Hansel and Gretel

This story is called Hansel and Gretel, a traditional tale adapted and recorded by Library Call. In a great forest, a woodcutter lived with his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel. The family was very poor and had little to eat. At night, . He groaned and said to his wife, “What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves? we’ll all die of hunger.” The children were still awake and heard the conversation. Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel: ‘Now all is over with us.’ ‘Be quiet, Gretel,’ said Hansel, ‘don’t worry, I will find a way to help us.’ When the old folks went to sleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door, below, and went outside. The moon was shining brightly and the white pebbles in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Gretel took a little piece of bread Then they went to the forest. They walked all night, Hansel constantly throwing white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road. But as they went deeper in the forest, help did not come. They could die of hunger and exhaustion. When mid day arrived, they saw a beautiful snow white bird sitting on a branch of a tree, delightfully singing. They stood still and listened to its song. When its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away. They followed their bird until they reached a little house where it stood on the roof. They noticed the house was built of bread and covered in cakes. The windows were made of clear sugar. “We are going to have a great meal,” said Hansel. “I will eat a bit of the roof and you can eat some of the window. It will taste sweet.” Hansel reached above and broke off a little piece of the roof. Gretel leaned against the window and nibbled at the panes. A soft voice cried from the parlor, “Nibble, nibble, gnaw. Who is nibbling at my little house?” The children answered, “The wind.” They continued eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof tore down a great piece of it and Gretel pushed the whole window out, sat down, and enjoyed it. Suddenly the door opened and an old woman on crutches came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they dropped what they were eating. The old woman nodded her head and said, “Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in and stay with me. No harm will happen to you.” She took them both by the hand and led them into her little house. Food was set before them, milk and pancakes, sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterward, two pretty little beds in clean white linen were made for them. Hansel and Gretel felt as though they were in heaven. The old woman was just pretending to be kind. She was really a wicked witch who waits for children. Her little house of bread was built to entice children. When a child fell into her power, she killed the child and ate it. Witches have red eyes and cannot see far, but they have scents like beasts. When Hansel and Gretel came into the neighborhood, she laughed cruelly and said , “I have them! They will not escape me again!” Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was already up and when she saw both of them sleeping with their pretty plump rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself, “That will be a dainty mouthful!” She seized Hansel with her shriveled hand, carried him to the stable, and locked him in. Screaming would not help him. She went to Gretel, shook her till she woke up, and cried, “Get up lazy thing! Fetch some water and cook something good for your brother. He is in the stable outside where he will be more plump. When he is plump enough, I will eat him. Gretel began to weep bitterly because she was forced to do what the wicked witch demanded. The best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel was only fed crab shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable and cried, “Hansel stretch out your finger that I may feel if you will soon be plump.” Hansel stretched out a little bone to her and was astonished that there was no plumping him. When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin, she was seized with impatience and could not wait any longer. “Now, then, Gretel,” she cried, “stir yourself and bring some water. Let Hansel be plump or thin, tomorrow I will kill him and cook him.” The poor little sister cried when she had to fetch the water, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Someone please help us!” she cried. “If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together.” “Keep your noise to yourself,” said the old woman. “It won’t help you at all.” Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with water and light the fire. “We will bake first,” said the old woman. “I have already heated the oven and kneaded the dough.” She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven where the flames were already burning. “Creep in,” said the witch, “and see if it was properly heated so that we can put the bread in.” Once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, then she would eat her too. Gretel saw what she had in mind and said, “I do not know I am to do it; how do I get myself in?” “Silly goose,” said the old woman. “The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!” She crept and thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, shut the door, and fastened the iron bolt. The old woman began to howl horrible, but Gretel ran away as the witch burnt to death. Gretel ran like lightning to Hansel and opened his little stable. She cried, “Hansel we are saved! The old witch is dead!” Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage like when the door is opened. They rejoiced, embraced, and danced! They went into the witch’s house and in every corner there were chests full of pearls and jewels. “These are far better than pebbles!” said Hansel and he filled his pockets with anything that could fit. Gretel said, “I will also take something home with me” as she filled her apron. “But now we must be off,” said Hansel, “We must get out of the witch’s forest.” When they walked they followed the shiny petals that looked like bright silver coins. The forest seemed to get more and more familiar to them. They saw their father’s house. They began to run, rushed to the parlor, and threw themselves around their father’s neck. Gretel emptied her apron until pearls and precious stones ran about the room. Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them. The anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness. The End