Mr. Pancake Turkey

by Christopher Francis
(Waterdown, Ontario, Canada)

Early one morning, Farmer Francis set out to feed his turkeys. He was the owner of a tiny little Turkey farm in Burlington, Ontario. He was the poorest man in all the land, but he was happy. He had lots of work to do every day, and most importantly he had to feed his turkeys. When he walked into his tiny little barn he noticed something very strange.



One of his turkeys was as flat as a pancake. He thought that perhaps the other turkeys were stealing his food. So Farmer Francis put the flat turkey into a separate room so that he could eat by himself.



The next day, Farmer Francis set out again to feed his turkeys.



When he arrived to the barn, he noticed that the flat turkey was even flatter! He was still as flat as a pancake. “I’m going to call you, Mr. Pancake Turkey,” said Farmer Francis to the flat turkey. “But I’m also going to make sure you’re all plump and ready for Thanksgiving.”



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Farmer Francis placed twice as much feed in Mr. Pancake Turkey’s feeder, and set out to take care of the other turkeys.



The next day, Farmer Francis set out again to feed his turkeys.



He went in to check on Mr. Pancake Turkey to see if he had gained any weight. To Farmer Francis’ dismay, Mr. Pancake Turkey was still flat, but all of the food was gone. “Why aren’t you getting plump?” Farmer Francis said, frustrated.
“Gobble, gobble”, replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.




Farmer Francis decided to take Mr. Pancake Turkey to the doctor. “My Turkey won’t get plump. Can you help?” pleaded Farmer Francis to the doctor.
“Well,” replied the doctor, “there is one thing you can do. You can eat with your turkey, to make sure he is eating all of his food.”
“Good idea,” replied Farmer Francis.


“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



That evening, Farmer Francis brought Mr. Pancake Turkey inside his house to eat with him and his wife.
“What on earth are you doing bringing a turkey into the dining room?” bellowed Mrs. Farmer Francis.
“I need to make sure that he eats and will be plump for Thanksgiving.” said Farmer Francis. “He’s too flat!”
“He looks as flat as a pancake!” said Mrs. Farmer Francis.
“Yes he does.” replied Farmer Francis


“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Mr. Pancake Turkey ate everything that Mrs. Farmer Francis and Farmer Francis fed him. He ate Baked Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Squash, Corn on the Cob, and Mashed Potatoes. He ate, and he ate, and he ate and he ate. But he still didn’t get any plumper. Not one little bit.
“What am I going to do with you?” asked Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Farmer Francis thought he should take Mr. Pancake Turkey to the zoo. He didn’t have any other animals on his tiny farm, and figured he could show him how other animals lived. He thought he would show him the fattest and plumpest animals, hoping that this would inspire Mr. Pancake Turkey. He showed him the hippos, the elephants, the pigs, and the largest bird in all the land, the Ostrich.
“You need to get nice and big, likes these animals.” demanded Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Mr. Pancake Turkey still didn’t get any bigger, so Farmer Francis decided to take him to a Pumpkin Pie Eating contest. They watched as all of the contestants ate as much pumpkin pie as they could, and the person who could eat the most would win a trophy. The biggest man, in all the land, was there, and he ate 15 pumpkin pies.
“You need to eat like him” said Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Farmer Francis simply couldn’t win. Mr. Pancake turkey just wouldn’t get any bigger. He didn’t know what to do.

“Why don’t you take him to the circus.” suggested Mrs. Farmer Francis one day. “No one has ever seen a flat turkey before.”
Farmer Francis thought it was a great idea, and decided to take Mr. Pancake Turkey to the circus.
Everyone was amazed to see such a strange and peculiar looking turkey, and it wasn’t long before word got out, and people started coming from all over the country to see Farmer Francis’ special turkey. He became the most famous man in all the land.
“I’m going to be rich!” chanted Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.



Farmer Francis made so much money, that he decided to sell his farm, and all of his turkeys. He began traveling around the country showing everyone how special his flat turkey was. He bought himself a new truck, an airplane, and a boat so that he could go anywhere he pleased. It wasn’t long before Farmer Francis was the wealthiest man in all the land. He bought a mansion for Mrs. Farmer Francis, and a big barn, just for his flat turkey. He had everything he could have possibly dreamed.
“I have everything I could have ever imagined.”
“Yes you do” said Mrs. Farmer Francis.




“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.




But it wasn’t long before people started growing bored of seeing a flat turkey. Farmer Francis tried desperately to put him on TV shows, or in the movies, or in commercials, but to no avail. He soon had to sell his truck, his airplane and his boat. He could no longer afford to live in the big mansion, so he had to sell that too. He even had to get rid of the big barn. Farmer Francis had nothing.
“What am I going to do?” cried Farmer Francis.
“I don’t know” said Mrs. Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.


Farmer Francis realized that he got too greedy. He tried to be somebody he was not. He tried to turn Mr. Pancake Turkey into somebody he was not either. He was a farmer, and that was what he knew how to be. He decided to go back to his little Turkey Farm, and try to start over again. Farmer Francis didn’t need to make Mr. Pancake Turkey plump, and he didn’t need to make lots of money. He just needed to be happy, and being a turkey farmer was what he knew best, and that made him happy.
By Thanksgiving Day, Farmer Francis owned his farm again, and instead of having turkey for dinner, he decided to have all the turkeys over for Thanksgiving dinner.
“This is best Thanksgiving ever!” sang Farmer Francis.
“Yes it is” replied Mrs. Farmer Francis.



“Gobble, gobble,” replied Mr. Pancake Turkey.