The Turkey's Nest

One day the old turkey hen went out to find a place to make her nest. She went a long way, but when she had found the right spot, she said,

"They may go to the east and go to the west,
But they'll never be able to find my nest."

She felt so proud of herself that she walked all the way home with her head in the air.

When she got home to the barnyard her friends were talking about her. The Gray Goose, the White Duck and the Brown Hen were there, and called, "Where in the world did you make your nest?"

"Guess," said the turkey hen, and then they began.

"Well," said the Gray Goose at last, "when I go to make my nest I always try to get near the water, for there's nothing so good for my health. I'll guess the goose pond."

"Right," cried the Duck, "I'll quite agree. The pond is just the place for a family."

"The idea," said the Brown Hen, clucking to herself, "why what could be better than hay or straw! I'll guess the haystack."

But though they did their very best, they could not guess where she made her nest.

The turkey hen grew prouder and prouder, and she walked about the barnyard like a queen. One day the cook saw her and said to the children, "That old turkey hen has made herself a nest somewhere."

"Then I'll find it," said Cousin Pen, who had come to pay a visit on the farm.

"Then I'll find it," cried Brother Fred, "She can't hide a nest from me."

"Then I'll find it," said little Ben. And they all started out to look for it.

Cousin Pen went down in the hollow and looked in the grasses and leaves and in the stumps and hollow trees.

But though she did her very best, she couldn't find the turkey's nest.

Brother Fred went up on the hill, and down in the field, and round by the goose pond where he found the Gray Goose and the White Duck taking a swim.

But though he did his very best, he couldn't find the turkey's nest.

Then Mother got up and followed her, just as still as a mouse, and the turkey hen went up the hill and down the hill, and through the fields and by the mill, she went east and she went west, but she never went near the hidden nest.

"I'll give up," said Mother, and the old turkey hen was prouder than ever.

Then Father said that he must try. So early one morning before the children were awake he got up and started out to find the turkey's nest.

"He'll find it if anybody can," said Brother Fred, and the children could scarcely wait for him to come home again.

He stayed so long that they went down to meet him, and when he saw them coming, he called out,

"I'm sure I've done my very best, but I can't find that turkey's nest."

And the turkey hen grew prouder and prouder. She stayed at her nest, wherever it was, nearly all the time then, and only came to the barnyard when she wanted something to eat.

The Gray Goose and the White Duck and the Brown Hen said they wouldn't be surprised at anything she did.

But they were surprised, and so were the children, when one morning she walked into the yard with twelve little turkeys behind her.

"Just look here," she said, "at my children. I hatched them all in my nest down in the corner of the old rail fence."

And she added, as they gathered around to see,

"I tell you what, I did my best, when I found that place to make my nest!"