The Gingerbread Man

Once there was a little old woman and a little old man, who lived all alone on a farm. One day the little old woman rolled out some dough and cut out a little man. She gave him raisin eyes, three raisin buttons and a wide icing smile. She popped him in the oven. Soon there came a tap, tap, tap. She opened the door, and out he hopped! Away across the kitchen floor he ran.

"Stop, stop, little man!" called the little old woman. "Stop, stop!" called the little old man. They ran as fast as they could, but he only laughed and looked over his shoulder. "Hop, skip, run if you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" Out of the door he went and through the gate, and away down the road, on his quick little gingerbread feet, with the sun shining on his buttons.

He ran past a cow in a clover field. "Moo! Stop, little man!" said the cow. "You smell so good! Stay and say hello." But the Gingerbread Man ran faster, and he sang, "I ran from the woman, I ran from the man, and I can run from you, I can, I can! Hop, skip, run if you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" The cow swung her tail and came trotting after him.

He ran past a horse on the road. "Neigh! Stop, little man!" said the horse. "Climb up, and let me have a sniff!" But the Gingerbread Man ran faster, and he sang, "I ran from the woman, the man and the cow, and I can run from you, just watch me now! Hop, skip, run if you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" The horse shook his mane and came galloping after him.

He ran past the haymakers in the field. "Stop, little man! Come and share our lunch!" But he ran faster still. "I ran from the woman, the man, the cow, and the horse, and I can run from you, of course!" Now there was such a crowd behind him! The little old woman, the little old man, the cow, the horse and all the haymakers came puffing along the road. And still he laughed, and still he ran, until he came to a river.

The river was wide, and the Gingerbread Man stopped short. "I can't swim," he said. "I will go all soggy!" Out of the reeds came a slim red fox. "Good evening," said the fox. "I don't want to catch you. I'm only out for a walk. Hop on my tail, and I'll carry you over." So on he hopped. "The water is deep," said the fox. "Hop on my back." So on he hopped. "Deeper still. Hop on my nose."

On the far bank, the fox stopped. "You said nobody could catch you," he said, with a grin. "And here you are, sitting on my nose." Sniff, sniff, went the fox. "My, you do smell good." It was a trick! But just above them was an open window, with warm light inside. Hop! Up went the Gingerbread Man, onto the windowsill of a little bakery. The fox looked up, and sneezed from the ginger, and laughed, and trotted away.

"Well, now," said the baker, dusting off her hands. "Who are you?" "I'm tired of running," said the Gingerbread Man. So she set him on a warm shelf by the oven. When the old woman and the old man came puffing up from the ferry, he said, "I'm sorry I ran." They hugged him, and everyone shared fresh bread. Now he lives there still, and he waves at the children. The oven glows. The street is quiet. "No need to run," he whispers. Good night.