The Nut Rush of Ribbonroot Trail

Behavioral Economics, Herd Thinking, and Emotional Choice - Part 9 of economic series

The Nut Rush of Ribbonroot Trail

By Ross Boulton © 2025

One morning near the Ribbonroot bend,

Rilla the Squirrel called to a friend:

“They’re buying nuts! It’s all the craze—

The price went up three times in days!”

Crabbie flew in with wings a-flap.

“They’re hoarding sacks! It’s not a trap!

The trend is real—it’s nut or bust!

You’re left behind unless you trust!”

Soon word had spread through Pinepaw lanes.

The critters scrambled, hauling grains.

They traded berries, shells, and pie—

Just to keep their nut stacks high.

Grizzle growled, “Buy now or cry!

The last who buys must say goodbye!”

Even Maple joined the race—

She filled her den and cleared her space.

But Milo paused and scratched his head.

“I still have nuts from last week’s bread.

Why buy more when we have enough?

We can’t all eat this nutty stuff.”

Lantern blinked, “The math feels off.

They bought with hope—not skill or scoff.”

Owliver frowned and held a chart—

Where lines had soared but broke apart.

That week the market took a fall.

The stacks of nuts meant nothing at all.

They couldn’t eat them fast enough—

And trades were jammed with worthless fluff.

Maple sighed, “We followed fear.

And let the noise decide the gear.”

Grizzle moaned, “My burrow’s full—

With nuts no critter wants to pull.”

So Owliver hung a simple sign

Beside the trail in crooked line:

“Just because the crowd has run

Does not mean every race is won.”

They posted signs in every stall:

“Check the why before the all.”

And ever since, when markets whir,

The forest stops to think—not stir.

MORAL (Reveal Button):

Sometimes we follow the crowd, not because it’s right—but because it’s loud. Wise choices come when we ask “why?” before we act on “what.”

Why I Wrote This: The Nut Rush of Ribbonroot Trail

By Ross Boulton © 2025

This final fable in my Forest Economics Series explores something we all do—follow the crowd, even when it makes no sense. In The Nut Rush of Ribbonroot Trail, the forest doesn’t suffer from scarcity, tax, or inflation. It suffers from panic, excitement, and a little fear of missing out.

Behavioral economics reminds us that markets aren’t always rational. People (and critters) buy things not because they need them, but because everyone else is buying them. Sometimes it’s hope. Sometimes it’s pressure. Sometimes it’s just noise.

In the story, Rilla and Crabbie get swept up in a nut frenzy. Even Maple joins in. But Milo and Lantern begin to question, and Owliver helps reveal the truth: when decisions come from emotion, not reason, we often end up with more than we need—and less than we understand.

I wrote this fable to help children recognize the power of peer influence and emotional buying. It’s okay to want what others want. But the wisest path begins with a question:

“Do I want this because I need it—or because I was told I should?”

That’s the beginning of real economic wisdom. And a pretty good rule for growing up, too.