The Gingerbread Man

Adapted by Leigh Blackburn, Pictures updated by Ellen Weber Images from daycareresource.com Once upon a time a little old woman and a little old man felt hungry. “I’ll bake a gingerbread man for us to eat,” said the little old woman.

2 She gave the gingerbread man eyes and a nose and a mouth of raisins. Then she put him in the oven to bake.

3 When she thought he was done, she opened the oven. Out jumped the gingerbread man.

4 He ran out the door and down the road as fast as he could go. “Stop!” cried the little old woman. “Stop!” cried the little old man.

5 But the gingerbread man just laughed and called out to them, “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man.” And he was right. They could not catch him.

6 Soon he ran past a cow. “Stop!” cried the cow. “You smell good, Gingerbread Man, and I am hungry. You are just what I would like to eat.”

7 But the gingerbread man just laughed and called out to the cow, “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man.” And he was right. The cow could not catch him.

8 Then he ran past a horse. “Stop!” cried the horse. “You smell good, Gingerbread Man, and I am hungry. You are just what I would like to eat.”

9 But the gingerbread man just laughed and called out to the horse, “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man.” And he was right. The horse could not catch him.

10 Near the woods he ran past a bear. “Stop!” cried the bear. “You smell good, Gingerbread Man, and I am hungry. You are just what I would like to eat.”

11 But the gingerbread man just laughed and called out to the bear, “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man.” And he was right. The bear could not catch him.

12 Near the river he ran past a fox. Before the fox could say anything, the gingerbread man called to him. “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man.”

13 “I would not think of trying to catch and eat you,” said the sly fox. He smiled. “In fact, I’ll give you a ride. Jump on my back and I’ll carry you across the river.”

14 The gingerbread man jumped on the fox’s back. And the fox started swimming across the river. “The water is getting deeper, Gingerbread Man,” said the fox. “Hop up on my head. Then you won’t get wet.” So the gingerbread man hopped up on the fox’s head.

15 “The water is getting deeper still, Gingerbread Man,” said the fox. “Hop up on my nose. Then you won’t get wet.” So the gingerbread man hopped up on the fox’s nose. All at once the fox flipped his head and opened his mouth. In fell the gingerbread man! He tasted good to the last crumb. And that was how he went the way of all gingerbread men who have ever been baked.

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