Hansel and Gretel

Source: Yasmin Studios

Once upon a time, there was a woodcutter that lived in a tiny cottage with his two children, Hansel and Gretel. Hansel and Gretel’s stepmother was so very mean to Hansel and Gretel and often tried to get their father to take them miles and miles from home and leave them there all alone.

“We do not have enough food for all of us!” the stepmother screamed every day. “We must get rid of the children. Take them far into the woods and leave them there.” One evening Hansel heard his parents’ conversation. “If they do leave us in the forest, we must find our way home,” he said to his sister. So Hansel filled his pockets with little white pebbles, and went to bed.

All night long, the stepmother complained on and on about Hansel and Gretel. Their father didn’t know what to do. He finally agreed with the stepmother. The next morning, he took Hansel and Gretel deep into the forest. As they went, Hansel dropped the little white pebbles.

Hansel and Gretel’s father told them to rest quietly under a tree while he went to cut some wood. Nighttime came, and their father never returned. Gretel was so scared she cried to her brother. “Don’t cry my dear sister!” Hansel said. “If father doesn’t come back, we will find the way home.”

“Give me your hand and follow me!” Hansel said. “We’ll get home soon, you will see!” Hansel and Gretel followed the path of little white pebbles back home. They quietly crept in through an open window, and quickly got into bed.

The next morning, the stepmother saw that Hansel and Gretel had returned home! She was so angry that she kept Hansel and Gretel locked up all day and all night. She gave them nothing but bread and water. Hansel, not hungry, filled his pockets with little bread crumbs.

The next day, the stepmother led Hansel and Gretel further and deeper into the forest and left them all alone. As they went, Hansel dropped his bread crumbs behind him. When night time came, Hansel and Gretel realized that the breadcrumbs were gone! They were all eaten by hungry birds! There was no way to find their way back home!

Hansel and Gretel were walking through the woods, and were getting very hungry. After walking and walking, they found a little house made of chocolate, cookies, and candy! Hansel and Gretel ran up and started eating the house as fast as they could. They had never tasted anything so delicious! Suddenly, the biscuit door swung open and out ran a very old woman.

“What are you doing eating my house!” asked the old woman. “We are sorry,” said Gretel, “we haven’t eaten in a very long time.” “Come in, come in! You have nothing to fear!” said the old woman. She led Hansel and Gretel into her house and locked the door behind them. “You need to eat, dear children,” said the woman, “I shall feed you.”

The old woman ordered Gretel to clean the floors and to clean the oven. She made Hansel gather heavy wood for the stove. She kept feeding and feeding Hansel and Gretel, getting ready to eat them for dinner.

“Go and see if the oven is ready,” screamed the old woman. “I am awfully sorry,” said Gretel, “I do not know if the oven is hot enough.” Angrily, the old woman hurried over. “More over! I’ll see for myself.”

When the old woman bent down to check the oven, Gretel crept up behind her and pushed her into the oven! The old woman was gone and soon the whole house caught on fire from the hot stove.

As Hansel and Gretel were running out of the burning house, they found the old woman’s golden treasure. They collected as much gold as they could and escaped from the house. They ran and ran as fast as they could until they could not run anymore. “Let’s go home!” Gretel said to her brother.

Hansel and Gretel ran so far that they found their home! Their father came running out of the house towards his children, crying “Your stepmother is gone. I am so sorry that I listened to her. Come home with me, my dear children!” The children hugged their father and were so happy to be home. “Look, father!” exclaimed Hansel as he opened the treasure.