HANSEL AND GRETEL

By Grimm Brothers

Once upon a time, there live a brother and a sister named Hansel and Gretel. Their
mother had passed away when they were babies. They live with their father in a hut in the forest,
and was trying to earn a living by working as a woodcutter.

Couple of years passed, their dad decided to get married again. The woodcutter’s second
wife was from a wealthy family and she hated the fact that they were poor. Plus, she did not like
her step-children at all.

On a cold winter, as they were getting ready to sleep, Hansel and Gretel heard their step-
mother talking to their dad. “How do you plan to get through this winter? We do not have
enough food. If you do not get rid of those children, we’ll all starve to death.” Their father
opposed furiously.

“No need to argue. I made up my mind. Tomorrow morning, we’ll take them to the
woods and leave them there.”

Hearing all that, Gretel started crying. Her brother Hansel comforted her.

“Please don’t cry Gretel, somehow we’ll find our way back home.”

Later that night, Hansel snacked out and collected as many pebbles as he could in his
pockets.

In the morning, they all started to walk towards the forest. Their father told them that they
were going for a hike. Without anyone noticing as they continue to walk, Hansel dropped the
pebbles he collected last night to mark the way back.

In the afternoon, their dad and step-mother lit a fire and told them that they will come
back soon. They walked off and vanished in the woods. Of course, they did not come back.

When the night fell, the horrible sounds of all wild animals in the forest started to echo
around them. Shivering with the horrifying sounds of the wolves, Hansel and Gretel did not
leave the fire’s side until the moon rise. And then, they started following the pebbles in the
moonlight and walk towards home.

When the kids came back, their dad was very happy and surprised. Their step-mother also
acted as if she was happy, but deep inside her decision was still the same. After three days, their
step-mother tried to get rid of them again. This time at night, he locked Hansel and Gretel’s door
and did not allow Hansel to collect pebbles again.
 But Hansel was a clever boy. When they were walking to the forest in the morning, this
time, he dropped breadcrumbs he had put in his pockets the night before, and again made a trail
to the way back home.

Around noon, their father and step-mother made another excuse and went off, leaving
them all alone in the forest again. Realizing that they were not coming back, Hansel and Gretel
started walking back home before it got dark. But this time, they could not find the trail they left
because all the breadcrumbs were eaten by the birds.

Gretel started crying, and for the first time, Hansel also felt hopeless. The kids were
really lost with no food and scared to death that they wandered around the forest for three days.

On the third day, they saw a bird white as snow. The bird chirps songs with its beautiful
voice for them. They forgot their hunger and started to follow the bird. The bird brought them in
a funny-looking house. This house has walls of bread, a roof made out of cake, and windows of
candy, and covered with colorful cream all around.

Hansel and Gretel could not believe their eyes. The house looks incredibly delicious. The
kids forgot how tired they were and started running towards the house. Just as they were both
gone to have a bite from the house, they heard a voice coming inside.

“Oh ho ho ho ho. Now, who’s nibbling in my house?”

They looked around and saw a sweet old lady at the door. When they told her about what
had happened to them, the old lady felt very bad and so she let them in. The inside of the house
was very different from the outside—it is dark, scary, and it didn’t feel right.

But, because they were so tired and hungry, the kids did not care much. The old lady
brought all kinds of food and desserts for them. That night, the kids also slept in the softest bed
they had never seen.

When they woke up in the morning, the old lady wasn’t there anymore. And so, they
started to look around. At the end of the corridor, they saw a small door. When they opened the
door, they found cases of gold and treasures inside. They were very surprised of course. Hansel
wanted to get in to take a closer look but at the same moment, they heard the old lady’s voice
again.

When they turned around, the kids faced a witch standing right in front of them.
Apparently, the old lady was the witch leading kids to her dungeon covered with cake and
candies. The kids run away but the door was already locked. The witch pulled Hansel by the hair
and locked him in a cage. Then, she dragged Gretel to the kitchen.
 “Your brother is too skinny. Cook some food for him and make him fat. When he is in
good shape, he’ll be a delicious meal to me. But don’t you dare eat anything. All the food was
only for him.”

Having no choice, Gretel did what she was asked for. Fortunately, Hansel was a wise boy
that he decided to trick the evil-hearted witch. Every night, when the witch was asleep, he was
digging a hole in the ground of the cage.

The witch was controlling Hansel every morning to see if he gained weight or not. But
Hansel wasn’t eating anything his sister cooked. Instead, he was burying them in the hole he dug.
The witch told Gretel to cook more. But this went off for days, and finally the witch had enough.

“Fat or skinny, I don’t care anymore. Today I’ll make Hansel pie.”

She turned to Gretel and told her to look if the dough is already baked enough in the
oven. Although she is in fear, Gretel is also a wise girl just like her brother. She understood that
the witch is going to push her in the oven.

“I cannot get my head in there and see the dough”

The witch pushed her aside and stuck her head inside. Gretel gathered all her strength and
pushed the old witch into the oven and closed the oven door.

Gretel knew where the witch is hiding the keys. She ran straight away and saved her
brother from the cage. The flames from the oven covered the whole house. And so, they ran
away into the woods without looking back.

But, they do not know where to go. A while later they came across a river. A giant swan
took them one by one to the other side. The kids looked around and realized where they were.
They ran home as fast as they could.

Seeing his children, father was full of joy. He cried and explained that their evil step-
mother had gone back to her parent’s house soon after they left them in the forest and how sorry
he was for all what he did.

The kids love their father very much. So, they forgave him. But, another surprise was
waiting for their father. They both reach their pockets and brought out gold and diamonds they
have found in the witch’s home.

Their father could not believe his eyes. All the problems that their family ever had went
away, and they lived happily ever after.