Hansel and Gretel Page #3

"Hansel and Gretel" by The Brothers Grimm is a traditional fairy tale about a young brother and sister who become lost in the woods. Their wicked stepmother convinces their powerless father to abandon them, thinking they could fend for themselves. Instead, Hansel and Gretel come across a house made of candy and are captured by a cannibalistic witch living inside. The siblings must work together to escape the witch and find their way back home. This thrilling tale depicts the theme of courage, cleverness, and resourcefulness in the face of life-threatening adversity.

• Children

								

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. My tale is done, there runs a mouse; whosoever
catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.
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