HANSEL AND GRETEL
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children.The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel.
He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land,
he could no longer procure even daily bread.
Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety,
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?’
Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety,
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?’
‘I’ll tell you what, husband,’ answered the woman, ‘early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest; there we will light
a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread,
and then we will go to our work and leave them alone.
They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.’
‘No, wife,’ said the man, ‘I will not do that; how can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest?The wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces.’
‘O, you fool!’ said she, ‘then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins,’ and she left him no peace until he consented.
‘But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same,’ said the man.
The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father.
Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel: ‘Now all is over with us.’
They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.’
‘No, wife,’ said the man, ‘I will not do that; how can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest?The wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces.’
‘O, you fool!’ said she, ‘then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins,’ and she left him no peace until he consented.
‘But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same,’ said the man.
The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father.
Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel: ‘Now all is over with us.’
‘Be quiet, Gretel,’ said Hansel, ‘do not distress yourself, I will soon find a way to help us.’And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside.
The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Then he went back and said to Gretel:
The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Then he went back and said to Gretel:
‘Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace,
God will not forsake us,’ and he lay down again in his bed. When day dawned,
God will not forsake us,’ and he lay down again in his bed. When day dawned,
but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying: ‘Get up, you sluggards! we are going into the forest to fetch wood.’
She gave each a little piece of bread, and said: ‘There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else.’
Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest.
Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest.
When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. His father said: ‘Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for?
Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs.’ ‘Ah, father,’ said Hansel,
Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs.’ ‘Ah, father,’ said Hansel,
‘I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me.’ The wife said: ‘Fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys.’ Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road.
When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said: ‘Now, children,
When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said: ‘Now, children,
pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold.’ Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said:
‘Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away.’
Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. It was not the axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to
Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. It was not the axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to
a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep.
When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and said: ‘How are we to get out of the forest now?’ But Hansel comforted her and said:
When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and said: ‘How are we to get out of the forest now?’ But Hansel comforted her and said:
‘Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way.’
And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.
They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father’s house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said: ‘You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest?We thought you were never coming back at all!’
They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father’s house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said: ‘You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest?We thought you were never coming back at all!’
The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone.
Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father:
Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father:
‘Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and that is the end.
The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no other means of saving ourselves!’
The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought: ‘It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children.’ The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.
The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation.
The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought: ‘It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children.’ The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.
The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation.
When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said:
‘Do not cry, Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us.’
Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds.
Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds.
Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground.
‘Hansel, why do you stop and look round?’ said the father, ‘go on.’
‘Hansel, why do you stop and look round?’ said the father, ‘go on.’
‘I am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me,’ answered Hansel. ‘Fool!’ said the woman, ‘that is not your little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney.’
Hansel, however little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.
The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said: ‘Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done,
The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said: ‘Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done,
we will come and fetch you away.’
When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said: ‘Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which
I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.’ When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Gretel:
When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said: ‘Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which
I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.’ When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Gretel:
‘We shall soon find the way,’ but they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.
It was now three mornings since they had left their father’s house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it.
And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted;
It was now three mornings since they had left their father’s house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it.
And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted;
and when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.
‘We will set to work on that,’ said Hansel, ‘and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet.’
Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.
Then a soft voice cried from the parlour:
'Nibble, nibble, gnaw, Who is nibbling at my little house?'
The children answered:'The wind, the wind, The heaven-born wind,'
and went on eating without disturbing themselves.
'Nibble, nibble, gnaw, Who is nibbling at my little house?'
The children answered:'The wind, the wind, The heaven-born wind,'
and went on eating without disturbing themselves.
Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it. Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out.
Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said: ‘Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? do come in, and stay with me.
Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said: ‘Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? do come in, and stay with me.
No harm shall happen to you.’ She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven.
The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near.
When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighbourhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly: ‘I have them, they shall not escape me again!’
The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near.
When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighbourhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly: ‘I have them, they shall 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 and looking so pretty, with their plump and rosy cheeks she muttered to herself:
‘That will be a dainty mouthful!’
‘That will be a dainty mouthful!’
Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable,
and locked him in behind a grated door. Scream as he might, it would not help him. Then she went to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried:
‘Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I will eat him.’
Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, for she was forced to do what the wicked witch commanded.
And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing
And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing
but 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 fat.’
Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was Hansel’s finger,
and was astonished that there was no way of fattening him.
When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin,
When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin,
she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer.
‘Now, then, Gretel,’ she cried to the girl, ‘stir yourself, and bring some water.
Let Hansel be fat or lean, tomorrow I will kill him, and cook him.’ Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down her cheeks!
‘Dear God, do help us,’ she cried. ‘If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together.’ ‘Just 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 the 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, from which flames of fire were already darting. ‘Creep in,’ said the witch, ‘and see if it is properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.’ And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too.
But Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said: ‘I do not know how I am to do it; how do I get in?’ ‘Silly goose,’ said the old woman. ‘The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!’ and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried: ‘Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!’ Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is opened. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other!
Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the 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, from which flames of fire were already darting. ‘Creep in,’ said the witch, ‘and see if it is properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.’ And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too.
But Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said: ‘I do not know how I am to do it; how do I get in?’ ‘Silly goose,’ said the old woman. ‘The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!’ and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, and cried: ‘Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!’ Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is opened. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other!
And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch’s house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels.
‘These are far better than pebbles!’ said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in, and Gretel said: ‘I, too, will take something home with me,’ and filled her pinafore full. ‘But now we must be off,’ said Hansel, ‘that we may get out of the witch’s forest.’
When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water. ‘We cannot cross,’ said Hansel, ‘I see no foot-plank, and no bridge.’ ‘And there is also no ferry,’ answered Gretel, ‘but a white duck is swimming there: if I ask her, she will help us over.’ Then she cried:'Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee? There's never a plank, or bridge in sight, Take us across on thy back so white.'
The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him. ‘No,’ replied Gretel, ‘that will be too heavy for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other.’ The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father’s house.
Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves round their father’s neck. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead.
When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water. ‘We cannot cross,’ said Hansel, ‘I see no foot-plank, and no bridge.’ ‘And there is also no ferry,’ answered Gretel, ‘but a white duck is swimming there: if I ask her, she will help us over.’ Then she cried:'Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee? There's never a plank, or bridge in sight, Take us across on thy back so white.'
The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told his sister to sit by him. ‘No,’ replied Gretel, ‘that will be too heavy for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other.’ The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from afar their father’s house.
Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves round their father’s neck. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead.
Gretel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them.
Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in perfect happiness.
Once upon a time there were two children, a brother and a sister, whose names were Hansel and Gretel. They lived with their father and with their step-mother. Their father worked as a woodcutter. Times were hard and the family had a tough life.
One night the children were woken up by a conversation in the next room.
“They eat far too much.
If they keep on like this, soon we’ll all die of starvation. We must get rid of them. Let’s do it tomorrow,” they heard their step-mother say. “I don’t want to abandon my children, ”said their father. He didn't think the plan was a good idea.
But his wife was very persistent and she kept talking and talking until he was convinced and willing to do what she said.
“Hansel, tomorrow we are going to die,” whimpered Gretel, “what shall we do?” Hansel reassured his sister that they would survive. “Get a good night’s sleep!”
he soothed, and as soon as his sister fell asleep, he went outside and filled his pockets with as many white pebbles as he could. Then he went to bed.
The next morning the family woke up early, before sunrise. “Today we’re going to cut some wood for the winter. It’s going to be a long day,” said their step-mother. “Take these pieces of bread and don’t eat them before noon,because then you will get hungry too early.” Hansel gave his bread to Gretel to hold, because his pockets were full of pebbles.
They went deep into the forest. On the way Hansel stopped every few steps and dropped a pebble behind him without telling anyone. After a while, they stopped. The step-mother told the children to sit there and wait quietly for them to come back. Their father said nothing.
Hansel and Gretel waited the whole day. They couldn't believe that their father would actually leave them. But as the sun set, they knew that everything they had heard the night before was true. “Don’t worry Gretel,” said Hansel,
“I dropped a trail of pebbles all the way here. Let’s eat our bread and have
a sleep. We will leave tomorrow morning and be home by noon. Trust me. ”
They did just as Hansel had said. They next morning they followed the trail Hansel had made and they made their way home. Their father was so happy to see them, that he couldn't say a thing and just hugged them for as long as he could.
When evening came, the children heard their step-mother’s voice, “We will leave them somewhere even further into the forest next time, so they won’t be able to find their way back.” “What are you talking about?! We are not going to leave them alone in the woods again!” But the women persisted, “Do you want to die of starvation?” The man didn’t reply. Hansel went to try and gather pebbles again, but this time the door was locked.
The next morning their step-mother gave them even smaller pieces of bread for lunch. On their way into the forest, Hansel dropped crumbs behind him, so that they would be able to find their way back home just like before. They walked for hours and hours. Eventually their step-mother said,
“This looks like a good place. You can have a nap here while your father and I cut wood.”At lunch Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel and then they fell asleep. It was already evening when they woke up and it was too dark to find the crumbs, but Hansel told Gretel to keep calm and that they would go home
the next morning.
When they woke up, they saw that wild animals had eaten the crumbs during the night. This time it was Hansel who was upset. “We will never find our way home now,” he cried.
But this time it was Gretel’s turn to be brave. “Let’s walk.
I’m sure we’ll be able to find our house,”
she said. They walked the entire day. They were already very hungry and tired when they saw a white bird singing on a branch. It flew off and the children decided to follow him.
It led them to a house. When they came closer, they saw that the house was built entirely from chocolate, with a roof made of cake, and windows made of clear sugar.
The children started eating the house – Hansel took a piece of the roof, while Gretel tore down a part of the wall.
Suddenly the door opened and an old woman came out of the house. “Who’s eating my roof and walls?!” she yelled, but when she saw the kids, she spoke again, this time in a much softer voice. “Please, come in. I can see you’re hungry. I’ll make you a delicious breakfast right now!”
They went in. The old woman made them pancakes with maple syrup and gave them milk to drink.
Just when the brother and sister thought they were in heaven, the old woman grabbed Hansel by the hand, her eyes glittered red and she laughed a creepy laugh. “Stupid children! Didn’t you understand that
I made this house to lure you in?
I will now fatten you up, boy, so that I can eat you.” She dragged Hansel into
a small dark room and locked him up.
Only then did Hansel and Gretel understand that she was not a nice old lady at all, but a witch! Her eyes were red and she was older than any human alive.
She had terrible eyesight, but a very good sense of smell. No matter how much the children cried, the witch had no mercy on them.
“Come on, girl, start cooking something delicious for your brother. By the end of the month he should have got fat enough to be cooked.” Gretel had no other option, so she started cooking for her brother.
A week passed like that – Hansel ate delicious food, while Gretel was always hungry.
Every morning the old woman went to Hansel’s room and shouted, “Show me your finger boy, let me see if you have gained any weight.” But Hansel would stick out a little bone and because the witch couldn’t see very well, she thought it was his finger. She was furious that he was staying so thin.
When four weeks had passed the witch lost her patience and shouted at Gretel, “Hey, you! This is the biggest pot in the kitchen; fill it with water to the top!
I don’t care how thin your brother is – I am going to cook him today! ”
Gretel prayed for a miracle to happen, but when she finished filling up the kettle, the witch helped her put it in the big oven. Then the old woman started the fire.
A little while later the witch pushed poor Gretel towards the oven and said,
“Get in and see if the water is boiling yet!” But Gretel thought that the witch wanted to push her into the pot and cook her too, so she cleverlyanswered,
“How can I get inside the oven? Please, show me so that I can check the water.”
“What is wrong with you?” the witch yelled, “It’s so easy! Look, you just need to step here and…. aaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” Gretel shoved the old woman into the oven. Then she quickly closed the oven door. The vicious witch burned to a crisp.
“What is wrong with you?” the witch yelled, “It’s so easy! Look, you just need to step here and…. aaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” Gretel shoved the old woman into the oven. Then she quickly closed the oven door. The vicious witch burned to a crisp.
Gretel rushed to Hansel’s room, unlocked the door for him and gave him a big hug. “Hansel, my dear brother, the witch is dead, let’s get out of this wicked house and find our way home!
”How happy they were! Before they left the house, they went into the witch’s bedroom where they knew she kept her treasure. There were wooden chests all over the room and the children filled their pockets with as many gems as they could. “These are better than pebbles,” said Hansel when he was done filling his pockets. Then they left the house.
The brother and sister walked for a few hours before they managed to leave the witch’s wood. The sun was setting when they finally got to a bridge they knew well, which was close to their house. “Father!” screamed Gretel when she saw him at the porch, looking more miserable than ever, because his wife had died.
O perníkové chaloupce
yl jednou jeden dřevorubec a tomu umřela žena a nechala mu dvě děti, Jeníčka a Mařenku. A tak tomu muži nezbylo, než aby dětem přivedl novou matku; a ta vám byla! Pěkná od pohledu, pracovitá a pořádná, až jednomu srdce plesalo, jenom ty děti jí nepadly do oka. Viděla na nich každou chybičku, vytkla jim každé klopýtnutí a pro dobré slovo si chodily k panu faráři. A šlo by to tak dál, kdyby neuhodila na celou zemi krutá bída. Za chvíli nebylo co do huby, celodenní drvoštěpská dřina vystačila tak na skývu chleba, která byla malá pro jednoho a pro čtyři sotva k smíchu. Macecha každého rána přepočítala hladové krky a ať počítala, jak chtěla, vždycky jí dva přebývaly.
ednoho dne už to nevydržela a řekla: „Tak to dál nejde, muži, ty děti musí pryč, jinak umřeme hlady všichni. Zavedeš je do lesa a necháš je tam, však on se o ně pánbů postará.“ V muži nejdříve hrklo a postavil se proti, přece nevyžene vlastní krev, ale žena se nedala, a tak dlouho na něho naléhala, až si povzdychnul a souhlasil. Jeníček a Mařenkou byli radosti bez sebe, že půjdou do lesa s tátou, doma by je čekaly jen ústrky a pošťuchování, v lese si sezobnou tu malinu, tu borůvku a bude jim fajn. Matka jim každému dala džbánek na jahody, aby pilně sbíraly a domů něco přinesly.
ak se vydali na cestu, otci byla dnes sekera obzvlášť těžká a do řeči mu bylo jako mrtvému na pohřbu. Šli a šli, až přišli na místo, kde byl les nejhlubší a nejčernější. „Tady si, děti, chvilku odpočiňte, já tu budu opodál pracovat, však uslyšíte.“ Jeníček a Mařenka si lehli do mechu a než by jeden okem mrknul, usnuli. Když se děti probudily, děsně se polekaly, byla totiž už tma, ale protože opodál uslyšely rány sekerou, zase se uklidnily a šly za otcem. Dovedete si představit jejich nové uleknutí, když přišly na mýtinu a tam viděly sekeru zavěšenou na větvi, jak se ve vánku komíhá a buší do stromu? Mařenka se dala do usedavého pláče, Jeníček bezradně pobíhal kolem a volal otce, ale ani pláč ani pobíhání nic nepřinesly. Les byl temný a tichý a lhostejný. Tu Jeníčka napadlo, že vyleze na strom, aby se rozhlédnul, zda neuvidí nějaké světylko, které by je zavedlo k lidem; dobrým či zlým, na to nepomyslel.
dyž se rozhlédl temnotou, opravdu jedno světýlko v dálce uviděl, křiknul dolů na Mařenku, aby si pamatovala směr a slezl a vydali se na cestu za světýlkem. Byla to lopotná cesta, temnotou a roklinou a přes bystřinu s úžlabinou, ale ještě dřív, než by únavou padly do mechu, dorazily děti na mýtinu, kde stála malá chaloupka. To vám byla krása a jak to tu omamně vonělo! „To je jako na pouti!“ řekl Jeníček a šel blíž a zvědavě si chaloupku prohlížel, pak si kousek uždibnul, ochutnal a pak šeptnul: „Je z perníku!“ Mařenka na nic nečekala a též si kousek ulomila; to byla dobrota! Na jazyku se to rozplývalo, nebylo to k zastavení, děti loupaly a jedly jako divé, takže si nevšimnuly, že se najednou otevřely dveře a v nich stojí stařenka, ve tváři úsměv a na jazyku mlsnou slinu: „Děťátka, milá kuřátka, proč nejdete dovnitř a trochu se neohřejete?“ Na takové pozvání nebyla jiná odpověď než sednout ke stolu, jíst, co hrdlo ráčilo, a po dobré večeři lehnout do měkoučké postele a spát a spát.
ak přišlo ráno a tu dobrou stařenku proměnilo v zlou a šerednou čarodějnici, která Mařenku probudila štulcem a do ruky jí vrazila koště, aby se činila, zatímco ona popadla spícího Jeníčka a šup s ním do kozího chlívku a pěkně pod petlici. „Tady budeš, holátko, dokud pěkně neztloustneš, pak si tě upeču!“ Mařence nastala krutá služba, musela uklízet a vařit a krmit Jeníčka hezky dotlusta, aby byl brzy k pečení. Babice neměla slitování, ani potoky slz jí neobměkčily a všechny prosby po ní sklouzly do prachu. Každý den se přišourala ke chlívku a kontrolovala, jak si Jeníček stojí, musel vystrčit prst, aby si řízla a viděla, mnoho-li je na něm sádla. Ale Jeníček nebyl dnešní, místo prstu krátkozraké babici podal vždycky klacík, a tak měl další den k dobru. Jenomže jednoho dne přišlo to čekání čarodějnici moc dlouhé. „Zítra jdeš do pece!“ řekla a bylo to!
oho rána vstávaly s Mařenkou za kuropění, zatímco čarodějnice si vzala na starost pořádný oheň v peci, ubohá Mařenka musela nanosit plný kotel vody a zadělat na knedlíky. Když tam tak celá uplakaná chodila po světnici, loupla po ní babice zlověstně okem a řekla: „Sedni si tu na lopatu a podívej se do pece, zda je dost roztopeno!“ Mařence hned svitlo jaké pokoukání má bába na mysli, a tak se k lopatě stavěla nešikovně, jako by ji ještě nikdy neviděla, a pokaždé sklouzla dolů, až z toho měla čarodějnice mrzutou náladu a nakonec křikla: „Slez, ty nemehlo, já ti ukáži, jak se sedí na lopatě!“ A jak byla zlá, tak byla hloupá, usadila se na lopatě, ale než mohla podat Mařence další kázání, dívenka lopatu popadla a šup s babicí do pece a rychle zabouchla dvířka a zavřela je na železnou petlici. Babice řvala, bušila do dvířek, ale závora nepovolila, a tak se ta zlobota upekla dočerna.
eď běžela Mařenka do chlívku, aby vysvobodila Jeníčka; to vám bylo radosti! Než se děti vydaly na cestu k domovu, ještě si prohlédly čarodějnické poklady a našly truhličku a ta byla plná dukátů, a tak si ji vzaly. Celý den šly tím černým lesem, a když se zase pomalu stmívalo, uviděly v dálce světýlko, a když k němu přišly, byly doma. Otec byl radostí a štěstím bez sebe, když je viděl, ale macecha dělala tak kyselé obličeje, až se otec rozhněval, popadl sukovici a vyhnal ji z domu. Pak mu děti ukázaly truhličku s dukáty a od toho dne jim bylo do zpěvu a do skoku a žili šťastně a spokojeně, dokud neumřeli.
