Johnny-Cake
A Johnny-cake pops out of the oven and rolls away, outrunning an old man, an old woman, a little boy, diggers, a bear and a wolf. Then a sly fox pretends he cannot hear, and asks him to come a little closer.
Scene 1: In the Oven
Johnny-Cake. Once upon a time, there was an old man, an old woman, and a little boy. One morning, the old woman put a Johnny-cake in the oven to bake. She said to the little boy: “You watch the Johnny-cake while your father and I go out to work in the garden.” Then off they went to hoe potatoes.
Scene 2: Out He Rolled!
But the little boy didn’t watch it all the time. All of a sudden, the oven door popped open, and out jumped Johnny-cake! He went rolling along, end over end, out the door and into the road. The little boy ran after him, and so did his father and mother. But Johnny-cake outran all three, and they sat down on a bank to rest.
Scene 3: The Diggers
On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to two well-diggers. They called out: “Where ye going, Johnny-cake?” He said: “I’ve outrun an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you too-o-o!” They threw down their picks and ran after him, and so did two ditch-diggers. But nobody could catch Johnny-cake.
Scene 4: The Bear
On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to a bear. The bear said: “Where are ye going, Johnny-cake?” He said: “I’ve outrun an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and two ditch-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!” The bear growled: “Ye can, can ye? We’ll see about that!” He trotted after Johnny-cake, but soon he stretched out by the road to rest.
Scene 5: The Wolf
On went Johnny-cake, and by and by he came to a wolf. The wolf said: “Where ye going, Johnny-cake?” He said: “I’ve outrun an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and two ditch-diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you too-o-o!” The wolf snarled: “Ye can, can ye? We’ll see about that!” He set off at a gallop, but soon he, too, lay down to rest.
Scene 6: The Fox
On went Johnny-cake, until he came to a fox lying by the fence. Without getting up, the fox called: “Where ye going, Johnny-cake?” Johnny-cake boasted all about it. The fox turned his head to one side and said: “I can’t quite hear you, Johnny-cake. Won’t you come a little closer?” For the first time, Johnny-cake stopped his race and went a little closer. The fox put a paw behind his ear and said: “Can’t quite hear you. Won’t you come a little closer?”
Scene 7: Snap!
So Johnny-cake came up close, and screamed: “I’ve outrun an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and two ditch-diggers, and a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you too-o-o!” The fox yelped: “You can, can you?” And snap! In the twinkling of an eye, that was the end of Johnny-cake. Boasting can lead you right into trouble.
Moral: Boasting can lead you right into trouble.
Questions about Johnny-Cake
Who was told to watch the Johnny-cake in the oven?
The little boy.
What did the old man and the old woman go out to hoe?
Potatoes.
How did Johnny-cake go out of the house?
Rolling along, end over end.
Which animal stretched out by the road to rest after the diggers?
A bear.
What did the fox put behind his ear?
His paw.
More stories to read aloud
- Cinderella — Kind Cinderella works among the cinders for her proud stepmother and stepsisters, until her fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a golden coach and sends her to the King’s son’s ball in glass slippers.
- Diamonds and Toads — A kind girl gives water to a poor old woman at the fountain, and the woman, who is really a fairy, makes roses, pearls and diamonds fall from her lips at every word.
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears — While the Three Bears take a walk until their porridge cools, a little girl called Goldilocks walks into their house and tries their porridge, chairs and beds.