“The Little Gingerbread Man” Story
Storyteller:
Once upon a time there was a little old woman and a little old man and they lived together in a little old house. They were very sad because they never’d had any children. One day the little old woman decided to make a boy out of gingerbread.
Little old woman:
Make the dough. Gooky kacky gooey ooey. Roll the dough. Smashy washy roly poly. Cut the dough. Ochee ouchee cutsey wootsey.
Ooooh, what a cute little boy you are, uh, but you need some clothes. A chocolate jacket would be nice, so there you are – a fudgy little coat and I’ll put cinnamon candies on the front for buttons. Let’s see. A hat would be nice. An orange hat made of sugar candy. And a sweet, pink mouth of rose-colored sugar. Oh, dressy wessy pinchy winchy. And curl those little toesies into the pan and into the oven you go.
Storyteller:
When it was time for the Gingerbread Man to be done, the little old woman opened the oven door and pulled out the pan. The gingerbread boy jumped out and onto the floor and ran out the door and down the street.
Little old woman:
Oh! Come back little gingerbread son! Come back! There are dangerous things in the world that will gobble you up. Come back my little cookie child!
Little Gingerbread Boy:
Nah, nah. You can run and run as fast as you can, but you can never catch me ‘cause I’m the Gingerbread Man!
Storyteller:
The old woman called for her little old husband. They ran down the street trying to catch their cookie boy, but it was no use. The gingerbread boy was so very, very fast.
Little old woman:
Oh, husband what shall we do? Something will catch our darling cookie son and eat him all up.
Little old man:
Wish I’d caught him. He looked pretty good.
Storyteller:
The little gingerbread boy ran on and on. Soon he came to a cow standing by the road.
Cow:
Mmmmooo…stop, you delicious little man. You look much tastier than this grass. (Sniffs) And you smell much sweeter too. Let me have a bite of you.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
Ha ha you stupid cow. There’s nothing that can stop me now. I’ve run away from a little old woman and a little old man and I can run away from you. I’m faster than anything you’ve ever seen. Just try and catch me, eater of green!
Storyteller:
The cow ran just as fast as she could but she never even came close to catching the little cookie boy. So the gingerbread boy ran a little further and walking down the middle of the road, he met a long-legged horse.
Horse:
(Horse whinnies) Stop little gingerbread child and stay. You look so much better tasting than my hay. Just let me have a little lick or tiny nibble of your hat perhaps. Or maybe one of your cinnamon snaps.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
Ha ha you silly horse! You’d love my button and hat of course but I have run away from a little old woman and a little old man and a big stupid cow and I say there’s nothing that can catch me now. I can easily run away with you so silly horse, a duel with you!
Storyteller:
The horse took off at a gallop. At first, he was right on the heels of the gingerbread boy, then he began to get awfully tired.
Horse:
(Grunts) I think the little cookie is right. As fast as I am, I won’t catch him tonight.
Storyteller:
The gingerbread boy ran a bit farther down the road and stopped. He sat on a mushroom and began to think.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
I’m fast. Nothing and no one will ever catch me. I’m the swiftest, the fleetest, the quickest gingerbread boy who ever lived! Ha! I’m wonderful. I’m the greatest. There’s nothing better than me!
Storyteller:
As the gingerbread boy thought about how wonderful he was, a large black crow flew from the clouds and perched in the tree above him.
Crow:
(Caws) I spied you from across the road, oh little boy of sugar and dough. I think I’d like to taste your coat. I think I’d love its sweetest dough.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
Ah ha you old black bird, you’ll never taste my jacket. You’ll never taste my cinnamon button even though you make a racket, for I have run away from a little old woman, from a little old man, from a stupid cow and a silly horse and I can run away from you. Run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man!
Storyteller:
The crow swooped down and nearly pecked out a candy eye, but the gingerbread boy ducked and ran and ran and ran and ran. The big bird was right behind but soon the wind became too strong and the bird was forced to stop. The gingerbread boy laughed and ran. He ran and laughed. Nothing could stop him now.
The gingerbread boy danced and sang. He skipped and jumped. He did not notice the sly red fox that was laying ever-so-still by the side of the road.
Fox:
(Hmm mmm) Hello, my handsome gentleman.
Storyteller:
The fox bowed low.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
A fox? Well, I know you’re smart but are you fast? Fast enough for me? Are you? Are you fast enough? Let me see!
Storyteller:
The gingerbread boy ran off across the meadow. He ran faster than he ever had before, but the fox walked. Just walked – calmly and quietly behind him. After a few minutes, the fox caught up with the cookie boy at a wide river.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
If you think you had me trapped, you’re wrong. I can run backwards too. And you can’t catch me, Mr. Fox and you can’t catch me if I do, for I have run away from a little old woman and a little old man and a cow and a horse and a crow black as night, so listen if you might. I can run away from you and run run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.
Fox:
Why would I possibly want to catch you? I-I really don’t care for deserts, not good for the teeth, you know. Besides, I have a million things to do. I don’t have time for tea and cookies. I must be over the river and on my way, but I can see and hear a whole group of people and animals running behind us who seem to have an interest in you, my boy. Uh, because I’m such a fine fellow, let me help you out of this mess. Climb up on my tail and I’ll swim you across the river.
Little Gingerbread Boy:
That’s a great idea!
Storyteller:
The little ginger cookie hopped on the fox’s tail. They had not been swimming long when the fox said…
Fox:
Uh, my tail is getting very tired. Uh, move up on my back a bit.
Storyteller:
The gingerbread boy moved up on the fox’s back, but soon the fox said…
Fox:
Move up on my shoulders, cookie boy. I’m having trouble keeping the water away from you.
Storyteller:
The gingerbread boy moved up to the fox’s shoulders.
Fox:
Maybe you should move to the tip of my nose just to be safe. I don’t want the water to splash you. You’ll be nice and dry way up on my nose here.
Storyteller:
The gingerbread boy moved up the fox’s nose. They were very close to shore now. As the fox put his four feet on solid ground, he threw his head up and tossed the gingerbread boy high into the air and opened his jaws to catch the little cookie and swallow him whole.
Fox:
(Chomping sound)
Little gingerbread boy:
But you said you wouldn’t eat me! You didn’t have the time.
Fox:
Sorry little dough boy. I just can’t stand your rhyme. (Slurping, eating sounds) Hmmm, good. A little too much salt, but not bad. Run, run as fast as you can but I am smarter gingerbread man. Run, run as fast as you can but I am smarter, yes I am.
