The first print appearance of The Gingerbread Man came in 1875 in the May issue of St. Nicholas Magazine. It serves as an excellent example of a cumulative tale, markedly utilizing rhythm and repetition. Although the author of the first print appearance is not known, they we quoted as saying that "a servant girl from Maine told it to my children. It interested them so much that I thought it worth preserving. I asked where she found it and she said an old lady told it to her in her childhood." The Gingerbread Man remains a common subject for American children's literature into the 21st century with various retellings and variations.