Nan cut a gingerbread man for her grandson's birthday and slid him into the oven. When she opened the door he sat up on the tray. Then he jumped down and ran.
"Run, run, as fast as you can!" he called. Nan ran after him. Pepper the dog ran after Nan, and a cow in the lane ran after Pepper.
Ginger reached the river first and stopped. The water was wide and brown and quick. Behind him the lane was empty, and everybody had given up.
A fox offered to carry him over on his nose. Ginger looked back up the lane instead. Nan was sitting on the verge with her hand on her chest, a long way behind.
"No thank you," said Ginger, and he walked back the whole way. Nan carried him home on her flat palm. "Run, run," she said. "Not today," said Ginger.
