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O NCE upon a time, when it was long ago, there lived an old man and an old woman and a little boy.
One day the old woman was making bread, and she stirred up a johnny cake and put it in the oven to bake. Then she went off to the fields to work with the old man, and the little boy was left to watch the oven. Well, the little boy did watch the oven for a little while, and then he grew very sleepy. His head nid, nodded, and soon he was asleep on the kitchen floor.
Now this was just what the johnny cake wanted. He opened the oven door a crack, and down he hopped to the hearth, and out through the kitchen door he ran.
"Hip, hip, hurrah!" called Johnny Cake, as he ran along. "Here I go off by myself to see the world."
But as he ran he passed the field where the little old man and the little old woman were working, and they saw him. Down they dropped their rakes and after Johnny Cake they ran as fast as ever they could go, but they were not quick enough for him.
Johnny Cake skipped along the road, and
after a while he came to two ditch diggers.
The ditch diggers dropped their shovels,
and they ran after Johnny Cake, too,
but they were not quick enough for him.
Johnny Cake called out to them as he
skipped
"I have outrun an old woman, and an old
man, and a little boy. I can outrun
So Johnny Cake skipped along the road,
and after a while he came to a bear sitting
beside a tree. The bear got up, and started
after Johnny Cake, but he was not quick
enough for him. Johnny Cake called back
to
"I have outrun an old woman, and an old
man, and a little boy, and two ditch diggers.
I can outrun
Then Johnny Cake skipped on down the road, and by and by he came to a fox. "Where are you going, Johnny Cake?" asked the fox.
"Oh," said Johnny Cake, "I have outrun
an old man, and an old woman, and a little
boy, and two ditch diggers, and a bear. I
can outrun
"What did you say, Johnny Cake?" asked the fox, putting his paw to his ear. "I am a little hard of hearing."
"I have outrun an old woman, and an old
man, and a little boy, and two ditch diggers,
and a bear," said Johnny Cake,
"I can outrun
"What is that you are saying?" said the
fox. "I am very hard of hearing, you know.
Step up closer, please." So Johnny Cake
went up close to the fox's ear, and shouted
very
"I HAVE OUTRUN AN OLD WOMAN,
AND AN OLD MAN, AND A LITTLE
BOY, AND TWO DITCH DIGGERS,
AND A BEAR. I CAN OUTRUN
"I don't think you can, Johnny Cake," said the fox, as he opened his mouth wide, and ate him up.