Toto, the Little Turkey

[Intro] [Gentle acoustic guitar, autumn bells, soft piano] [Little girl singing sweetly] Crunch, crunch, crunch, the leaves are falling Hear the autumn breezes calling Pumpkins glowing, skies of blue Fall is full of things to do! [Verse 1] Fall is my favorite time of year When orange and brown leaves dance and disappear I run through the piles with the wind in my hair Crunch, crunch, crunch! There’s gold everywhere! Then a fox with a fluffy tail Danced through the leaves like a storybook tale I chased him laughing past the old oak tree Till the woods grew dark around me My mama called, “Come home, it’s time to eat!” But I couldn’t find the path beneath my feet Then somewhere near, through the leaves and dew Came a tiny chirp: “Peep, peep, peep!” There in the brambles, trembling with fright Was a turkey chick alone in the night I cupped her in my hands to keep her warm And held her close to shelter her from the storm “You’ve lost your mama? I’ve lost mine too We’ll find our way home, just me and you” She chirped and turned down a path through the trees And led me home with her little turkey feet! [Pre-Chorus] I said, “Dear Mama, can she stay? She needs a home, please let her stay!” My parents smiled and held us near “There’s room for love, and there’s room for one more here!” [Chorus] Oh, Toto, Toto, little turkey Lost in the woods, so cold and lonely I warmed you up and held you tight You led me home through the fading light Oh, Toto, Toto, now we’re found Two lost hearts on familiar ground You brought me home, and I gave you a home Now neither of us walks alone [Verse 2] I’m thankful for the fields we sow For the seeds we plant and the crops we grow For pumpkins piled like autumn moons And golden corn beneath the afternoon I’m thankful for my mama’s hands And Daddy working across our land For all the folks who buy what we grow And help our little farm to flourish and glow Each morning Toto greets the day With a happy gobble as I head away I go to school, then hurry back To find her waiting by the garden path Our neighbor says, “At Thanksgiving, dear A turkey dinner would be lovely this year!” I hug my Toto and answer, “Not her! She’s family, not just a bird!” [Chorus] Oh, Toto, Toto, little turkey Lost in the woods, so cold and lonely I warmed you up and held you tight You led me home through the fading light Oh, Toto, Toto, now we’re found Two lost hearts on familiar ground You brought me home, and I gave you a home Now neither of us walks alone [Verse 3] But one night Mama’s eyes were sad And Daddy looked more tired than he had “The harvest was poor, the bills are high We’ve tried our best, but we can’t get by “We have to sell the farm we love And move to the city, far from here, my dove This will be our last Thanksgiving here And Toto must go, though we wish she could stay, dear” I looked at our table, the candles aglow At the bread we had baked and the squash we had grown We bowed our heads as the evening grew still And gave thanks together, as a family will “For food on our table, for love that stays For all that you’ve given us through our days For the home that we had, for the friends that we knew And the little lost turkey who led me to you” [Bridge] [Music softens to piano and gentle strings] That night I crept from my bedroom door With tears on my cheeks and bare feet on the floor I opened Toto’s coop beneath the moon And whispered, “My friend, we must part soon” “Thank you for finding me lost and alone For leading me back to the place I call home You taught me that love isn’t keeping what’s dear It’s giving it wings when the time comes near “You gave me a family, a place to belong You turned my scared little world into song And even if tomorrow brings changes anew A part of my heart will always stay with you “So go find your mama, go run through the trees Go dance with the leaves in the autumn breeze Be safe, little Toto, be happy and free You gave me a home. Now let freedom be yours.” [Final Chorus] [Strings swell; the girl sings through tears] Oh, Toto, Toto, little turkey Once lost and cold, now wild and free I warmed your wings, you showed me the way And taught me what love means today Oh, Toto, Toto, though we must part You’ll always have a home in my heart You brought me home, and I gave you a home And love means you’re never alone [Outro] [Soft acoustic guitar, gentle turkey chirps] Toto took a step, then turned around One last look before leaving the ground She spread her wings to the silver sky And fluttered toward the woods nearby The leaves fell softly, red and gold Our hands were empty, but our hearts held gold And though tomorrow would take us away We’d carry our thanks into every new day For home isn’t only a place where we stay It’s the love that we give as we go on our way Crunch, crunch, crunch… Happy Thanksgiving, Toto. [One final soft turkey chirp. Music fades.]