Once upon a time, in a cozy little kitchen, an old woman decided to bake a gingerbread man. She mixed the dough, rolled it out, and shaped it into a perfect little man with raisin eyes and a cherry mouth.
As she placed him in the oven, she said, “You’ll be the yummiest gingerbread man ever!”
But no sooner had the oven door closed, a tiny voice surprised her. “Thank you! But I think I’d rather run than be eaten!”
Out jumped the Gingerbread Man, dashing out the door as the old woman and her husband chased after him. “Stop! Stop!” they cried.
Running down the lane, the Gingerbread Man sang cheekily, “Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”
Soon, a hungry pig joined the chase. “Stop, little man! You look tasty!” it snorted.
But the Gingerbread Man just ran faster, calling out, “I’ve outrun an old woman and an old man. I can outrun you too, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”
Next, a hungry cow spotted him. “You’d make a delicious snack!” the cow mooed.
Laughing, the Gingerbread Man sprinted ahead. “I’ve outrun a pig and even an old couple. Catching me is no simple muddle. I’m the Gingerbread Man!”
The chase continued until a clever fox appeared. “Why run, little morsel? Hop on my tail, and I’ll help you across the river,” the fox offered slyly.
The Gingerbread Man, thinking he was too fast for the fox, agreed. As they crossed the river, the fox said, “You’ll get wet there. Jump onto my back.”
On the fox’s back, they continued until the fox insisted, “You’re too heavy. Hop onto my nose to stay dry.”
As soon as the Gingerbread Man stood on the fox’s nose, the fox tossed him up and caught him in his mouth!
And so, the Gingerbread Man learned that sometimes, being too confident can lead to a sticky end. But his adventure lived on, reminding everyone that sometimes it’s smarter to stay put rather than run away.
And that’s the story of the Gingerbread Man, a little cookie with big dreams and an even bigger sense of adventure!
Also Read: Bobby the Bear
Follow Up Questions
- Why did the Gingerbread Man decide to run away as soon as he was baked?
- Can you name all the characters who tried to catch the Gingerbread Man?
- If you were the Gingerbread Man, where would you run to stay safe?