Lesson 24 Johnny — Cake

Johnny-Cake

Once a little old woman and a little old man and a little boy lived in a little old house.

One day the little old woman made a round johnny-cake for supper.

She put it into the oven.

Then she said to the little boy, "You must sit by the oven door and watch the johnny-cake. Take it out of the oven when it is done."

Then the little old woman and the little old man went out to weed the garden.

The little boy sat down to wait by the oven door.

All at once the oven door opened, and Johnny-cake rolled out.

He rolled across the kitchen floor and out of the house.

The boy ran out of the kitchen and called, "Mother! Father! Hurry! Johnny-cake is rolling away!"

The little boy, the little old man, and the little old woman tried to catch Johnny-cake.

They ran until they were tired, but they could not catch him.

Johnny-cake rolled on.

He laughed and said, "This is very good fun. I roll and they run."

Johnny-cake rolled on and on.

Soon he came to a brown hen, who was eating corn.

"Johnny-cake, where are you going?" asked the hen.

"I am out rolling," said Johnny-cake.

"I have rolled away from a boy, an old woman, and an old man, and I can roll away from you, too."

"You can, can you?" said the hen. "I'll see about that. I think I'll just eat you up."

So the hen ran after Johnny-cake and tried to catch him. But she could not catch him.

Johnny-cake laughed and said, "This is very good fun. I roll and they run."

Soon Johnny-cake came to a cow, who was eating grass.

"Johnny-cake, where are you going?" asked the cow.

"I am out rolling," said Johnny-cake.

"I have rolled away from a boy, an old woman, an old man, and a hen, and I can roll away from you, too!"

"You can, can you?" said the cow. "I think I'll just eat you up." But the cow could not catch him.

Johnny-cake laughed and said, "This is very good fun. I roll and they run."

Johnny-cake went rolling on.

Soon he came to a fat, lazy pig, who was eating his supper.

"Johnny-cake, where are you going?" asked the pig.

"I am out rolling," said Johnny-cake.

"I have rolled away from a boy, a woman, a man, a hen, and a cow, and I can roll away from you, too. I can, I can."

"I can not hear you," said the pig.

Johnny-cake went up to him.

Again he said, "I have rolled away from a boy, a woman, a man, a hen, and a cow, and I can roll away from you, too. I can, I can."

"I can not hear you," said the pig. "You are too far away from my ear."

Then Johnny-cake went right up to the pig's ear.

"I will make you hear me," he said.

"I have rolled away from a woman, a man, a boy, a hen, and a cow, and I can roll away from you, too."

Then jump went the pig! He caught poor Johnny-cake and ate him up.