The gingerbread man spontaneously came to life after being baked by a childless old woman. After coming into being, the gingerbread man leapt from the oven and ran away from both the woman and her husband who gave chase but failed to catch him. The gingerbread man then outruns several farm workers and animals while taunting them with the phrase: I've run away from a little old woman, A little old man, And I can run away from you, I can! In some retellings, The Gingerbread man uses the more famous taunt: Run, run, run as fast as you can; You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man.