The version herewith is taken from the Aldine Fourth Reader, by Frank E. Spaulding and Catherine T. Bryce, through the courtesy of the publishers, Newson & Company, New York.
Once upon a time there was an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny Cake, and put it into the oven to bake.
Then she said to the little boy: “You watch Johnny Cake while your father and I go out to work in the garden. Don’t let it burn.”
The little boy soon got tired watching the oven, and went to look out of the window. All of a sudden he heard a noise back of him. He looked around quickly. The oven door popped open. Out jumped Johnny Cake. Away he went rolling along, end over end, through the open door, down the steps, and out into the road, long before the little boy could catch him.
“Mother! Father! Johnny Cake’s running away!” cried the little boy, and down the street he ran after Johnny Cake.
His father and mother threw down their hoes and gave chase too. But Johnny Cake outran all three a long way, and was soon out of sight. The old man, the old woman, and the little boy, quite out of breath, sat down by the roadside to rest.
On ran Johnny Cake. By and by he came to two well diggers, who looked up from their work and called out, “Where are you going Johnny?”
“I’ve outrun an old man, an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you, too-o-o!”