Intended audience: Early Elementary (5,6,7)
Why this audience?: This is a quick tale, great for settling a class or diverting the attention of little ones. While it is short it provides fantastic imagery that will spark the imagination of young kids and could lead into a great follow up craft activity involving feathers and bright colors. It also can easily be acted out with flapping wings and strutting to make the kids laugh.
Characters: The small beautiful bird
The turkey
The birds of the forest
Scenes/Settings: The forest
Synopsis: There once was a bird that was so beautiful, the other creatures of the forest said that when the sun was high enough in the sky her feathers reflected one thousand colors. "He is prettier than the flowers," the butterflies said. "He is prettier than the butterflies," the flowers exclaimed.
One day the birds called for an election for the next King of the birds. They were to choose a new king and the parrots and the cockatoos went to spreading the news all over the forrest.
Turkey heard the news and got so excited he started strutting about the forest floor thinking about how he had to win this election. "I am a turkey! I am strong. I am puff my chest out. I can strut my stuff better than any bird in this forest. I should definitely be made king of all birds!" But then Turkey started to worry and wonder why he didn't have beautiful feathers like the peacock. "Silly, and such a waste on him. I deserve much better feathers than this brown stuff."
All of a sudden the beautiful little bird appeared in a nearby tree. "Would you like to borrow some of my feathers?"
Turkey was flabbergasted but quickly agreed, thanking the little bird over and over again. "But, you must promise to give them back to me after the election. Agreed?"
Turkey agreed and set to making himself as beautiful as possible for the king of the birds elections. And when he arrived the next day he looked so regal, like a king, the birds had no trouble choosing him as king of the birds. This made turkey very happy and very proud. He strutted about the forest showing off his colorful feathers and he forgot all about the little bird.
After a week, and Turkey still had not returned the feathers, the little bird paid a visit to Turkey. "May I have my feathers back. We made a deal, and you promised to return them to me. I am very cold now when I sleep."
"Oh my friend, you can't possibly show off these beautiful feathers as well as I can. Besides, being king, I need them much more than you do." And Turkey walked away from the little bird,who sat shivering in the dark forest.
After a few weeks the birds of the forrest began to worry about the small, beautiful bird. The one night Owl spied him hurrying to sneak a drink of water from the lake. Owl was horrified and called a meeting of all the other birds who immediately agreed that something should be done. They gathered a feather from every bird in the forrest and deposited the pile of colorful feathers outside the small bird's bush. When the bird awoke he saw the feathers and assumed that Turkey had made good on his promise. He arranged his new feathers and flew around the forrest singing the most joyous song .
"He is prettier than the flowers," the butterflies said.
"He is prettier than the butterflies," the flowers exclaimed.
And this story is true. I cannot lie. I told it to you as it was told to me.
One day the birds called for an election for the next King of the birds. They were to choose a new king and the parrots and the cockatoos went to spreading the news all over the forrest.
Turkey heard the news and got so excited he started strutting about the forest floor thinking about how he had to win this election. "I am a turkey! I am strong. I am puff my chest out. I can strut my stuff better than any bird in this forest. I should definitely be made king of all birds!" But then Turkey started to worry and wonder why he didn't have beautiful feathers like the peacock. "Silly, and such a waste on him. I deserve much better feathers than this brown stuff."
All of a sudden the beautiful little bird appeared in a nearby tree. "Would you like to borrow some of my feathers?"
Turkey was flabbergasted but quickly agreed, thanking the little bird over and over again. "But, you must promise to give them back to me after the election. Agreed?"
Turkey agreed and set to making himself as beautiful as possible for the king of the birds elections. And when he arrived the next day he looked so regal, like a king, the birds had no trouble choosing him as king of the birds. This made turkey very happy and very proud. He strutted about the forest showing off his colorful feathers and he forgot all about the little bird.
After a week, and Turkey still had not returned the feathers, the little bird paid a visit to Turkey. "May I have my feathers back. We made a deal, and you promised to return them to me. I am very cold now when I sleep."
"Oh my friend, you can't possibly show off these beautiful feathers as well as I can. Besides, being king, I need them much more than you do." And Turkey walked away from the little bird,who sat shivering in the dark forest.
After a few weeks the birds of the forrest began to worry about the small, beautiful bird. The one night Owl spied him hurrying to sneak a drink of water from the lake. Owl was horrified and called a meeting of all the other birds who immediately agreed that something should be done. They gathered a feather from every bird in the forrest and deposited the pile of colorful feathers outside the small bird's bush. When the bird awoke he saw the feathers and assumed that Turkey had made good on his promise. He arranged his new feathers and flew around the forrest singing the most joyous song .
"He is prettier than the flowers," the butterflies said.
"He is prettier than the butterflies," the flowers exclaimed.
And this story is true. I cannot lie. I told it to you as it was told to me.
Story Climaxes/High Points: When the birds of the forrest discover that the small beautiful bird's feathers have been taken they come together as a team. They rally and provide feathers for the little bird so that she will once more gleam with one thousand colors.
Special Chants/Phrases:
"He is prettier than the flowers," the butterflies said.
"He is prettier than the butterflies," the flowers exclaimed.
And this story is true. I cannot lie. I told it to you as it was told to me.
"He is prettier than the flowers," the butterflies said.
"He is prettier than the butterflies," the flowers exclaimed.
And this story is true. I cannot lie. I told it to you as it was told to me.
Bibliographic Information:
Ada, Alma Flor. (2006). The Bird of One Thousand Colors. In Tales Our Abuelitas Told Us (pp. 27-31). New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
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