“Once upon a time”, the classic saying to start a sweet little tale,

What if there came a story where that saying were to fail?

From princesses to animals they all get the ending that they desire,

It may be time for that side of the story to finally retire.

We’ve heard them all before, the boy saves girl from uncertain demise,

It would be a shame if one actually found their demise.

This tale is a classic that everyone knows so well,

But maybe it’s time for a different story to come out of its banged up shell.

There was once a couple lived in a cottage at the end of the woods by the creek, With no children in their life they needed someone to take care of them as they grew frail and weak. The colder weather drawing closer every day they knew they must think of something fast before all was lost. A woman, dark as the night and as frail as paper, came to the door and asked for comfort from the bitter cold, I can pay whatever the cost. Unable to turn the woman down they brought her in without thinking twice. The night was closing with dawn on the rise, the woman got up and told the woman to name her price. The couple not knowing what to say, brought up that they had no children to take care of them as they grow old. The woman told the couple to not despair, for they will have a child before the next night's cold. Confused with this response, the couple asked how this could be for no child they were able to make. Amused by the couples confusion, the woman replied, there is no need to make the child when all you have to do is bake. Make the bread as you would but cut your husband's red hair and throw it into the mix before you bake it, when it comes out you shall have the child you desire. A word of warning as well, there are rules in which I must require;

He must not step out of the house at night, for he will crumble out of sight.

He must not see anyone with or use a gun, for he will surely run, run, run.

He must never know that he is called a Ginger Bread, for if that is done he he will leave                                                                                        you and your husband here in your bed.

Upon agreements to these terms the couple did as they were told, and the child was with them until they lost their wit. Following the instructions the child grew older and smarter but then reality finally hit. Not knowing what the world was like after dark, he decided to ask why he was never allowed out after night fell. The mother replied with a simple, it’s for your protection for out there are creatures from hell. Frightened by the response he ran to his paw to tell him what he heard. When the news was relayed the father he started laughing for that sounded completely absurd. Not knowing what to do any more, the couple said that at dawn the child could go out and have some fun. Excited by the news, the only thing he wanted to do was learn how to shoot a gun. In unison, the couple stated that guns are no fun and would make him scared. Understanding the truth, or so he thought, he decided that it was time that he started getting prepared. Thinking things were going their way, the couple got giddy with glee. Little did they know that soon their entire world was about to turn into a race of them three.

Sending the child off to sleep was easy as ever, but that night something wrong was said. Kissing him on the cheek and turning to leave, the Mother whispered, Good night my little Ginger Bread. Realizing her mistake she turned to her surprise, the child out of bed and heading towards the door. The couple did everything to try and keep him from leaving only to find that he had a different idea in store. Heading outside he took off running as fast as he could. Little did he know that he was being watched by something that was in the wood. Prowling along, silent as the shadows of the night, and as cunning as the wind in a winter storm, a fox followed the Gingerbread Man once he was outside the house. Unaware of the lurking presence around him the child continued his path only to run into a rather large field mouse. Not used to the presence of an animal, he treated it just like the humans that he left behind. The mouse saw the child and saw the creature behind him, and asked him if he would like a place to get inside. The child still not finding a reason for it kept running by only to say he couldn’t be caught. Trying to catch up, it was the mouse who ended up being the child's afterthought. Finally stopping to rest by a creek that he could not cross alone, he looked around for anything that could help him out. The fox, making his presence known, offered him help for he knew that he could help since he is lean and stout. Agreeing to the offer, the child jumped on the nap of his neck so he wouldn’t fall off. The cunning fox, said if you sit on my nose then you can stay out of water and then I won’t start to cough. Seeing the reason in the statement the child climbed on his nose and decided to take a nap. Finally caught him by surprise, the fox ate the child in one single snap.

The couple, realizing that the child was eaten, found the fox by a tree. Going over to end the beast, the man pulled out his gun and knew what he had to be. As he aimed the gun, the fox changed into the woman who gave them the boy. Understanding that the couple couldn’t be trusted she changed them into a simple coy. Pacing them in the stream, she threw the Ginger root to change them orange so that they would always be aware of their mistake. That s the end of this tale, so now we know that if you desire something do not do anything to cheat yourself or you could punish yourself for goodness sake.