ed Hansel, and his sister, Grethel. They had very little to live upon, and once when there was a dreadful

sighed, and said to his wife, who was not the mother of his children, but their stepmother, "What will become of us, for I

dren for a walk across the forest and leave them in the thickest part; they will never fi

I have the heart to leave my children all alone in the wood

hunger; you may as well go and cut the wood for our coffins." And after this she let him have no peace ti

pmother had said to their father. Poor little Grethel wept bitter tears as sh

pered, "don't be so unha

still till their p

the cottage door glistened like new silver money. Hansel stooped and picked up as many of the pebbles as he could stuff in his little coat pockets. He then went back to

, and come into the wood with me to gather wood for the fire." Then she gave each of them a piece of bread, an

Then the stepmother led them a long way into the forest. They had gone but a very

, "Why do you keep staying

ittle white cat sitting on the roof of the

s not your cat; it is the mornin

ind every time to drop a white pebble fro

a thick part of the wood

wood, and I will make a fir

p of brushwood and faggots, which soon blazed u

your father, who is cutting wood in the forest; when we

lt safe, for they believed that their father was working near them. But it was not an axe they heard-only a branch which still hung on a withered tree, and was moved up and down by the wind. At last, when they had bee

; "let us wait a little while till the moon ris

s, which glittered like newly-coined money in the moonlight, and which Hansel had dropped as he walked, poin

have you been staying so long in the forest? we thought you were never coming back," But their father was

we have just half a loaf left, and when that is gone all love will be at an end. The children must go away; we will take them deeper into the forest this time, and they will not be able to find th

nversation; so, as soon as their parents slept, Hansel got up, intending to go out and gather some more of the bright pebbles to let fall as he walked, that they might point out the way home; but his

nd, when they were dressed, gave them each a piece of bread for their dinners, s

oke off little crumbs, and stopped every now and then to dr

at are you stopping for in th

e roof, and he wants to say go

your pigeon; it is only the morni

re they had never been before in all their lives. Again they gathered faggots and brushwood, of which the stepmother made up a large fire. Then she said, "Remain here, children, and rest, while I go to hel

ile, and the evening drew on; but no one came to fetch the poor children. When they awoke it was quite dark, and poor little Grethel was afraid; but Hansel comforted her, as he had done before,

they found no breadcrumbs, for the numerous birds which

e without the crumbs. Let us try." But this they found impossible. They wandered about the whole night, and the next day from morning till even

nt to sleep. When they awoke it was the third morning since they had left their father's house, and they determined to try once more

they stood still to listen. When he had finished his song, he spread out his wings and flew on before them. The ch

el, "let us stop here and have a splendid feast. I will have a piece from the roof first, Grethel; and you can eat some of the barley-sugar window, it tastes so nice." Hansel reached up on tiptoe, and breaking off a piece

crunching

ting up

ered the

ind, t

the w

roof taste very good, broke off another large piece, and Grethel had just taken out a whole pane of barley-sugar from th

tay with me for a little while, and there shall no harm happen to you." She seized them both by the hands as she spoke, and led them into the house. She gave them for supper plenty to eat and drink-mi

got fat, and then kill them and cook them for her dinner; and this she called her feast-day. Fortunately the witch had weak eyes, and could not see very well; but she had a very keen scent, as wild animals have, and

with their round rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself, "What nice tit-bits they will be!" Then she laid hold of Hansel with her rough hand, dragged

at I may boil something good for your brother, who is shut up in a cage outside till he gets fat; and then I shall cook him and eat

tle cage, and say: "Hansel, stick out your finger, that I may feel if you are fat enough for eating." But Hansel, who knew how dim her old eyes were, always stuck a bone

said she could not wait any longer. "Go, Grethel," she cried to the maiden, "be quick and draw w

tears rolled down her cheeks, she exclaimed: "It would have been better to be eaten by wil

woman; "it is not of the least u

ead first; I have made the oven hot, and the dough is already kneaded." Then she dragged poor little Grethel up to the oven door, under which the flames were burning fiercely, and said: "C

nted to do, and said, "I don't know h

large enough for me; just look, I could get in myself." As she sp

forward, gave the old woman a push which sent her right into

to burn. And how quickly Grethel ran to Hansel, opened the door of his cage, and cried, "Hansel, Hansel, we are free; the old witch is dead." He flew like a bird out of h

old witch's room, they saw an old oak chest, which they opened, and found it full of pearls and precious

hel, and she held out her apron, which

nd get away as soon as we can

arly two hours when they cam

boy. "We cannot get across, and

ds the children. "Perhaps she will help us across if we ask her," said the child; and she sung, "Little duck, do

sel could seat himself and wanted to take his little sister on his lap, but she sai

were to find themselves in a part of the wood which they remembered quite well, and as they walked on, the more familiar it became, till at l

alone in the forest; he was full of joy at finding them safe and well aga

rls and precious stones scattered about the room, while Hansel drew handful after handful from his pockets. From th