CARELESS MR. BUZZARD
by Clifton Johnson · from Bluebeard
Adapted Version
Do you know Mr. Buzzard? He was not a very careful bird. Mr. Buzzard did not think much. He was not smart. He did not plan for tomorrow. He only thought about today. He liked easy days. This made him careless. He made many mistakes. He forgot things easily.
One day, rain came down hard. It was a big storm. The sky was dark. Mr. Buzzard sat on a fence. He pulled his head down. He put his shoulders up. He was very wet. Water dripped from his feathers. He was very cold. He shivered and shook. He looked so sad. The rain hit him hard. He did not like the rain at all.
Mr. Buzzard felt very bad. He felt very sorry for himself. He thought, "Rain is bad! I hate the rain!" He promised: "I will build a house." He said, "No rain will hit me again." He promised this to himself. He would build it very soon.
Then, the rain stopped. The dark clouds went away. A fresh breeze blew. The air felt clean. The sun came out. The sky was blue. Birds began to sing. The world looked bright. It was a very nice day now.
Mr. Buzzard found a tall, dead tree. He sat on top. The sun felt warm on him. It felt so good. He stretched out his big wings. He turned all around. The wind dried his feathers well. His feathers became fluffy. He felt very good. He was warm and dry now. He felt happy again.
Mr. Buzzard laughed to himself. He felt so happy. He forgot all about the rain. "The rain is gone," he thought. "No rain today. No house needed." He forgot his promise. He did not think about the rain. He just felt warm. He felt safe and sound. He was very careless. He only thought about now.
Mr. Buzzard was very careless. He cannot build a house in the rain. He wants no house in the sun. He only thinks about today. He does not think about tomorrow. He forgets his promises. This is Mr. Buzzard's problem. He makes the same mistake. So, Mr. Buzzard never built his house. Rain came again. He was wet, cold. He was sad once more. It is always good to think ahead!
Original Story
XIX—CARELESS MR. BUZZARD
Mr. Turkey Buzzard doesn’t have any sense. You watch him and you will see that what I have said is true.
When the rain pours down he sits on the fence and hunches up his shoulders and draws in his neck and tries to hide his head. There he sits looking so pitiful that you are real sorry for him.
“Never mind,” he says to himself, “when this rain is over I’m going to build a house right off. I’m not going to let the rain pelt me this way again.”
But after the clouds were gone, and a fresh breeze blew, and the sun shone, what did Mr. Turkey Buzzard do? He sat on top of a dead pine tree where the sun could warm him, and he stretched out his wings, and he turned round and round so the wind could dry his feathers. Then he laughed to himself and said: “The rain is over. It isn’t going to rain any more, there’s no use of my building a house now.”
Mr. Turkey Buzzard is certainly a very careless man. When it is raining he can’t build a house, and when it isn’t raining he doesn’t need one.
If you have enjoyed these stories you will want to read the other books in the series.
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Story DNA
Moral
One should prepare for future difficulties when circumstances are favorable, rather than waiting until it's too late.
Plot Summary
Mr. Turkey Buzzard is a careless creature who gets caught in the rain, suffering miserably. He vows to build a house as soon as the rain stops. However, once the sun comes out and he dries himself, he decides there's no longer any need for a house, thus perpetuating his cycle of unpreparedness. The story highlights the folly of procrastination and lack of foresight.
Themes
Emotional Arc
frustration to relief (cyclical)
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Part of a collection of American folk tales, often with animal characters embodying human traits and flaws.
Plot Beats (7)
- The narrator introduces Mr. Turkey Buzzard as a senseless and careless character.
- During a heavy rainstorm, Mr. Buzzard is caught outside, sitting miserably on a fence, cold and wet.
- He feels sorry for himself and promises that as soon as the rain is over, he will build a house.
- The rain stops, the clouds clear, and the sun begins to shine.
- Mr. Buzzard finds a sunny spot on a dead pine tree to dry his feathers.
- Feeling warm and dry, he laughs and decides there's no need to build a house now that the rain is gone.
- The narrator concludes by reiterating Mr. Buzzard's carelessness, noting he can't build a house in the rain and doesn't see the need when it's sunny.
Characters
Mr. Turkey Buzzard ★ protagonist
A large bird with a wingspan that allows him to stretch out and dry his feathers in the sun. He has a hunched posture when cold or wet, drawing in his neck, but can stretch out fully when warm. His body is covered in dark feathers.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. His 'wardrobe' is his natural plumage.
Wants: To avoid discomfort (rain) and to enjoy comfort (sun). He is driven by immediate gratification and a lack of foresight.
Flaw: His extreme carelessness and short-sightedness. He only thinks about his needs in the moment, failing to plan for the future.
He shows no arc; he remains consistently careless throughout the story, repeating the same pattern of behavior.
Careless, forgetful, impulsive, comfort-seeking, procrastinating.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, dark-feathered turkey buzzard with a bare, reddish head and neck, perched on a weathered wooden fence post. He is hunched over, drawing his neck in, with his shoulders slightly raised, looking forlorn and wet. Raindrops are visible on his feathers. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Weathered Fence Line
A rustic, possibly wooden or barbed wire fence, likely in a rural or wild setting, where Mr. Buzzard sits hunched during a downpour.
Mood: Miserable, exposed, damp, pitiful
Mr. Buzzard endures the rain, vowing to build a house.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy, weathered wooden fence post stands amidst tall, rain-slicked grasses and muddy ground. Heavy, dark rain streaks down from a uniformly gray, oppressive sky, creating ripples in shallow puddles. The air is thick with moisture, and distant trees are blurred by the downpour. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Dead Pine Tree Perch
The very top of a tall, dead pine tree, exposed to the sun and wind, where Mr. Buzzard dries his feathers after the rain.
Mood: Relieved, carefree, warm, open
Mr. Buzzard dries off and decides he doesn't need a house after all.
Image Prompt & Upload
The stark, skeletal branches of a tall, dead pine tree reach towards a vast, clear blue sky. Bright, warm sunlight bathes the scene, casting sharp shadows on the weathered bark. A gentle, unseen breeze rustles the air, and the distant landscape below is vibrant green under the sun. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
