mr. Turkey. With his big, bold feathers and his impressive, booming gobble, he was a bit of a celebrity among the forest critters. But as fall rolled in, Mr. Turkey noticed something unsettling: posters of turkeys roasting on platters popping up on trees!
"It’s that time of year again," sighed Mr. Turkey to his best friends, Sally Squirrel and Benny Beaver, as he eyed the posters. "The humans are coming to…to…to take me!" He shuddered, his feathers puffing up like a spooked porcupine.
"Not on our watch!" squeaked Sally Squirrel, who was quick and clever, with an acorn stash the size of a small mountain. "You’ve got us, Mr. Turkey. And you’re not going anywhere but the top of this forest’s pecking order!"
"And I'll build us a fortress faster than you can say ‘Thanksgiving dinner!’" declared Benny Beaver, brandishing a small wooden stick.
So, the citizens of Fiddlewood Forest hatched a plan – an epic plan to keep Mr. Turkey safe and send the hunter packing!
Operation Gobble Defense
On the day of the hunt, the forest was buzzing. Mr. Turkey stood at the center of his woodland headquarters, wearing a helmet made from an old acorn cap, and Sally and Benny were briefing him on "Operation Gobble Defense."
"We've got traps set around every tree, and every squirrel is ready to throw acorns if things get dicey," Sally said, showing off a slingshot made from twigs and stretchy spider silk.
"And I’ve set up a dozen decoy turkeys made from twigs, leaves, and pinecones,” added Benny with a proud grin. "Hunter won’t know which way is up!"
Just then, a crunch sounded from the edge of the forest. They all froze. The hunter was here, creeping through the trees, eyes scanning for a big, plump turkey. Mr. Turkey gulped, his knees knocking together.
"Don’t worry, Mr. Turkey," whispered Benny. "Let’s go introduce Mr. Hunter to the Fiddlewood Forest Funhouse!"
The Battle Begins
The hunter hadn’t even taken three steps before the traps started springing. First, he got tangled in a web of sticky vines and yelped in surprise. Just as he managed to get free, he slipped on a pile of acorns and fell with a thud, arms and legs flying in all directions!
"Ha! Take that!" Sally giggled from her perch in a nearby tree, launching acorns like a little squirrel commando. "Let’s see you try to grab Mr. Turkey now!"
Determined, the hunter pressed on, a little slower this time, glancing nervously around for more tricks. He thought he saw a turkey in the distance, so he approached – only to find it was a cleverly constructed decoy. Every step he took revealed another fake turkey, until he was spinning in circles, tripping over sticks and piles of leaves.
"Oh no, Mr. Turkey, he’s closing in!" Benny squeaked as the hunter neared Mr. Turkey’s hiding spot. Thinking quickly, Mr. Turkey popped out from behind a tree, puffed up his feathers, and struck his most majestic pose.
"GOBBLE-GOBBLE-GOBBLE!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
The hunter froze in shock, staring at the loud, proud turkey. But before he could make a move, Sally and the squirrel brigade launched their next attack – hundreds of acorns rained down on the hunter, bouncing off his hat and jacket, sending him scrambling for cover!
In the middle of all the chaos, a family of raccoons appeared with pies they had…borrowed…from a nearby picnic, and they started flinging them at the hunter like a dessert tornado. SPLAT! A pumpkin pie hit the hunter square in the face, and he stumbled backward, waving his arms.
“Oh, we’re just getting started!” giggled Benny, who had set up a final surprise – a massive pile of leaves raked together like a fluffy red-and-gold mountain. With one last gobble, Mr. Turkey led the hunter straight toward it. Just as the hunter got close, Benny and his beaver buddies dropped a log, releasing the mountain of leaves, which completely buried the poor hunter!
From under the pile, a muffled voice groaned, “I give up! No turkey is worth this!”
The hunter scrambled out of the leaves, tossed down his hat, and ran back down the path, with leaves still sticking to him, pie filling on his shirt, and an army of squirrels chasing him out of the forest.
A Victory Celebration
As the hunter disappeared from sight, the animals burst into cheers. Mr. Turkey strutted around proudly, flapping his wings and thanking his brave friends. They all gathered around for a victory feast of nuts, berries, and pies the raccoons had brought back from the picnic.
"Cheers to Mr. Turkey and the bravest friends a bird could ask for!" cried Sally, raising an acorn in salute.
"To Operation Gobble Defense!" Benny shouted, lifting a piece of bark like a trophy.
The forest was filled with laughter as they celebrated late into the evening. Mr. Turkey gobbled and puffed his feathers, feeling safe and sound in the best forest in the world – a forest where the animals looked out for each other, and where even the sneakiest hunter didn’t stand a chance.
And from that day on, every critter in Fiddlewood knew that when it came to keeping Mr. Turkey safe, they were always ready to go to “war” with a smile, a pie, and a whole lot of acorns.