Rufus & Gingerbread Boy

 As Rufus stretched he caught sight of what appeared to be a small, brown boy running along the road. Behind him ran a rag-taggle group of people and animals led by a little old woman and a little old man.  The young boy called out as he ran, “Run, run, fast as you can. You can’t catch me for I’m the Gingerbread Man!” Suddenly he stopped at the water’s edge looking for a means to cross to the other side.


“Climb on my back.” Said Rufus, “and I will swim to the other side.” Glancing back to where the crowd could be seen running toward him the Gingerbread Man turn to Rufus. "Promise to get me safely to the other side?” and he climbed upon the back of the small fox. Rufus quickly slid into the water and began to swim toward the opposite shore

“ The water is quite deep here. I fear that I might get wet!” said the little man. 

"Can you stand on my head, Gingerbread Man, or you will get wet." So the gingerbread man pulled himself up and stood on the fox's head.

The current became stronger and once more the little man cried out in fear, “The water is lapping at my feet!”

"Can you move on to my nose, Gingerbread Man, so that I can carry you more safely? I would not like you to drown." 

The gingerbread man hesitated. “You won’t eat me, will you?”

“Of course not, I am a fox of my word and I will see you safely to the other side.” And with that the gingerbread man slid onto Rufus’s nose and they continued to the other shore. The little man climbed down and said, “I will owe you a favor and hope to repay it one day.” He turned, scampering away and calling back, “run, run, fast as you can! You can’t catch me , I’m the gingerbread man!”

Meanwhile Ceara was comforting the old man and the old woman over the loss of the fine gingerbread man that they had planned to take to the nearby castle as a gift for the Princess. The King had offered the hand of his daughter in marriage to the person who could make her laugh and the couple had hoped that their gift would insure that their son would win her hand.   

     

Ceara decided to join them as visit the castle to watch the festivities.  Along the way they encountered many others heading toward the castle. Some were knights in armor, others were entertainers of various sorts and Ceara delighted in listening to their tales of adventure as the journey toward the castle continued.