Gingerbread Man in English | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales

English Fairy Tales

27 Jul 201606:14

Summary

TLDRIn a quaint tale, an elderly couple, childless and lonely, creates a gingerbread man who springs to life and flees their home. The gingerbread man boasts of his ability to outrun anyone, evading the old woman, a cow, a pig, and a hen. However, his overconfidence leads to his downfall when he encounters a cunning fox who offers to help him cross a river. Trusting the fox, the gingerbread man ends up being devoured, serving as a cautionary tale about vanity and the perils of gullibility.

Takeaways

🏡 The story begins with an elderly couple living in a small house, feeling lonely due to the absence of children.
🍪 The woman decides to bake a gingerbread man to alleviate their loneliness.
👵 The old woman meticulously prepares the gingerbread dough and bakes the gingerbread man.
🏃‍♂️ Upon completion, the gingerbread man comes to life and escapes out the window, boasting about his ability to outrun anyone.
🐮 The gingerbread man encounters a cow who wants to eat him, but he taunts her and continues to run.
🐷 He also meets a pig who tries to catch him, but the gingerbread man is too quick and confident in his speed.
🐔 A hen sees the gingerbread man and intends to feed him to her chicks, but he escapes her as well.
🦊 The gingerbread man approaches a river and is approached by a fox who offers to help him cross.
🤝 The gingerbread man, for the first time, encounters someone who wants to be friends rather than eat him, and he agrees to the fox's help.
😈 The fox betrays the gingerbread man's trust by eating him once they reach the other side of the river, marking the end of the gingerbread man's adventures.

Q & A

Who are the main characters in the story?
-The main characters in the story are the old woman, her husband, the gingerbread man, a cow, a pig, a hen, and a fox.
Why did the old woman decide to make a gingerbread man?
-The old woman decided to make a gingerbread man because she and her husband felt lonely and had no children.
What did the old woman use to decorate the gingerbread man?
-The old woman used icing for the gingerbread man's hair and mouth, candies for his eyes, and cherries for his buttons.
Why did the gingerbread man run away from the old woman?
-The gingerbread man ran away from the old woman because he did not want to be eaten.
What is the gingerbread man's catchphrase throughout the story?
-The gingerbread man's catchphrase is 'Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man.'
Which animals chase the gingerbread man and why?
-The cow, the pig, and the hen chase the gingerbread man because they all find him tempting to eat.
Why did the fox offer to help the gingerbread man cross the river?
-The fox offered to help the gingerbread man cross the river as a ruse to get close enough to eat him.
What was the gingerbread man's reaction when the fox offered friendship?
-The gingerbread man was pleased and agreed to the fox's offer of friendship, as it was the first time he had heard something like that.
How did the gingerbread man's story end?
-The gingerbread man's story ended with him being eaten by the fox after the fox tricked him into getting onto his back to cross the river.
What moral lesson can be learned from the gingerbread man's story?
-The moral lesson from the gingerbread man's story is to be cautious of strangers and not to be overly trusting or prideful, as it can lead to one's downfall.

Outlines

00:00

🍪 The Gingerbread Man's Adventurous Escape

In this tale, an elderly couple, feeling lonely without children, decides to bake a gingerbread boy. The woman meticulously prepares the dough, bakes the gingerbread man, and adorns him with icing, candies, and cherries. Surprisingly, the gingerbread man comes to life and flees the house, evading the woman's attempts to catch him. As he runs, he taunts his pursuers, boasting that no one can catch him. He encounters a cow and a pig, both of whom he outruns despite their attempts to eat him. The gingerbread man's pride and confidence in his ability to escape are evident as he continues his journey.

05:00

🦊 The Cunning Fox and the Gingerbread Man's Downfall

The gingerbread man's journey continues as he meets a fox by a river. Unlike the other animals, the fox offers friendship and proposes to help the gingerbread man cross the river. Trusting the fox, the gingerbread man climbs onto his back. However, the fox's true intentions are revealed when he devours the gingerbread man after reaching the river's other side. This marks the end of the gingerbread man's adventures, serving as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of trusting strangers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Gingerbread Man

The Gingerbread Man is a central character in the story, a figure made of gingerbread dough that comes to life. Traditionally, gingerbread men are sweet treats shaped like a person and decorated with icing or candies. In the video, the Gingerbread Man is depicted as lively and able to run away from those who wish to eat him, symbolizing the theme of autonomy and the struggle against being controlled or consumed by others. The narrative revolves around the Gingerbread Man's adventures as he evades capture, showcasing his resourcefulness and the moral of not being too trusting.

💡Autonomy

Autonomy refers to the ability to make independent decisions and act on one's own. In the context of the video, the Gingerbread Man's autonomy is highlighted as he chooses to run away from those who created him, seeking freedom and self-determination. His repeated phrase 'run as fast as you can' underscores his desire to be in control of his own fate, which is a key message of the video.

💡Loneliness

Loneliness is a feeling of sadness or emptiness due to a lack of companionship or social interaction. In the video, the old woman and her husband feel lonely because they have no children, which prompts the woman to create a Gingerbread Man. This sets the stage for the story, illustrating how loneliness can lead to actions that have unexpected consequences.

💡Creation

Creation in this video refers to the act of bringing something into existence. The old woman creates the Gingerbread Man by mixing ingredients, rolling out dough, and baking him in the oven. The term is used to describe the process of making something from nothing, and in the narrative, it highlights the idea that creations can sometimes take on a life of their own, as seen when the Gingerbread Man comes to life.

💡Chase

The chase is a recurring action in the video, where various characters attempt to catch the Gingerbread Man. It symbolizes the pursuit of one's desires or the struggle to maintain control over one's creations. Each chase scene escalates the tension and adds excitement to the story, while also demonstrating the Gingerbread Man's ability to evade capture.

💡Deception

Deception is the act of misleading or being dishonest, which is exemplified by the fox's behavior in the video. The fox pretends to be a friend to the Gingerbread Man, offering to help him cross the river, only to betray and eat him. This keyword is crucial as it introduces a moral lesson about the potential for deceit in others and the importance of being cautious.

💡Cunning

Cunning refers to the use of cleverness, especially in a dishonest or harmful way. The fox in the video is described as cunning, as he cleverly tricks the Gingerbread Man into trusting him. This keyword is significant as it highlights the fox's character traits and foreshadows his treachery, which ultimately leads to the Gingerbread Man's downfall.

💡Trust

Trust is the reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, or surety of someone or something. In the video, the Gingerbread Man's trust in the fox is misplaced, leading to his capture. This keyword is pivotal as it underscores the importance of discernment and the potential consequences of misplaced trust.

💡Freedom

Freedom in the video represents the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. The Gingerbread Man's pursuit of freedom is a central theme, as he continually escapes from those who wish to eat him. His desire for freedom is what drives the narrative and leads to his encounters with various characters.

💡Morality

Morality in the video is conveyed through the actions and consequences faced by the characters. The Gingerbread Man's journey and ultimate fate serve as a cautionary tale about the importance of being wary of strangers and the potential dangers of overconfidence. The video uses the character's experiences to impart moral lessons about trust, autonomy, and the consequences of one's actions.

💡Consequence

Consequence refers to the result or effect of an action. In the video, the Gingerbread Man's actions, such as running away and trusting the fox, lead to consequences that shape the story's outcome. The keyword is important as it illustrates the concept that actions have repercussions, a key takeaway from the narrative.

Highlights

An old woman and her husband, feeling lonely, decide to bake a gingerbread man.

The woman carefully mixes the batter and cuts out a gingerbread man shape.

The gingerbread man comes to life and jumps out of the oven.

The gingerbread man boasts about his ability to escape from anyone.

The old woman chases the gingerbread man but fails to catch him.

The gingerbread man encounters a cow who wants to eat him.

The gingerbread man outruns the cow, asserting his speed.

A pig joins the chase, attracted by the gingerbread man's scent.

The gingerbread man evades the pig, maintaining his lead.

A hen sees the gingerbread man and intends to feed him to her chicks.

The gingerbread man escapes the hen, continuing his flight.

The gingerbread man becomes overconfident in his ability to escape.

The gingerbread man meets a fox by a river and is offered help.

The fox tricks the gingerbread man into trusting him.

The gingerbread man gets on the fox's back to cross the river.

The fox betrays the gingerbread man and eats him.

The story concludes with the gingerbread man's demise.