THE GINGERBREAD BOY.

A little old man and a little old woman lived together in a little old house. The little old house was near a deep wood. One morning the little old woman was baking gingerbread cakes. She cut out some round gingerbread cakes. Then she said to the little old man, “See! I have cut out a cake to look just like a little boy.” Then she put The Gingerbread Boy in the oven to bake. Not long after the little old woman went to the oven to look at her cake. Out jumped The Gingerbread Boy. Away he ran as fast as he could go. The little old woman and the little old man ran after him, but they could not catch him.

The Gingerbread Boy ran on and on. At last he came to a barn full of threshers. As he went by the door he said, “I have run away from A little old woman, A little old man, And I can run away from you, I can, I can.” Then the threshers ran after him, but they could not catch him. The Gingerbread Boy ran on and on. Soon he came to a field full of mowers. As he passed the field he called out, “I have run away from A little old woman, A little old man, A barn full of threshers, And I can run away from you, I can, I can.” Then the mowers ran after him, but they could not catch him.

The Gingerbread Boy ran on and on, till he came to a cow. He called out to the cow, “I have run away from A little old woman, A little old man, A barn full of threshers, A field full of mowers, And I can run away from you, I can, I can.” Then the cow ran after him, but she could not catch him. The Gingerbread Boy ran on and on Soon he met a fox and called out, “I have run away from A little old woman, A little old man,

A barn full of threshers, A field full of mowers, A cow, And I can run away from you, I can, I can.” Then the fox ran after him.

Now a fox can run very fast. On and on ran the fox until he caught The Gingerbread Boy. Then the fox began to eat him. “Dear me!” said The Gingerbread Boy “Here I am a quarter gone. Now I am half gone. I am three-quarters gone. Oh, dear! I am all gone.” And he never spoke again.