Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.

Do not copy any of my artwork, poetry or photography without my permission.
....carpe diem. The Daylily. "Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun." Khalil Gibran. She gives her all for just one day then bows her head to God and fades away to nourish the next generation. God I pray I may give my all each day to honor you and bow my head at the end to nourish the next generation. Peggy Jones. NOTE............ Please folks do not copy any of my art or photos on my blog without my permission. Thank you for your good manners.

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Monday, November 8, 2010

Magpie Tales #39 and Creative Tuesday

Magpie Tales

Willow's prompt.
note
(Now I know this is a rooster, but because of the big eyes this is the story that came to mind.)




The Legend of Tom "Turkey" Gobbler
Many, many years ago when stilling moonshine was the most common means of earning a living for the family in this neck of the woods, a lot of strange things happened in the knobs of Kentucky.

 One of the most macabre tales is still told today, especially around Thanksgiving.

Old man Johnnie Gobbler and his friends had a pretty productive setup down by the river and they felt reasonably sure they were safe from the nosy sheriff that 
was known to go around arresting the shiners, hauling them off to jail and keeping the shine for himself.

Some of Gobblers friends had another setup near the county line and they got raided one night.  A runner was sent to Gobblers place to let him know they had been raided and to put them on the lookout. 

Now their still was right behind the shack where Tommy Gobbler, Johnnie's son lived. It was close to the house and down a hill near the river so that when smoke was raising from the still it looked as if it was coming from the house. Of course they mostly ran at night so the chimney was always smoking since it was cold down by the river.

It was pretty chilly the night old Johnnie got the message from the runner that his friend Hambone's place had been raided and he expected the sheriff would be too drunk from the raid loot to be of any trouble to him. But one had to be on the safe side.


He called his son Tom down to the still and recounted the story he had been given.


"Well Pap," Tom called his dad Pap,"I will take care of that." and he was off with the speed of lightening.


Sure nuff, old Johnnie was right. It wasn't long before he heard tires squealing on the dirt road just above Tom's house.


"Come on fellers," Johnnie heard, "lets get this bunch of bootleggers tonight too. Woo Hoo we'll party hardy."


All of a sudden Johnnie heard a howling like a bunch of wolves and feared the worst. Then he heard the sheriff's posse, with the sheriff being the loudest, howling and screaming and scuffling back to their vehicles.
"Lemme outta here, lemme outta here" they all screamed as the rocks flew and the tires spun on the gravel road.

"That is the worst sight and smell I ever seen," yelled the deputy." lemme outta here."


Well, thought Johnnie, wonder what that was all about as his whole family worked feverishly to bottle the booze and get it to the hidden cave on down the river.


"Ha, ha, ha, ha, boy I got em good Pap. Ya shoulda seen them sissies running from an old turkey."

About that time Johnnie say a black figure hustling down the hill holding something very strange in his hand.
"What in the world did you do boy?" asked Johnnie.

"Oh nothing," Tom said, "just had my Thanksgiving turkey with me when them boys came up and I went out to meet em."

Tom was dressed in black from head to toe, with his head covered, with red ketchup splashed all over him, but in his right hand was the big bugeyed head of the turkey he had just slaughtered for his family's Thanksgiving dinner.
In fact he was carrying it in his arm just like the headless horseman we once heard about.

"Ha, ha, ha Tom you are some turkey yourself aren't you." his mom laughed.
"They won't be back here anytime soon," said Tom. "I sprayed them with skunk spray. Don't think they will get that off for many moons."


No one went into the sheriff's office for weeks after that, and since he heard the same thing was gonna happen again, he had all the loot returned to Hambone's setup the next day.
He told everyone in town about the life size headless turkey they had seen that night and of course the size of the turkey got bigger and bigger over the years.

Folks stayed away from the sheriff and his deputy due to the bad smell for weeks.

And that's the way Tom Gobbler got his nickname
"Turkey"


Go here to read some more good stories and poems.


  Also connecting with
Creative Tuesday
Theme
Little House.
High on a Hill

Hosted by Mr. Tea and Toast.
Go here for more great art work.













14 comments:

Caty said...

I loved this tale! funny and entertaining. bet that headless turkey was a sight..lol

lissa said...

your CT looks like a castle, but I like the idea of a house on a hill

Wanda said...

Cute, cute story, and love the little house on the hill!

Heather said...

Boy, it's been awhile since I've visited. What was it? Wordless Wednesday? I don't recall but glad that I found you and your imagination here today through the little house meme.

~A Vermont Girl

Janice said...

What a sweet little house high on a hill. Liked your turkey tale as well.

Jenny said...

Love the flag flying and the gorgeous pink! There are lots of wee highland towns here in Scotland that have an array of houses all painted in different colours..this little house would fit in wonderfully :)

Christie describeHappy said...

Your turkey tale was great! That big 'ole eye! I really like your creative entry too. Nothing like a house on a hill by the sea.

Suz said...

I loved it too

Betsy Brock said...

Oooh...and is that the sea there, too! I'd love a little house with that view! :)

Heather said...

that was a funny story! i love your castle, way up there on the hill! very sweet and soft....i like that! xxoo

Tess Kincaid said...

Cute Tom Gobbler tale, QMM!

Christine said...

love your little house high on a hill. happy thanksgiving!

Kristin Dudish said...

Such a timely tale and a very sweet "little house"!

xo
Kristin

Michael said...

QMM, no worries to your comment on my blog--it;s not the end product having to be perfect as much as that prompt of being creative and doing it--which you always do and delight us with each fortnight--just like this one. good for you. this is actually quite impressionistic for you, don;t you think? it has a feeling to it for sure. :)

Live your back ground you've chose too, btw.