Once upon a time, a little old woman and a little old man lived in a cottage near a river. One morning the little old woman decided to bake a gingerbread man as a little afternoon treat. As she rolled out the dough she cut it into the shape of a little man.
She used icing to give him eyes and a smile, gumdrops for buttons and a cherry for a nose. She then she put him in the oven to bake. A few minutes later, the little old woman checked to see if he was cooked.
As soon as she opened the door, the gingerbread man jumped out of the oven, and ran through the open kitchen door. “Don’t eat me! ” he shouted.
The little old woman was very surprised, but she was also very hungry, so she called to her husband, and they both ran out the front door and after the gingerbread man. “Stop! ” they yelled.
“Please stop! ” But the gingerbread man did not look back. He kept running, down the lane and into the woods, as he sang; “Run, run, as fast as you can!
You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! ” As he entered the woods, the gingerbread man came across a pig. “Stop!
” the pig snorted. “I would very much like to eat you! ” The gingerbread man did not stop.
Instead he ran right past the pig. I’ve outrun a little old woman, and a little old man! ” and I can outrun you too.
“Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! ” It was not long before the gingerbread man saw a cow, grazing at the edge of the woods.
“Stop, little man! ” mooed the cow. “I’m very hungry!
” But the gingerbread man was just too fast for the cow. “I’ve outrun a little old woman, and a little old man, and a big fat pig! ” And I can out run you.
“Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! ” The cow decided to chase the gingerbread man too, right behind the pig and the little old man and the little old woman.
But the gingerbread man was just too fast. A little further on, the gingerbread man came upon a horse. Stop running!
” neighed the horse. “I want to eat you! ’ But the gingerbread man did not stop.
“I’ve outrun a little old woman, a little old man, a big fat pig, and a lazy cow! And I’ll outrun you too! ” “Run, run, as fast as you can!
You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! ” Of course, the horse did not like being taunted, so he too chased the gingerbread man, behind the cow, the pig and the little old man and the little old woman. But still, the gingerbread man ran even faster.
Soon he came to a rushing river. “Oh no! ” “If I get wet, I’ll melt.
But if I don’t, they’ll catch me! What do I do? ” Just then a sneaky fox appeared and said, “I can help you cross the river,” “Climb onto my back, and I’ll swim across.
” The gingerbread man did not trust the fox. “Do you promise you won’t eat me? ” “Of course I won’t eat you,” “I just want to help you.
” The gingerbread man decided that trusting the fox was better than being caught by the horse, the cow, the pig and the little old man and the little old woman, so he climbed up onto the fox’s back, and together they swam across the river. They were about halfway there when the fox said, “I’m getting tired. You should climb up onto my head.
” So the gingerbread man did. They were about three-quarters of the way there when the fox said, “I’m getting tired again. .
. you should climb onto my nose. ” So the gingerbread man did.
They reached the other side of the river, and before the gingerbread man could climb down, the fox flicked his nose and tossed the gingerbread man high into the air. He opened up his mouth as wide as he could. .
. . .
,and CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP! And that was the end of the gingerbread man.
