"'Tis my Lady Wind that blows,
As round about the house she goes."
And then they went on eating as though nothing had happened for the
cake of which the roof was made just suited Hansel's taste, whilst the
barley-sugar window-panes were better than any sweetmeat Gretel had
ever tasted before.
All at once the door of the cottage flew wide open, and out came an
old, old woman, leaning upon a crutch. The children were so frightened
that they dropped their food and clung to each other.
The old woman nodded her head to them, and said: "Who brought you
here, my pets? Come inside, come inside; no one will hurt you."
She took their hands and led them into the house, and set before them
all kinds of delicious foods, milk, sugared pancakes, apples, and
nuts. When they had finished their meal she showed them two cosy
little white beds, and as Hansel and Gretel lay snugly tucked up in
them, they thought to themselves that surely they had now found the
most delightful place in the whole wide world.
But the old woman had only pretended to be friendly and kind, for she
was really a wicked old witch, who was always lying in wait to catch
little children, indeed, she had built the little house of bread and
cakes especially to entice them in. Whenever anyone came into her
power, she cooked and ate him, and thought what a fine feast she had
had.
Witches have red eyes and cannot see far, but they have keen scent,
like animals, and can tell at once when a human being is near to them.
As soon as Hansel and Gretel came into her neighborhood she laughed to
herself and said mockingly: "Ha, ha! they are mine already; they will
not easily escape me."
Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she stood beside
them and admired their rosy cheeks and soft round limbs.
"What nice tit-bits for me," murmured she. Then, seizing Hansel by the
hand, she led him to a little stable, and, in spite of his cries and
screams, shut him up and left him. Then she shook Gretel until she
was awake, and bade her get up at once and carry food and drink to her
brother, and it must be of the best too, for she wished to fatten him.
"When he is nice and plump, I shall eat him," said the cruel old
witch. Gretel wept bitterly, but it was quite in vain, for she was
obliged to do the witch's bidding; and every day she cooked the
choicest food for her brother, while she herself lived upon nothing
but oyster-shells.
Day by day the old woman visited the stable and called to Hansel to
put his finger through the window bars, that she might see if he were
getting fat; but the little fellow held out a bone instead, and as her
eyes were dim with age, she mistook the bone for the boy's finger,
and thought how thin and lean he was. When a whole month had passed
without Hansel becoming the least bit fatter, the old witch lost
patience and declared she would wait no longer. "Hurry, Gretel," she
said to the little girl, "fill the pot with water, for to-morrow, be
he lean or fat, Hansel shall be cooked for my dinner."
The tears chased each other down Gretel's cheeks as she carried in the
water, and she sobbed aloud in her grief. "Dear God," she cried, "we
have no one to help us but Thou. Alas! if only the wild beasts in the
wood had devoured us, at least we should have died together."
"Cease your chattering," cried the old witch angrily. "It will not
help you, so you may as well be still."
The next morning poor Gretel was forced to light the fire and hang the
great pot of water over it, and then the witch said: "First we will
bake. I have kneaded the dough, and heated the oven; you shall creep
inside it to see if it is hot enough to bake the bread."
But Gretel guessed that the old witch meant to shut the door upon her
and roast her, so she pretended that she did not know how to get in.
"Silly goose," said the witch. "The door is wide enough, to be sure.
Why, even I could get inside it." As she spoke, she popped her head
into the oven. In a moment Gretel sprang towards her, pushed her
inside, shut the iron door, and shot the bolt. Oh! how she squealed
and shrieked, but Gretel ran off as fast as she could, and so there
was an end of the cruel old witch.
Quick as thought, Gretel ran to her brother. "We are saved, Hansel,"
she cried, opening the door of the stable, "the wicked old witch is
dead."
Hansel flew from his prison as a bird from its cage, and the two happy
little children kissed each other and jumped for joy. No longer afraid
of the old witch, they entered the house, hand in hand, and then
they saw that in every corner of the room were boxes of pearls and
diamonds, and all kinds of precious gems.
"Ah!" said Hansel merrily, "these are better than pebbles, Gretel,"
and he stuffed his pockets with the jewels, whilst Gretel filled her
pinafore. "Now," said Hansel, "we will leave the witch's wood behind
us as fast as we can."
So off they ran, and never stopped until they came to a lake, upon
which swam a large white duck.
"How can we cross," said Hansel, "for there is no bridge anywhere?"
"And no ship either," Gretel answered; "but we will ask the pretty
white duck to carry us over." So they cried aloud:--
"Little duck, little duck,
With wings so white,
Carry us over
The waters bright."
The duck came at once, and, taking Hansel upon her back, carried him
over to the other side, and then did the same for Gretel. They went
merrily on their way, and very soon they found themselves in a part of
the wood they knew quite well.
When they saw the roof of their father's house in the distance they
began to run, and, breathless with haste, half laughing and half
crying, they rushed into the cottage and flung themselves into their
father's arms.
Oh! how pleased he was to see them once again, for he had not known a
happy hour since he had left them alone in the wood. Gretel shook out
her pinafore, and Hansel emptied his pockets, and the floor of the
little room was quite covered with glittering precious stones.
So now their troubles were at an end, for the cruel stepmother was
dead, and Hansel and Gretel and their father lived together happily
ever after.
My story is ended, and see, there runs a little mouse, and the first
who catches him shall have a fur cap made from his skin.
* * * * *