Johnnycake

A johnnycake is a type of bread from the northern region of England. It's made with oatmeal or wheat flour and cooked on a griddle just like a pancake.

Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a johnnycake and put it in the oven to bake. “You watch the johnnycake while your father and I go out to work in the garden,” she told the little boy.

So the old man and the old woman went out to harvest carrots, and they left the little boy to tend the oven. But he looked away for just a moment. When he did, he heard a loud noise and he looked up and saw the oven door open. Out of the oven jumped the johnnycake, and went rolling along end over end, toward the house's open door. The little boy hurried to shut the door, but the crafty johnnycake was too quick for him and rolled through the door, down the steps, and out into the road before the little boy could catch him.

The little boy ran after him as fast as he could, crying out to his father and mother, who heard the uproar and threw down their carrots and joined in the chase. But Johnnycake outran all three and was soon out of sight.

Eventually Johnnycake came to two well-diggers who looked up from their work and called out, “Where are you going, Johnnycake?”

“I've outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you too!”

“You can, can you?” they said, and they threw down their tools and chased after Johnnycake. Soon, though, they tired and sat down to rest.

On ran Johnnycake and he soon came to two ditch-diggers.

“Where are you going, Johnnycake?” they asked.

“I've outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers. I can outrun you too!”

“You think so, do you?” and they started chasing Johnnycake. Soon, they grew too tired to run after Johnnycake and they sat down to rest.

On went the mischievous Johnnycake, who eventually came to a bear. The bear said, “Where are you going, Johnnycake?”

“I've outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and two ditch-diggers, and I can outrun you too!”

“We'll see about that,” snarled the bear. He started trotting as fast as he could after Johnnycake. Before long, though, the bear was left so far behind that he gave up the chase and sat down to rest and eat some honey.

On went Johnnycake until he came to a wolf, who asked, “Where are you going, Johnnycake?”

“I've outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and two ditch-diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you too!”

“You can, can you?” asked the wolf. “We'll see about that.” And he set off at a brisk gallop after Johnnycake. Eventually, though, when the wolf saw there was no chance of overtaking Johnnycake, he sat down to rest.

On went Johnnycake until he encountered a fox, who called out in a sharp voice, “Where are you going, Johnnycake?”

“I've outrun an old man, 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!”

The fox said, “I can't quite hear you, little Johnnycake. Won't you come a little closer?”

Johnnycake stopped his race for the first time and came a little closer. He repeated in a loud voice, “I've outrun an old man, 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!”

“Can't quite hear you, Johnnycake. Won't you just come a bit closer?” said the fox in a quivering voice.

Johnnycake came up quite close, leaned toward the fox, and yelled, “I've outrun an old man, 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!”

“You can, can you?” exclaimed the fox, and he snapped up Johnnycake in his sharp teeth before Johnnycake could run another step.