Once upon a time there was an old man. He lived with an old woman and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny-cake, and put it in the oven to bake.
“Watch the Johnny-cake and I will go to work in the garden,” she said to the little boy. Then the old man and the old woman went out.
But the little boy didn’t watch the Johnny-cake, and suddenly he heard a noise. He looked up and saw how the oven door opened. Out of the oven[34] jumped Johnny-cake and went towards the door of the house.
“Stop, stop!” cried the little boy, but Johnny-cake was very quick and ran away. The boy called his parents for help, but they could not catch Johnny-cake. Soon he was out of sight.[35]
Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two well-diggers who were digging a well. They saw him and asked, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”
He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman and a little boy, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”
“Really? You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said, and threw down their picks and ran after him.[36] But they could not catch him, and soon they sat down by the road to rest.
Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two ditch-diggers who were digging a ditch.
“Where are you going, Johnny-cake?” said they.
He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy and two well-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”
“You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said, and threw down their spades and ran after him. But Johnny-cake soon was very quick, and when they saw that they could never catch him, they sat down to rest.