THE GINGERBREAD MAN

Recommended age group: level 2

Characters: Narrator, Old Woman, Old Man, Gingerbread Man, Cow, Pig, Horse, Dog, Fox.

SYNOPSIS

An old woman and an old man lived in an old house. They felt lonely because they had no children, so one day the woman decided to make a gingerbread cookie in the shape of a boy. When the gingerbread man was done, he came to life, jumped and ran out of the house crying "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!" The old couple tried to catch him but they couldn’t. Then, a cow, a pig, a horse and a dog tried to catch and eat him but they couldn’t. He always escaped saying: “Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!"  Finally, near a river he met a fox who convinced him to jump on his back to cross the river. Once they were on the other side, the fox opened his mouth and ate the gingerbread man in one bite.     

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

Old woman and old man: They feel lonely because they have no children.

Gingerbread Man: Runs and runs and teases everyone he meets.

Cow, pig, horse and dog: They want to eat the gingerbread man but he escapes from all of them.

Fox: He’s smart. He cheats the gingerbread man and finally eats him.

SCENES

Scene 1.- At home

The old woman decides to make a boy out of gingerbread. She cooks. When the cookie is done and she opens the oven, the Gingerbread Man jumps, goes straight out the door and leaves home.

Scene 2.- At the fields

The old man and the old woman go after him but they can’t catch him. Then the Gingerbread man runs and runs and meets a cow, a horse, a pig and a dog one after another. All of them want to eat him but he escapes saying: “Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me! I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Scene 3.- Near the river

He meets a fox. The fox convinces him to jump on his back so he can cross the river. The fox swims deeper and convinces the gingerbread man to get on his nose and when the fox reaches the shore, he eats the gingerbread man.