"Away." And before the butterfly had finished speaking children appeared in the yard. Spying the little gingerbread man they started shrieking with delight and began chasing him.
"Stop, stop," they shouted. "We want to eat you."
But with his little legs churning the gingerbread man only ran faster. He yelled,
"I won't stop.
Run, run as fast as you can.
You can't catch me.
I'm the gingerbread man."
And truly those children could not catch him. Once out of their sight he continued running until he had reached a pasture where two horses were grazing. He sat down on a rock near the fence.
"Don't stop," said the butterfly fluttering nearby.