The Land Of Fairytales: The Gingerbread Ghost

The Land of Fairytales

The Gingerbread Ghost

Not so long ago, the Gingerbread Man lived alone, in a gingerbread house on the edge of Sugar Forest.

His tiny home, decorated in white icing, was splattered with gumdrops, chocolate pieces and sprinkles. Green icing lined the windows, candy canes decorated the porch and marshmallows covered the roof like snow.

One morning, when Gingerbread Man awoke, he glanced around his tiny home of confections and felt quite useless. Everyone in the Land of Fairytales had a special assignment. At least, everyone except Gingerbread Man.

Peter delivered eggs on Easter, Santa and the elves were the stars of Christmas, and even Easton, the tooth fairy replaced the children’s lost teeth with shiny coins.

Glinda, the Good Witch casted magic spells, Tinkerbell owned magical pixie dust and Fairy Godmother had a special wand which granted wishes.

Gingerbread Man only had a tiny home made from candy, good for nothing except to curb a sweet tooth.

Today was the last day of October, better known as Halloween, but no one in the Land of Fairytales had a special assignment today. Gingerbread Man decided he would make Halloween his special day. He came up with a plan he was sure would work.

Every Halloween, the children of the world dressed in costumes and walked down the streets scaring people while collecting treats. Gingerbread Man decided to wear a costume like the children, walk down the streets and scare the citizens of the Land of Fairytales. Maybe if he was good at this, he’d be assigned this as his special task for Halloween.

Gingerbread Man searched for a costume but decided to make a mask instead. He painted his face with red and white icing and added sprinkles to disguise himself more. He was pleased when he looked in the mirror, so he sprinted outside and through Sugar Woods, to find someone to scare.

When he reached the path, he saw someone strolling toward town. Gingerbread Man hid behind a Lollipop tree and waited.

"Boo." Gingerbread Man jumped from behind the Lollipop Tree.

"Happy Halloween, Gingerbread Man!" Hayward Pig said with a smile.

"How'd you know it was me?" Gingerbread man asked.

"An icing covered face hardly disguises a Gingerbread Man,” Hayward Pig answered and laughed.

Disappointed, Gingerbread Man ran home. He washed his face and searched for a new costume. When he found a black top hat belonging to a friend who only visited during winter, he popped it on his head and looked in the mirror. The hat certainly made him look different. He didn’t think he looked like a Gingerbread Man at all.

He sprinted through Sugar Woods to the path toward town. When he reached the Lollipop tree, he hid and waited for someone to scare.

"Boo." Gingerbread Man jumped from behind the Lollipop tree.

Mama Bear chuckled. "Oh, Gingerbread Man, how nice to see you.”

“How’d you know it was me?” Gingerbread Man asked.

Gingerbread man ran home in tears. How would he ever be the star of Halloween if everyone recognized him?

Desperate for a way to disguise himself, Gingerbread Man yanked the sheet from the bed. He cut two holes for eyes and slipped it over his head. When he looked in the mirror, he was pleased because no one could see his face now.

He walked back through Sugar Forrest and hid behind the Lollipop tree near the path toward town.

"Boo!" Gingerbread Man jumped out.

“The Land of Fairy Tales doesn’t have a ghost.” A familiar voice said.

Gingerbread Man peered through the holes he’d cut for his eyes and saw Leeroy, the Big Bad Wolf beside him.

“Why would a Gingerbread Man wear a sheet anyway?” Leeroy snickered.

“How do you know who I am?” Gingerbread Man asked.

Leeroy grinned and pointed. “Because I can see your gingerbread feet.”

Gingerbread Man looked down to see his brown gingerbread feet sticking out beneath the sheet.

“And now I’m going to eat you, starting with those little gingerbread feet.” Leeroy licked his lips and tried to snatch the Gingerbread Man up, but Gingerbread Man took off running down the path toward town.

Looking over his shoulder, he said, “Run! Run! As fast as you can. You can’t catch the Gingerbread Man.”

He ran passed Peter’s egg garden, Brickerton Pig’s little house and stopped to catch his breath near Mother Goose’s library, but while he rested, someone yelled.

“There he is!” Leeroy stood next to town hall pointing. “The Gingerbread Man who tried to scare everyone in the land.”

Gingerbread Man couldn’t deny it, since the sheet was still over his head.

Santa led Gingerbread Man inside town hall to stand before the board of commissioners, the elders who made all the important decisions for the land.

“Is this true?” Tinkerbell shook her head.

He nodded and removed the sheet.

“Why would you do such a thing?” Mother Goose peered over her glasses.

“I just wanted a special task like all of you.” Gingerbread lowered his head. “And Halloween is a special day, but no one in the land of Fairytales has a special assignment.”

Peter Pan stood. “If you want to scare people, you should live with Hook in the Badlands.”

“You’ve broken a law of the land.” Father Time scolded. “The seventh law says be kind to everyone and scaring people isn’t kind.”

“Hang on a minute.” Fairy Godmother stood by her chair.

“Gingerbread Man may have broken a law, but I don’t think he meant any harm and he certainly doesn’t belong in the Badlands.”

“Enough talking.” Cupid said. “Let’s take a vote.”

Closing his eyes, Gingerbread Man waited for the board’s decision, but when he opened them again, Santa and Mrs. Clause stood by his side.

“Every Christmas I’m busy baking cookies, peanut butter, chocolate chip and sugar covered.” Mrs. Clause said. “I barely have to time to finish by Christmas Eve.”

“You’ve been given a special assignment,” Santa said. “From this day forward, you are the official Gingerbread Baker and Decorator for the Land of Fairytales. Your assignment begins on Halloween every year.”