The Gingerbread Man

Characters: Gingerbread Man, Three Storytellers, Old Woman, Old Man, Cow, Horse, Dog, Two Bears, Fox
Stage directions: Three Storytellers stand on the left side of the stage. Old Woman is sitting on a chair – knitting or reading a book and Old Man is digging up vegetables on the right side of stage. The rest of the animals can be backstage or standing quietly in a semicircle.

Storyteller 1: Once upon a time, a little, old woman and a little, old man lived in a little, old house. One day, the little, old woman decided to make a Gingerbread Man.
Old Woman: I think I will make gingerbread for the old man’s tea. He will love that. (She gets up from the chair and goes to centre stage. She mimes making the gingerbread and putting it in the oven as Storyteller 2 speaks.)
Storyteller 2: She cut the Gingerbread Man out of dough. She gave him chocolate drops for eyes and a piece of lemon for his mouth. Then she put him in the oven to bake. After a while she said to herself…
Old Woman: That Gingerbread Man must be ready by now. (She mimes looking into the oven etc.)
Storyteller 3: She opened the oven door. UP jumped the Gingerbread Man, and away he ran, out the front door! (Gingerbread Man jumps out from the oven.)
Gingerbread Man: Hello, I am the Gingerbread Man.
Old Man: Don’t run away. I want you for my tea. (He puts his hand up to try and stop the Gingerbread Man.)
Gingerbread Man: Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!
Storyteller 3: The little, old woman and the little, old man ran, but they couldn’t catch the Gingerbread Man. (They run after him, running around the stage in a circle. Old Man and Old Woman get tired, so they stop.)
Storyteller 1: The Gingerbread Man ran past the cow grazing in the field. (Cow comes out onto the stage.)
Cow: Moo! Moo! Stop! Stop! Gingerbread Man, I want to eat you.
Gingerbread Man: Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man! (Cow chases him but can’t catch him so she stops and either goes back to her original position or goes off stage.)
Storyteller 2: The cow ran, but she couldn’t catch the Gingerbread Man. Then he met a horse drinking at the well. (Horse comes out onto the stage.)
Horse: Neigh! Neigh! Stop! Stop! Gingerbread Man, I want to eat you.
Gingerbread Man: Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man! (Horse chases him but can’t catch him so he stops.)
Storyteller 3: The horse ran, but she couldn’t catch the Gingerbread Man. Then he met a dog playing in the field. (Dog comes out onto the stage.)
Dog: Woof! Woof! Stop! Stop! Gingerbread Man, I want to eat you.
Gingerbread Man: Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man! (Dog chases him but he gets tired and stops. Dog is panting.)
Storyteller 1: He ran between two bears having a picnic.
Bears: Growl! Growl! Stop! Stop! Gingerbread Man, we want to eat you.
Gingerbread Man: Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man! (Bears chase the Gingerbread Man but they get tired and have to stop.)
Storyteller 2: The bears jumped up and ran after him. They ran, and ran, but they couldn’t catch that Gingerbread Man!
Storyteller 3: Soon, the Gingerbread Man came to a river and started to cry. (Gingerbread Man cries and Fox creeps up behind him.) He saw a fox.
Fox: Why are you crying, Gingerbread Man?
Gingerbread Man: I’ve run away from an old woman, an old man, a cow, a horse, a dog and two picnicking bears, and I can run away from you!
Fox: If you don’t get across this river quickly, the old woman, the old man, the cow, the horse, the dog and the two picnicking bears, will surely catch you. Hop on my tail and I’ll carry you across. (Fox points to his tail.)
Storyteller 2: The Gingerbread Man saw that he had no time to lose because the old woman, the old man, the cow, the horse, the dog and the two picnicking bears were very close behind him. He quickly hopped onto the fox’s tail. (Gingerbread Man mimes getting onto the fox’s tail. He holds on to his back and fox mimes swimming.)
Fox: The water’s deep, climb up on my back so you won’t get wet. Oh! The water’s even deeper! Climb up on my head so you won’t get wet! (Gingerbread Man holds onto Fox’s back and he jumps in front. Then Fox bends down, so his head is touching Gingerbread Man’s back.)
Storyteller 3: And the Gingerbread Man did as the fox told him.
Fox: It’s too deep! Climb onto my nose so you won’t get wet! (The Gingerbread Man’s back touches the fox’s nose.)
Storyteller 1: And the Gingerbread Man did that but then, with a flick of his head, the Fox tossed the Gingerbread Man into the air and opened his mouth, but the Gingerbread Man jumped to the other side of the river.
Gingerbread Man: (to everyone) Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!
(All the other characters are on the other side of the stage/river and they start to cry.)