Once upon a time, a little old woman and a little old man decided to bake a special treat. They mixed up gingerbread dough, rolled it flat, and cut out the shape of a little man. They gave him two currant eyes, a cherry for a nose, and a happy smile made of icing. But as soon as he was out of the oven, the Gingerbread Man hopped up and ran right out the door!
On the Run
"Stop!" cried the little old woman. But the Gingerbread Man just laughed and shouted, "Run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"
He ran past a big, brown cow who was chewing her cud. "You look tasty!" mooed the cow. "Stop, little man!"
But the Gingerbread Man just ran faster, looking over his shoulder and boasting, "I've run away from a little old woman and a little old man, and I can run away from you, I can!"
He ran past a muddy pig who was rolling in the dirt. "Stop! Stop!" snorted the pig. "I'd like a nibble!"
The Gingerbread Man just laughed. "No, no! I've run away from a woman, a man, and a cow, and I can run away from you, I can!" He was very fast and very proud. He thought no one in the whole world could ever catch him.
A Sly Fox
Soon, he came to a wide, deep river and stopped. He didn't know how to get across. Just then, a clever fox with a bushy red tail appeared from behind a tree. "Having trouble?" the fox asked with a sly, friendly smile.
The Gingerbread Man was so used to boasting that he didn't stop to think if the fox might be hungry. "I am!" he said proudly. "I've run away from a woman, a man, a cow, and a horse, and now I need to cross this river!"
"I can help you with that," said the fox. "Just hop onto my tail, and I'll swim you across."
A Crumbly Consequence
The Gingerbread Man thought this was a brilliant idea. But as they swam, the fox's tail started to go under the water. "You'd better move onto my back to stay dry," said the fox. So the Gingerbread Man did. Then the fox's back got wet, so he moved to the fox's head. Finally, the fox said, "The water is very deep here. You should sit on my nose for safety."
The Gingerbread Man, still not thinking about the consequences of his actions, hopped onto the fox's nose. As soon as they reached the other side, the fox tossed the Gingerbread Man up in the air and snap! He ate him all up in one bite.
The little Gingerbread Man learned a hard lesson that day. It's good to be proud of what you can do, but boasting to everyone you meet and not thinking carefully about who you trust can lead to some very crumbly consequences.
Learning Goals
Moral of the Story: This classic children's story teaches young readers that while it's good to be proud of what you can do, excessive boasting can lead to trouble. It's a valuable bedtime story for kids that encourages humility, self-awareness, and understanding the importance of listening.
Key Vocabulary
- Boasting: To talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
- Consequences: The results or effects of an action.
- Clever: Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
Discussion Questions for Parents & Kids
- Why was the Gingerbread Man so proud?
- What is the difference between being proud and boasting?
- Why is it important to be careful about who you trust?