18 THE BUCKWHEAT BOY

Once upon a time, a little Old Woman and a little Old Man lived all alone in a little Old House.
One day the little Old Woman made a little boy out of a buckwheat cake.
“Now I have a little boy,” said the little Old Woman.
Soon the Buckwheat Boy was nice and brown.
He jumped out of the pan.
He jumped down to the floor and away he ran.
He ran out of the door and down the street.
The little Old Woman and the little Old Man ran after him as fast as they could.
Buckwheat Boy laughed and shouted,
“Run, run! ahoy, ahoy! You can’t catch me, I’m the Buckwheat Boy.”
And they could not catch him.
Buckwheat Boy ran on and on till he met a Cow. “Stop, little Buckwheat Boy, I am going to eat you,” said the Cow.
Buckwheat Boy laughed and shouted, “I have run away from a little Old Woman, and a little Old Man, and I can run away from you, I can.”
As the Cow chased him he looked back and shouted,
“Run, run! ahoy, ahoy! You can’t catch me, I’m the Buckwheat Boy.” Buckwheat Boy ran on and on till he met a Horse.
“Stop,” said the Horse. “I am going to eat you.”
Buckwheat Boy laughed and shouted, “I have run away from a little Old Woman, a little Old Man, and a Cow, and I can run away from you, I can.”
As the Horse chased him he looked back and shouted,
“Run, run! ahoy, ahoy! You can’t catch me, I’m the Buckwheat Boy.”
The Horse could not catch him. Then the Buckwheat Boy ran on and on, till he met a Wolf.

“Do not run so fast, little Buckwheat Boy,” said the Wolf, “I am going to eat you.”
Buckwheat Boy laughed and shouted, “I have run away from a little Old Woman, a little Old Man, a Cow, and a Horse, and I can run away from you, I can.”
As the Wolf chased him, he looked back and shouted,
“Run, run! ahoy, ahoy! You can’t catch me, I’m the Buckwheat Boy.”
The Wolf could not catch him.
“Nobody can ever catch me,” said the Buckwheat Boy.
So Buckwheat Boy ran on and on till he met a Fox. “You can’t catch me,” said the Buckwheat Boy to the Fox.
“I have run away from a little Old Woman, a little Old Man, a Cow, a Horse, and a Wolf, and I can run away from you, I can.
Run, run! ahoy, ahoy! You can’t catch me, I’m the Buckwheat Boy.”
“I would not catch you if I could.” said the Fox. “I do not care to catch you.”
Then Buckwheat Boy came to the river.
He could not swim across.
“Jump on my back, and I will take you across,” said the Fox.
So Buckwheat Boy jumped on the Fox’s back. “You will get wet on my back,” said the Fox. “Jump on my shoulder.”
Buckwheat Boy jumped on the Fox’s shoulder.
“You will get wet on my shoulder,” said the Fox. “Jump on my head.” Buckwheat Boy jumped on the Fox’s head.
“You will get wet on my head,” said the Fox. “Jump on my nose.”
Buckwheat Boy jumped on the Fox’s nose.
The Fox gave a snap.
“I am half gone,” said the Buckwheat Boy.
The Fox gave another snap.
Buckwheat Boy was all gone.