017 - Sport of Pirate Island

In a whimsical tale of magic and mischief, an evil Arabian sorcerer entrusts a golden flask filled with the Great Elixir—a potion that grants extraordinary health, strength, and longevity—to a colorblind bakers wife, hoping to keep it from falling into sinister hands. However, chaos ensues when she accidentally mixes the Elixir with her rheumatism medicine, leading to a hilarious mix-up that results in a batch of enchanted gingerbread. From this dough emerges John Dough, a six-foot novelty gingerbread man who springs to life and makes a daring escape, reminiscent of a classic nursery rhyme. As the malevolent sorcerer chases him, intent on consuming him for immortality, and children pursue him for a tasty treat, John Dough and his whimsical companion, the Cherub, embark on a fantastical journey through bizarre lands filled with eccentric characters. They encounter the comical King of Fairy Beavers, an animated Wooden Indian, a sorrowful girl executioner, a two-legged talking horse with a knack for bullying, and the youthful, tyrannical Kinglet of Phreex. Will John Dough outsmart those who crave him? Though this delightful novel, published in 1906, isnt part of the Oz canon, its beloved characters make charming cameos in The Road to Oz (1909). - Summary by Mary Kay, E. Toland and Wikipedia