The Turnip by David Cory (1971)

Name: The Turnip
Author: David Cory

Little Jack Rabbit, feeling anxious about the approaching winter, decides to heed Granddaddy Bullfrog's advice to leave his worries to Mother. He encounters Timmy Meadowmouse, who is also concerned about winter, but Jack reassures him that he will rely on his mother. Upon returning home, Mrs. Rabbit instructs Jack to fetch a turnip for lunch. Jack hops into the field, undeterred by the Old Scarecrow, whom he knows is harmless. While picking a turnip, he is startled by the Farmer's Boy, who throws a stone at him. Jack escapes, albeit injured, and makes it back to the safety of the Old Bramble Patch. When asked about the turnip, Jack humorously claims that the stone was what hit him instead. The story highlights themes of childhood innocence, the importance of family, and the balance between worry and trust in parental care. Jack's adventure illustrates the challenges of growing up while maintaining a sense of humor in the face of fear.

By David Cory · First published 1971 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure · 490 words

First lines

"WELL, I guess Granddaddy Bullfrog is right," thought Little Jack Rabbit, as he hopped back home to the Old Bramble Patch. "What's the use of worrying about winter? I'll take Granddaddy Bullfrog's advice and leave it all to Mother."

After that he felt much better. Pretty soon he saw Timmy Meadowmouse looking out of his little round house of grass, no larger than a cricket ball, which was fastened to three or four stiff stalks of grass about a foot above the ground.

What this Textopian page supports

The Turnip is listed on Textopian as a short story by David Cory, dated 1971 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: David Cory
Date: 1971 CE
Language: English
Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Adventure, Fairy Tale
Length: 490 words
Structure: 1 section, 12 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Turnip by David Cory
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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Children's Literature — The story is simple and easy to understand for kids, depicting interactions between various animal characters. The language, theme, and discussions are all suitable for children.
Fantasy — The book features talking animals and unlikely scenarios, which categorizes it under fantasy.
Adventure — The plot presents a quest by the characters, creating a sense of adventure throughout.
Fairy Tale — The story incorporates traditional folkloric characters and presents a timeless moral lesson, characteristic of fairy tales.