The Wee Bannock
by Unknown · from More English Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
An Old Man lived in a small house. An Old Woman lived there too. She loved to bake. One day, she made two bannocks. They were round and golden. They smelled very good. She put them by the fire.
The Old Man came inside. He sat by the fire. He took one bannock. He ate it. The Little Bannock saw this. It was scared. It rolled away fast. The Old Woman ran after it. She had a stick. But The Little Bannock ran far.
The Little Bannock came to a house. It went inside. Some tailors sat there. They saw The Little Bannock. They wanted to eat it. They jumped up. They tried to catch it. They used their hands. But The Little Bannock was fast. It ran around. It ran out the door.
The Little Bannock ran again. It came to another house. A weaver worked there. His wife was with him. They saw The Little Bannock. "Catch it!" said the weaver. "We are hungry." The wife tried to catch it. She threw yarn. But The Little Bannock ran away. It ran over a hill.
The Little Bannock ran to a new house. A woman churned butter. She saw The Little Bannock. "Come here!" she said. "I want to eat you." She tried to catch it. She almost tipped her churn. But The Little Bannock was quick. It ran around her. It ran out the door.
Now it was dark. The sun went down. The Little Bannock could not see. It was tired. It saw a big bush. It saw a hole under the bush. "This is a good place," it thought. It went into the hole. It felt safe there.
A Fox lived in that hole. The Fox was very hungry. It did not eat for two days. The Fox saw The Little Bannock. "Hello!" said The Fox. "A good snack!" The Fox was happy. It ate The Little Bannock fast. The Little Bannock was gone. Its adventure was over. The Fox was full.
Original Story
The Wee Bannock
"Grannie, grannie, come tell us the story of the wee bannock."
"Hout, childer, ye've heard it a hundred times afore. I needn't tell it over again."
"Ah! but, grannie, it's such a fine one. You must tell it. Just once."
"Well, well, if ye'll all promise to be good, I'll tell it ye again."
There lived an old man and an old woman at the side of a burn. They had two cows, five hens, and a cock, a cat and two kittens. The old man looked after the cows, and the old wife span on the distaff. The kittens oft gripped at the old wife's spindle, as it tussled over the hearthstone. "Sho, sho," she would say, "go away;" and so it tussled about.
One day, after breakfast, she thought she would have a bannock. So she baked two oatmeal bannocks, and set them on to the fire to harden. After a while, the old man came in, and sat down beside the fire, and takes one of the bannocks, and snaps it through the middle. When the other one sees this, it runs off as fast as it could, and the old wife after it, with the spindle in the one hand, and the distaff in the other. But the wee bannock ran away and out of sight, and ran till it came to a pretty large thatched house, and it ran boldly up inside to the fireside; and there were three tailors sitting on a big bench. When they saw the wee bannock come in, they jumped up, and got behind the goodwife, that was carding tow by the fire. "Hout," quoth she, "be no afeard; it's but a wee bannock. Grip it, and I'll give ye a sup of milk with it." Up she gets with the tow-cards and the tailor with the goose, and the two 'prentices, the one with the big shears, and the other with the lawbrod; but it dodged them, and ran round about the fire; and one of the 'prentices, thinking to snap it with the shears, fell into the ashes. The tailor cast the goose, and the goodwife the tow-cards; but it wouldn't do. The bannock ran away, and ran till it came to a wee house at the roadside; and in it runs and there was a weaver sitting at the loom, and the wife winding a clue of yarn.
"Tibby," quoth he, "what's that?"
"Oh," quoth she, "it's a wee bannock."
"It's well come," quoth he, "for our porrage were but thin to-day. Grip it, my woman; grip it."
"Ay," quoth she; "what recks! That's a clever bannock. Catch it, Willie; catch it, man."
"Hout," quoth Willie, "cast the clue at it."
But the bannock dodged round about, and off it went, and over the hill, like a new-tarred sheep or a mad cow. And forward it runs to the neat-house, to the fireside; and there was the goodwife churning.
"Come away, wee bannock," quoth she; "I'll have cream and bread to-day." But the wee bannock dodged round about the churn, and the wife after it, and in the hurry she had near-hand overturned the churn. And before she got it set right again, the wee bannock was off and down the brae to the mill; and in it ran.
The miller was sifting meal in the trough; but, looking up: "Ay," quoth he, "it's a sign of plenty when ye're running about, and nobody to look after ye. But I like a bannock and cheese. Come your way hither, and I'll give ye a night's quarters." But the bannock wouldn't trust itself with the miller and his cheese. So it turned and ran its way out; but the miller didn't fash his head with it.
So it toddled away and ran till it came to the smithy; and in it runs, and up to the anvil. The smith was making horse-nails. Quoth he: "I like a glass of good ale and a well-toasted bannock. Come your way in by here." But the bannock was frightened when it heard about the ale, and turned and was off as hard as it could, and the smith after it, and cast the hammer. But it missed, and the bannock was out of sight in a crack, and ran till it came to a farmhouse with a good peat-stack at the end of it. Inside it runs to the fireside. The goodman was cloving lint, and the goodwife heckling. "O Janet," quoth he, "there's a wee bannock; I'll have the half of it."
"Well, John, I'll have the other half. Hit it over the back with the clove." But the bannock played dodgings. "Hout, tout," quoth the wife, and made the heckle flee at it. But it was too clever for her.
And off and up the burn it ran to the next house, and rolled its way to the fireside. The goodwife was stirring the soup, and the goodman plaiting sprit-binnings for the cows. "Ho, Jock," quoth the goodwife, "here come. You're always crying about a wee bannock. Here's one. Come in, haste ye, and I'll help ye to grip it."
"Ay, mother, where is it?"
"See there. Run over on that side."
But the bannock ran in behind the goodman's chair. Jock fell among the sprits. The goodman cast a binning, and the goodwife the spurtle. But it was too clever for Jock and her both. It was off and out of sight in a crack, and through among the whins, and down the road to the next house, and in and snug by the fireside. The folk were just sitting down to their soup, and the goodwife scraping the pot. "Look," quoth she, "there's a wee bannock come in to warm itself at our fireside."
"Shut the door," quoth the goodman, "and we'll try to get a grip of it."
When the bannock heard that, it ran out of the house and they after it with their spoons, and the goodman shied his hat. But it rolled away and ran, and ran, till it came to another house; and when it went in the folk were just going to their beds. The goodman was taking off his breeches, and the goodwife raking the fire.
"What's that?" quoth he.
"Oh," quoth she, "it's a wee bannock."
Quoth he, "I could eat the half of it."
"Grip it," quoth the wife, "and I'll have a bit too."
"Cast your breeches at it!" The goodman shied his breeches, and had nearly smothered it. But it wriggled out and ran, and the goodman after it without his breeches; and there was a clean chase over the craft park, and in among the whins; and the goodman lost it, and had to come away, trotting home half naked. But now it was grown dark, and the wee bannock couldn't see; but it went into the side of a big whin bush, and into a fox's hole. The fox had had no meat for two days. "O welcome, welcome," quoth the fox, and snapped it in two in the middle. And that was the end of the wee bannock.
Story DNA
Moral
Even the most clever and quick-witted cannot escape their ultimate fate.
Plot Summary
A freshly baked oatmeal bannock, seeing its sibling eaten, springs to life and flees from the old woman who baked it. It embarks on a frantic journey, cleverly evading numerous hungry individuals from various rural professions—tailors, a weaver, a churner, a miller, a smith, and several farming families—each attempting to catch and eat it. Despite its remarkable speed and dodging skills, as night falls and visibility diminishes, the wee bannock seeks refuge in a fox's hole, only to be immediately devoured by the hungry fox, bringing its adventurous escape to an abrupt end.
Themes
Emotional Arc
excitement to capture to inevitable demise
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects a rural, agricultural society where food was precious and daily life involved manual labor and simple crafts. The story's humor often comes from the characters' futile attempts and the bannock's personification.
Plot Beats (13)
- An old man and woman live by a burn; the old woman bakes two oatmeal bannocks.
- The old man breaks one bannock, causing the other to flee from the old wife.
- The wee bannock runs into a house with three tailors and a goodwife, who try to catch it with various tools, but it escapes.
- It runs to a weaver's house, where the weaver and his wife attempt to catch it for their thin porridge, but it dodges them.
- The bannock then encounters a goodwife churning, who tries to catch it for cream and bread, nearly overturning her churn in the process.
- It continues to a mill, where the miller tries to entice it with cheese, but the bannock distrusts him and leaves.
- At a smithy, the smith tries to catch it for a toasted bannock and ale, casting his hammer, but misses.
- The bannock runs to a farmhouse where a goodman and goodwife try to catch it while cloving lint and heckling.
- It goes to another house where a goodwife stirring soup and a goodman plaiting sprit-binnings, along with their son Jock, fail to capture it.
- At the next house, folk sitting down to soup try to trap it by shutting the door, but it escapes their spoons and the goodman's hat.
- Finally, it enters a house where the folk are going to bed; the goodman throws his breeches, nearly smothering it, but it escapes, leading to a chase.
- As night falls, the bannock, unable to see, takes shelter in a fox's hole.
- The hungry fox immediately snaps the bannock in two, ending its journey.
Characters
The Wee Bannock
A small, round, flat cake made of oatmeal, baked until hardened. It is likely golden-brown and has a firm, crusty exterior, suggesting a rustic, homemade appearance. Its size allows it to roll quickly and dodge obstacles.
Attire: N/A (food item)
Wants: To escape being eaten and to remain free.
Flaw: Its physical nature as a food item makes it inherently vulnerable to being consumed. Its lack of sight in the dark ultimately leads to its demise.
Begins as a simple food item, gains sentience and a will to live, experiences a series of escapes and adventures, and ultimately meets its end, fulfilling its destiny as food.
Clever, quick-witted, independent, fearful (of being eaten), resilient. It demonstrates a strong will to survive and a remarkable ability to evade capture.
The Old Wife
A small, likely stooped elderly woman, with the weathered hands of someone who spins on a distaff and bakes. Her build would be slender from a life of labor.
Attire: Simple, practical Scottish peasant clothing of the era. A long, dark wool skirt, a plain linen blouse, and a practical apron. Perhaps a simple shawl over her shoulders and a coif or headscarf.
Wants: To provide food for herself and her husband, and to maintain order in her home.
Flaw: Her age and perhaps a touch of stubbornness, as she insists on chasing the bannock herself.
Remains largely static, serving as the catalyst for the bannock's escape and a recurring figure in the framing narrative.
Practical, hardworking, a bit stern ('Sho, sho'), but also capable of affection (towards the childer). She is determined when she wants something, like catching the bannock.
The Old Man
An elderly man, likely of a sturdy but perhaps slightly stooped build from a life of looking after cows. His hands would be calloused.
Attire: Simple, practical Scottish peasant clothing. Likely a coarse wool jacket or waistcoat over a linen shirt, sturdy breeches, and thick wool stockings. Perhaps a flat cap.
Wants: To enjoy his meal and live a peaceful life.
Flaw: His simple desire for food inadvertently triggers the bannock's escape.
Remains static, serving as an initial trigger for the plot.
Simple, content, practical, and enjoys his food.
The Fox
A lean, cunning fox with a reddish-brown coat, a bushy tail, and sharp features. Its body would show signs of hunger, being described as having 'had no meat for two days'.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To satisfy its hunger.
Flaw: Its hunger makes it vulnerable to any opportunity, but in this case, it's a strength.
Remains static, serving as the ultimate predator and the resolution to the bannock's journey.
Cunning, opportunistic, patient (waiting for prey), and ultimately decisive.
Locations
Old Man and Old Woman's Cottage
A humble, cozy cottage interior, likely with a stone or clay hearth where a fire burns. The hearthstone is a central feature. The overall impression is one of simple, domestic life.
Mood: Warm, domestic, slightly chaotic with the kittens, then suddenly frantic.
The wee bannock is baked and then escapes after the old man eats its sibling.
Three Tailors' Thatched House
A pretty large thatched house interior, with a fireside where three tailors work on a big bench. A goodwife is carding tow by the fire. The space is bustling with activity and tools of the trade.
Mood: Busy, industrious, then startled and clumsy.
The bannock evades the tailors and goodwife, causing one apprentice to fall into the ashes.
Weaver's Wee House at the Roadside
A small, humble house located by the roadside. Inside, a weaver is diligently working at a loom, and his wife is winding a clue of yarn. The space is functional and focused on textile production.
Mood: Quietly industrious, then briefly animated by the bannock's arrival.
The bannock dodges the weaver and his wife, who try to catch it for their thin porridge.
The Smithy
A blacksmith's workshop, characterized by the anvil as a central feature. The smith is making horse-nails, indicating a working forge and tools. The atmosphere is likely hot and noisy.
Mood: Loud, hot, industrious, then briefly startled.
The bannock is frightened by the mention of ale and escapes the smith, who throws his hammer at it.
Whin Bush and Fox's Hole
A large gorse (whin) bush, dense and prickly, under which a fox's hole is hidden. The setting is dark, indicating nightfall, and the ground is likely rough and natural.
Mood: Desolate, dangerous, final.
The wee bannock, unable to see in the dark, takes refuge in the fox's hole and is eaten.