THE GINGERBREAD BOY

Reprinted with permission from the James Taylor Adams Collection
U of Virginia's College at Wise/Blue Ridge Institute of Ferrum College

Collected by James Taylor Adams
Big Laurel, Va.

NOTE: This text was recopied directly from a typewritten copy in the archives of the Blue Ridge Institute. James Taylor Adams (1892-1954) kept typewritten copies of the folktales he and others collected during the last thirty years of his life, while he lived in Wise County, VA. It was retyped by Michelle Vincent (July 2005) without altering Adams' typescript. For another version, see The Johnny Cake Boy. For details on variants of this tale, see Gingerbread Boys and Runaway Cakes.

A folk tale. Told Sept. 8, 1941, by Mrs. Dicy Adams, Big Laurel, Va. She heard her mother, the late Mrs. Letty Mays, tell it forty years ago. Also heard her mother-in-law, Mary J. Morris, tell it, and many other old people.

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         One time there was an old woman and old man. They had a little boy and a little girl.  The old woman decided to bake some gingerbread. She made out one gingercake in form of a boy an’ put it in the baker an’ put the led on it an’ some coals on the led an’ went out in the garden to he’p her ol’ man do sump’n an’ told the boy an’ girl to watch it.

            She hadn’t been out of the house long till the baker led jumped off an’ the gingerbread boy jumped out o’ the baker an’ took out o’ the door an’ right down the road. The little boy an’ girl took after it an’ the old man an’ woman seein’ them a-goin’ took after them.

            They run an’ run, but the gingerbread boy just kicked up his heels and run off an’ left them. He run an’ he run till he passed by a field where some men was workin’. “Where’ye goin’ Gingerbread boy they said. Stop an’ we’ll eat ye. “No ye won’t,” said the gingerbread boy, “I’ve outrun a little boy an’ girl an’ an old man an’ woman an’ I’ll outrun you.” An’ he just kicked up his heels an’ run off an’ left ‘em.

            He run an’ he run till he come to dog trottin’ down the road. “Where ye goin’, gingerbread boy,” asked the dog. “Stop an’ let me eat ye.” No you won’t,” said the gingerbread boy, “I’ve outrun a little boy an’ girl, an’ old man an’ woman, an’ some men an’ I’ll outrun you.” An’ he kicked up his heels an’ run off an’ left the dog.

            So he run an’ he run till he come to a cow feedin’ in a pasture. “Hey,” said the cow, “where ye goin’, gingerbread boy?  Stop an’ let me eat ye.” “No ye won’t” said the gingerbread boy, I’ve out run a little boy an’ girl, an’ old man an’ woman, some men, a dog an’ I’ll outrun you.” An’ he kicked up his heels an’ run off an’ left the cow.

            So he run an’ he run till he come to a fox comin’ out of his den in a cliff. “Ha, ha,” said the fox, “where ye goin’, gingerbread boy, stop an’ let me eat ye” No ye won’t” said the gingerbread boy, I’ve outrun a little boy an’ girl, an’ old man an’ woman, some men in a field, a dog in the road, a cow in the pasture, an’ I’ll out run you.”   

        “Wait a minute,” said the fox, “I didn’t hear what ye said, I’m almost deaf. Come a little nearer.” The gingerbread boy went closer an’ said “I’ve outrun a little boy an’ girl, an old man an’ woman, some men in the field, a dog in the road, an’ a cow in the pasture, an’ I’ll outrun you.” “Can’t hear a thing you say,” said the fox, “come a little closer.  The gingerbread boy walked right up to the fox an’ the fox grabbed him an’ eat him up.

[JTA-105]  500 words

copyright 2005 U of Virginia's College at Wise/Blue Ridge Institute of Ferrum College
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