Harriette Taylor Treadwell

The Pancake

An old woman had seven children.

She made a big pancake.

The children said, "We want that big pancake."

The pancake heard the children.

It said, "The children shall not eat me."

And it rolled away.

The old woman ran after the pancake.

The seven children ran after it.

The old woman said, "Stop, pancake. My children want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

An old man saw the pancake.

He said, "Good-day, pancake."

"Good-day, old man," said the pancake.

"Stop," said the old man. "Do not go so fast. I want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I did not stop for the old woman, I did not stop for the seven children, I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

It rolled, and it rolled, and it rolled.

She said, "Good-day, pancake."

"Good-day, hen," said the pancake.

"Stop, pancake," said the hen. "Do not go so fast. I want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I did not stop for the old woman, I did not stop for the seven children, I did not stop for the old man. I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

It rolled, and it rolled, and it rolled.

A cock saw the pancake.

He said, "Good-day to you, pancake."

"Good-day, cock," said the pancake.

"Stop," said the cock. "Do not go so fast. I want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I did not stop for the old woman, I did not stop for the seven children, I did not stop for the old man, I did not stop for the hen, I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

It rolled, and it rolled, and it rolled.

A boy saw the pancake.

"Stop, stop," said the boy. "You are a big pancake. I want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I did not stop for the old woman, I did not stop for the seven children, I did not stop for the old man, I did not stop for the hen, I did not stop for the cock, I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

It rolled, and it rolled, and it rolled.

A dog saw the pancake.

"Stop, stop," said the dog. "You are a big pancake. I want to eat you."

The pancake said, "I did not stop for the old woman, I did not stop for the seven children, I did not stop for the old man, I did not stop for the cock, I did not stop for the hen, I did not stop for the boy, I can not stop for you."

And it rolled away.

It rolled, and it rolled, and it rolled.

The pancake came to the woods.

A pig saw the pancake.

"Good-day to you," said the pig.

"Good-day," said the pancake.

"Do not go so fast," said the pig. "I will go into the woods with you."

The pancake said, "I thank you. I will go with you."

So they went into the woods.

They came to a brook.

The pig said, "I can swim over the brook."

"I can not swim," said the pancake. "I can not go into the water."

The pig said, "Get on my snout, And I will swim over with you."

The pancake got on the pig's snout.

The pig said, "Ouf, ouf! You are a good pancake."

And he ate it up.