Johnny-Cake

An old woman bakes a magical Johnny-cake for her family, but it escapes from the oven while the little boy is distracted. The baked good rolls away down the road, prompting the old man, the old woman, and the child to give chase. They quickly find that the runaway cake is far too fast for them to catch. As he travels, Johnny-cake boasts of his speed to a pair of well-diggers who decide to pursue him. These workers also fail to overtake the swift treat and are left resting by the roadside. Next, two ditch-diggers join the hunt, but they too are outpaced by the rolling cake. A large bear then attempts to catch the Johnny-cake with great effort. Despite his strength, the bear cannot keep up and gives up the chase in exhaustion. A wolf follows suit, galloping after the cake until he realizes it is hopeless. The clever fox observes these failed attempts while resting quietly nearby. Instead of running, the fox uses wit to trick Johnny-cake into coming closer. He pretends not to hear the boastful cake and asks it to approach for a better listen. Trusting his own speed, Johnny-cake moves forward to shout his pride more loudly. In that moment of vulnerability, the fox snaps him up in his teeth. The story ends with the cunning fox enjoying his unexpected meal.