00:00a turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting
00:29It was Thanksgiving morning.
00:37Mr. Moose helped Mrs. Moose set the Thanksgiving table.
00:41Sheep will sit here.
00:43He likes a chair that's straight up and down, Mr. Moose said.
00:47Rabbit here, porcupine here, Mr. and Mrs. Goat here.
00:52He smiled at his wife.
00:54Isn't it nice to have friends to share Thanksgiving?
01:00Mrs. Moose set two paper pilgrims, one at each end of the table.
01:05She placed the paper turkey with its great fan of a tail between the candles and stood back.
01:11They look good, my dear, Mr. Moose said.
01:15Mrs. Moose sighed.
01:16Yes, but I wish we had a real turkey.
01:20Everyone always has a turkey for Thanksgiving, everyone but us.
01:25Mr. Moose nuzzled Mrs. Moose's head.
01:28Well, that won't do.
01:30I will go this minute and find you a turkey for Thanksgiving.
01:37Mr. Moose put on his cap and went out.
01:40Mist wandered through the bare trees.
01:42The cold made his nose water.
01:45Rabbit poked his head from his rabbit hole.
01:48Mr. Moose, is it dinner time?
01:50Not quite yet.
01:51Mrs. Moose wants a turkey.
01:53I'm off to find one.
01:55Rabbit joined him in three quick hops.
01:58I'll come too.
01:59Moose's warm breath hung white in front of him.
02:06Snow crunched under his hooves and made little holes that rabbit jumped over.
02:10I see the goats, rabbit said.
02:13Mr. Goat raised his head and spat out the tin can he was chewing.
02:18Is it dinner time, he called.
02:20Not till I find a turkey, Mr. Moose said.
02:25We saw one down by the river, Mrs. Goat told him.
02:28And Mr. Goat added, a fat one.
02:34The goats leaped down from their perch.
02:37We'll show you.
02:38Sheep was farther up the hillside looking round as a fur ball in his winter coat.
02:44Is it dinner time, he bellowed.
02:46First I have to find a turkey, Mr. Moose bellowed back.
02:51There's a turkey nest on the riverbank, sheep called.
02:54Wait for me.
02:59The earth smelled of ice and moss as they crunched along.
03:03Above them a crow hung, black as a puff of wood spoke.
03:07Porcupine was hiding in the underbrush.
03:10It's you, he said and put his quills down.
03:14We're off to get a turkey for Mrs. Moose, Mr. Moose explained.
03:18Do you want to come?
03:20I'm slow, Porcupine said.
03:22Pick me up on your way back.
03:24Who would want to pick you up, sheep asked and laughed his bleat of a laugh.
03:29I'll wait, Porcupine told Mr. Moose.
03:35They saw Turkey's nest right away and Turkey himself peering over the top of it.
03:40Turkey, Turkey, Mr. Moose called in his sweetest voice.
03:45Ah, Turkey blundered from his nest and ran.
03:49Mr. Moose lumbered after him.
03:51Turkey, don't run.
03:53We just want you for Thanksgiving dinner.
03:56Turkey ran faster.
04:01Mr. Moose saw the red and blue sheen of Turkey's neck.
04:05Turkey's tail brushed crumbs of snow behind him as he tried to fly.
04:10Too fat, Mr. Goat said.
04:13Turkey's legs bent in the middle as he fell.
04:16Mr. Moose put a booted hoof on his head and smiled his great toothy smile.
04:21I hope you don't have other plans for Thanksgiving, Turkey.
04:29He helped Turkey up.
04:31My wife won't mind that you're too fat, he said.
04:34Let's go.
04:35It's getting close to dinner time.
04:38They marched Turkey in front.
04:40I'm sorry about this.
04:42I can see you don't want to come, Mr. Moose said.
04:45But I must insist.
04:47A promise is a promise.
04:53There was a wreath of dried fruit on the moose's door.
04:57Inside, the house was filled with Thanksgiving smells.
05:00Mr. Moose hid Turkey behind him.
05:03Look who I brought, Mrs. Moose, he said.
05:06Sheep, the goats, rabbit, and porcupine.
05:10And ta-da, he pushed Turkey around in front of him.
05:14For you, a turkey for Thanksgiving.
05:21Mrs. Moose clapped her hooves.
05:23I'm so happy to have you, Turkey.
05:26Thank you, Mr. Moose.
05:28Now everything's perfect.
05:30Shall we sit, sheep asked, heading for the straight up and down chair.
05:35Let's, Mrs. Moose pointed.
05:37Rabbit here, porcupine here, Mr. and Mrs. Goat here.
05:42And look, I brought a chair from the other room in hopes of Turkey.
05:47A chair, Turkey stammered.
05:50Right next to me, Mrs. Moose said.
05:53Light the candles, Mr. Moose.
05:58There were bowls of acorns and alfalfa sprouts dried since summer.
06:03There was willow bark and cured grasses and wild parsley.
06:07There were pressed leaves thin and pale as new ice on a pond.
06:12I hope you find something here to your liking, Mr. Turkey, Mrs. Moose said.
06:17I wasn't sure of your taste.
06:20You are so kind to worry about my taste, Turkey said.
06:24I thought you'd be worrying about how I'd taste.
06:30Heavens no.
06:32Mr. Moose smiled his big tooth smile and
06:35filled everyone's cup with cold spring water.
06:38It's so nice to have friends around the table at Thanksgiving.
06:42Turkey's waddles wobbled.
06:44It's even nicer to be at your table and not on it, he said.
06:50Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
06:51Happy Thanksgiving, Turkey.
06:58I hope you enjoyed that story.
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07:10And don't forget to check out all the other stories that are already uploaded.
07:14Thank you so much for watching.
