Kitchen with girl and Johnny CakeJohnny Cake
Kitchen with girl and Johnny Cake
Mr. Joseph Jacobs publishes this story in his Collection of “English Fairy Tales.” He gives as his source “American Journal of Folk-Lore,” ii. 60. Another variant of this story is found in “The Gingerbread Boy,” inSt. Nicholas, May, 1875. Chambers gives two versions of the same story, under the title “The Wee Bunnock,” the first of which is one of the most dramatic and humorous of folk tales. Unfortunately the Scotticisms are so frequent as to render the Droll practically untranslatable. “The Fate of Mr. Jack Sparrow” inUncle Remusis similar to that of Johnny Cake.The version herewith is taken from the Aldine Fourth Reader, by Frank E. Spaulding and Catherine T. Bryce, through the courtesy of the publishers, Newson & Company, New York.
Mr. Joseph Jacobs publishes this story in his Collection of “English Fairy Tales.” He gives as his source “American Journal of Folk-Lore,” ii. 60. Another variant of this story is found in “The Gingerbread Boy,” inSt. Nicholas, May, 1875. Chambers gives two versions of the same story, under the title “The Wee Bunnock,” the first of which is one of the most dramatic and humorous of folk tales. Unfortunately the Scotticisms are so frequent as to render the Droll practically untranslatable. “The Fate of Mr. Jack Sparrow” inUncle Remusis similar to that of Johnny Cake.
The version herewith is taken from the Aldine Fourth Reader, by Frank E. Spaulding and Catherine T. Bryce, through the courtesy of the publishers, Newson & Company, New York.
Once upon a time there was an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny Cake, and put it into the oven to bake.
Then she said to the little boy: “You watch Johnny Cake while your father and I go out to work in the garden. Don’t let it burn.”
The little boy soon got tired watching the oven, and went to look out of the window. All of a sudden he heard a noise back of him. He looked around quickly. The oven door popped open. Out jumped Johnny Cake. Away he went rolling along, end over end, through the open door, down the steps, and out into the road, long before the little boy could catch him.
“Mother! Father! Johnny Cake’s running away!” cried the little boy, and down the street he ran after Johnny Cake.
Woman running
His father and mother threw down their hoes and gave chase too. But Johnny Cake outran all three a long way, and was soon out of sight. The old man, the old woman, and the little boy, quite out of breath, sat down by the roadside to rest.
On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to two well diggers, who looked up from their work and called out, “Where are you going Johnny?”
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“You can, can you? We’ll see about that!”
They threw down their spades and ran after him. But Johnny Cake outstripped them also. Seeing they could never catch him, they gave up.
On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a bear.
“Where are you going Johnny?” growled the bear.
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, and two well diggers, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“You can, can you?” growled the bear; “we’ll see about that!”
Boy running
And he rushed thump, thump, after Johnny Cake, who never stopped to look behind him. Before long the bear was left far behind, so at last, breathless and panting, he stretched himself out by the roadside to rest.
On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a wolf. “Where are you going, Johnny Cake?” yelped the wolf.
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“You can, can you?” snarled the wolf; “we’ll see about that!”
And he set into a gallop after Johnny Cake, who went on so fast that the wolf saw there was no hope of overtaking him, and he, too, lay down to rest.
On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to a fox that lay quietly in a corner of the fence.
“Where are you going, Johnny Cake?” called the fox, in a sharp voice, but without getting up.
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“I can’t quite hear you, Johnny Cake; won’t you come a little closer?” said the fox.
Johnny Cake went a little nearer to the fox and called out in a very loud voice:
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“Can’t quite hear you; won’t you come a little closer?” said the fox, in a feeble voice, as he put one paw behind his ear.
Self-satisfied fox
Johnny Cake came up quite close, and leaning towards the fox, screamed out, “I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”
“You can, can you?” yelped the fox, and he snapped up Johnny Cake in a twinkling.