Turkey scenes latest version 21 Jan 19, 2015
Note: Folk fairy tales of all cultures express two main
great themes: encountering the monster and rags to riches. Thus children of all
ages have found in storytelling new hope and courage for life. "Once upon
a time" thus speak of stories that never were but always ARE, eternally
present in our human challenge to survive and thrive no matter what .
This folk tale is designed to speak to children with special
needs, that is, diverse handicaps and emotional challenges. We must believe
before we can "see, "because "imagination is more important than
intelligence," and the most beautiful thing in the universe, according to
Einstein, "is the mysterious."
This folk tale speaks to physical handicap, emotional
self-doubt, peer pressure, verbal bullying betrayal of friends, and physical
constraints, all typical challenges of children with special needs. Each scene
offers discussion possibilities.
LOTTIE MAE, THE TURKEY WHO COULD NOT STOP DREAMING
© Paschal Baute, 2013
Text for 25 scenes. in sets of five
Scene
1. Lottie Mae soon knew she was different from the other
chickens and Duck. She ate more and grew faster. Soon she was taller and bigger
than either the chickens or Duck. She wondered about why she was different.
2. Farmer Osborne had put the turkey egg he found under his
favorite hen where she was setting with her eggs. He had also placed a duck egg
there. The hen had hatched the duck eggs before, so she might also hatch this
turkey egg.
3. Lottie Mae soon realized she was different in another
way: she limped. One leg was shorter
than the other. She tried to hide it, but she walked funny. Duck came up one
day and asked her: Why do you walk funny" She did not know what to say
4. Soon other chickens were calling her "Limpy
Lottie" and "cluck, cluck, clutch," laughing. She did not like
feeling differently. She wondered why she was so different from the others.
5. Once she stumbled and fell. Duck came over to help her
up. He seemed to want to be friends. After all, he knew he was different from
the chickens also. Lottie Mae and Duck would hang out together in the yard.
6. Lottie Mae kept eating more and growing faster than
either Duck or the chickens. One chicken in particular liked to make fun of her
when they were fed twice daily. "Pig, Pig, Pig," she could hear her saying.
She felt funny about that Was she a
"pig" because she needed to eat more?
7. Lottie Mae felt that children's shying away from her more
and more. They did not want to be with her or around her. Duck would sometimes
be with them and sometimes be with her. Her limp was now worse as she was
growing and heavier. She walked lopsidedly.
8. Lottie Mae was curious about everything. Why was the sky
blue, Where did rain come from? Why was there a fence around the yard?. The
fence was to keep the wild animals out, the lions, tiger and bears, who would
eat them all, she was told. Mostly no
one went near the fence.
9. One day, she looked up rather than down. She saw birds
flying,. She stretched her wings. They felt small. But what if, she could learn
to fly/ She began running across the
barnyard seeing if her wing could lift her above the ground.
10. Duck asked her one day what she was doing? "Learning to fly," she said without
thinking. Duck asked
"Why?" "I don't
know," she said. "It just
feels good." She kept on.
11. Then suddenly, for no reason at all, Lottie Mae started
dreaming. What if she could fly, or learn to fly? Was the fence just to keep wild animals out,
or maybe also to keep us in? the more
she dreamed, the more she wanted to fly.
12. Now she knew she was different from chickens and duck
also. As she practiced, she felt her wings getting stronger. She began to dream about great adventures on
the other side of the fence.
13. One day after while they were being fed by one of the
farm girls She overheard her say to her sister. See the turkey over there,
pointed to her, she's going to be big and tasty for Thanksgiving dinner this
year." What? She could hardly believe her ears.
14. "They are
going to eat me," She began to think. This means they have to kill me
first. For several days, she was freaky,
wondering and sad. "I must not stay
here," she began to think.
15. Now she knew she HAD to learn to fly. Before it was just
being curious. She knew she should not practice too often or others would get
suspicious. Once, during a full moon she got up at night out of the roost and
ran across the yard, practicing; Her
wings were stronger.
__
16. Lottie Mae became so excited about her plans that she
had to share them with someone. She told Duck. He was shocked and walked around
shaking his head whenever he looked at her.
17. Then Duck told the other chickens about Lottie Mae's
plans. Soon they had a sing-song tune.
"what'll say, Lottie Mae, Learn to fly, no way, now way." Every time she ran across the year,,
practicing her wings, she would hear the chant.
18. Lottie Mae knew now that she had to practice in
secret. In the middle of the night she
would get down her roost and go to the yard to practice. She felt her wings getting stronger and
stronger. She was now happy with her dream and her practice, happier than she
had been in a long time.
19. She dreamed about what adventures might be on the other
side of the fence. Maybe she could find turkeys like herself. Maybe there would
be friendly, act like family. Maybe
there would be exciting adventures, far
beyond this boring barnyard.
20. It was now summertime. When night came, the moon was
full and the barnyard and fence were clearly seen, she said to Duck. "Come
watched me tonight.; I am ready to leave. I am leaving. "Duck was sleepy
but he got up to sit and watch.
__
21. Lottie Mae had mapped her flight. She started at the end of the yard away from the
chicken house. She easily ran and flew to the top of the chicken
house. Resting for a few minutes there.
Now she was ready Duck could scarcely
believe his eyes when he saw her fly and easily sail over the fence.
22 As she cleared the
fence, Lottie Mae could scarcely believe her luck. Then suddenly she was
scared. She had no idea what was outside the fence. So she soon found some
thick bushes and decided to hide there.
Maybe there were wildly critters who would want to eat her
23. Still scared she was hiding for a couple of days when she heard some strange clucking.
The clucks sounded like her clucks. Soon
she saw a brood of turkeys walking toward her. She was still scared. But trying
to remain quiet, she could not help
making a clucking sound.
24. Some very large turkeys came to investigate the turkey
noise. Soon they were staring at her. Thy were much bigger, full grow an
wild. She risked standing tall and
stretching her strong wings. To her
surprise, they said "come, join us.!
So she did.
25. The reader might think this is the end of the story, but
it only the beginning. Lottie Mae fit in with her new family so well she soon
became a valued member. They loved to hear her story. They loved her courage and her persistence. She was so proud to be asked to give pep talks to the younger turkeys. At last she felt completely free, Loved and wanted.
Last page
She loved to tell the young turkeys
'Keep on dreaming, then knock yourself out to go for
it."
