Pancakes for Breakfast
Saturday mornings were pancake mornings at the Williams house. Mum flipped them on the griddle, Dad drizzled the syrup, and twins Ben and Bella stacked them high on their plates. But one Saturday, something very strange happened.
Just as Mom set the first pancake on a plate… it twitched. Then it wriggled. And suddenly—SPROING!—two little legs popped out from underneath. The pancake wobbled upright, blinked (yes, blinked!), and shouted, “I’m freeee!” before leaping off the table.
The Pancakes Escape
Ben and Bella’s jaws dropped. “Did… did that pancake just run away?” Bella gasped. “It sure did!” laughed Ben. “Quick—after it!”
But before they could catch it, the second pancake sprouted legs too. Then the third. Then the whole stack on the plate began hopping, dancing, and skittering across the kitchen floor. “Stampede of pancakes!” cried Dad as he leapt onto a chair.
Each pancake had its own personality. One zoomed around like a racecar, shouting “Vroom-vroom!” Another was super wobbly and tripped over its own legs. A third one yawned, curled up on the rug, and immediately fell asleep. And one cheeky pancake bounced right onto Bella’s head like a hat.
Mom shook her spatula. “Come back here, you breakfast rebels!” But the pancakes were already marching in a line toward the open back door.
Chaos in the Yard
Out into the yard they went, hopping through the grass. The neighbors peeked over their fences. “Are those… pancakes with legs?” Mrs. Lopez asked, clutching her teacup. “Yes,” said Dad, sighing. “We’re trying a new recipe.” The kids giggled and chased after the runaway breakfast.
The speedy pancake zipped into the garden, dodging between tomato plants. Ben grabbed a colander like a net and tried to catch it. SWOOSH—missed!
The sleepy pancake curled up in the sandbox. Bella scooped it gently into a bucket. “Gotcha!” But then three pancakes climbed onto the swing set and started swinging higher and higher. “Wheeee!” they squealed. “Pancakes aren’t supposed to have fun!” Ben laughed. “They’re supposed to be eaten!”
Mom’s Sweet Solution
Finally, Mom had an idea. She brought out the syrup bottle and held it high. “Who wants syrup?” she called. The pancakes froze. Their little legs twitched. Slowly, one by one, they hopped back toward her, noses (if pancakes had noses) sniffing the sweet smell.
As soon as they crowded around, Bella dropped a big mixing bowl over the top. “Caught them!” she cheered.
Back in the kitchen, the pancakes calmed down once they were stacked neatly on a plate again. Their little legs wiggled nervously. Mom crouched down and said gently, “Don’t worry, pancakes. We won’t eat you if you don’t want to be eaten. But what do you want?”
The pancakes huddled together, whispering in tiny squeaky voices. Then the bravest one stepped forward. “We don’t want to be breakfast,” it squeaked. “We want to dance!”
A Dance Party Breakfast
So that morning, the Williams didn’t eat pancakes. Instead, they turned on music in the living room. The pancakes leapt and twirled, tapping their tiny legs in rhythm. Ben and Bella clapped along, laughing until their sides hurt.
When the music ended, the pancakes gave a little bow. Then—POOF!—their legs disappeared, and they flopped back onto the plate, perfectly still and round again. Mom raised her eyebrows. “Back to normal?” Dad shrugged. “For now.”
Ben and Bella looked at each other and grinned. Because every Saturday after that, when the griddle hissed and the pancakes sizzled, they secretly hoped to see a pair of tiny legs wriggle free again…
The End.
If you’re hungry for breakfast ideas that stay on the plate, check out PBS for ideas. Or enjoy more giggles with our story The Sandwich Swap.
