Hansel_and_Gretel

In a faraway land, a poor woodcutter lived with his family.

He had two lovely children.

The boy was called Hansel and the girl was called Gretel.

They lived in a small house near a forest.

They were very happy together.

Then one day their mother died and the woodcutter got married again.

His new wife didn't like the two children.

Every day the woodcutter went to work in the forest.

The two children stayed at home with their stepmother.

Their stepmother was very unkind to them.

Gretel washed the floors.

Hansel, bring the firewood now!

She shouted.

The two children did all the housework.

One day the woodcutter was ill.

He could not chop wood.

He was ill all winter.

The family had no money and there wasn't enough food.

One night the nasty stepmother had a plan.

Hansel and Gretel woke up.

They heard their stepmother's plan.

We don't have enough food.

We can't feed the children anymore, she said.

What can I do? I'm ill.

I can't work, said the woodcutter.

You must take the children into the forest and leave them there, said his wife.

I can't do that. I love them, said the woodcutter.

But we don't have enough food, said his wife.

Take them tomorrow.

The children listened to their nasty stepmother's plan.

Gretel began to cry.

Hansel hugged his sister.

Don't cry, Gretel.

I have a plan too, he said.

That night when his parents were asleep, Hansel went into the garden.

He collected some small white stones.

Then he went back to bed.

The next day Hansel and Gretel went into the forest with their father.

They collected wood for the fire.

The white stones were in Hansel's pockets.

He began to drop the stones on the path.

The children followed their father far into the forest.

They walked and walked.

You must be tired, said their father.

Let's stop here.

I'll go and collect some more wood.

Then we'll go home.

You wait for me here.

Hansel and Gretel were very tired.

They sat on the grass and waited for their father.

Soon they went to sleep.

When they woke up, it was dark.

I'm frightened, said Gretel.

Father isn't coming back.

It's cold and dark and we're lost.

Don't worry, Gretel, said Hansel.

Hansel pointed to the path.

Look, Gretel.

Look at the white stones.

We can follow them.

And we can go home, he said.

Well done, Hansel, said Gretel.

We're not lost.

We can go home.

The two children followed the white stones and they soon arrived home.

Their father was happy to see them.

He hugged them both.

Their stepmother was not happy to see them.

That night, the nasty stepmother said to her husband,

You must take the children into the forest again and leave them there.

I can't do that.

I love them, said the woodcutter.

But we don't have enough food, said his wife.

Take them tomorrow.

Hansel woke up.

He heard the plan.

He lay in bed and waited.

He heard his father and stepmother go to bed.

He got up and went to the door.

He wanted to collect some more stones.

But he couldn't open the door.

It was locked.

So Hansel went back to bed.

In the morning, their stepmother gave them two slices of bread for breakfast.

Hansel had an idea.

He put the bread in his pocket.

The two children went into the forest with their father.

They followed the father far into the forest.

Hansel broke the bread into small pieces.

He walked behind his father and his sister and he dropped the pieces of bread on the ground.

Some birds followed Hansel.

They ate the bread.

Hansel didn't see them.

Hansel, Gretel and their father walked and walked.

You must be tired, said their father.

Let's stop here.

I'll go and collect some wood.

Then we'll go home.

You wait for me here.

This time the children didn't sleep.

Hansel looked for the pieces of bread.

But he couldn't find them.

Now we really are lost, said Gretel, and she began to cry.

Don't worry, said Hansel.

I'll look after you.

The children were lost.

They walked one way.

Then they walked another way.

But they couldn't find their house.

Suddenly they saw a very strange house.

Wow, look at that house, said Hansel.

It really was a very strange house.

There were chocolate cookies on the roof.

There were biscuits and nuts on the walls.

And it had a big chocolate door.

Mmm, said Gretel.

I'm very hungry.

Let's eat some biscuits.

Okay, said Hansel.

I am very hungry too.

The two children ran up to the house.

Hansel pulled a biscuit off the wall and gave it to Gretel.

Then he took a piece of chocolate.

Suddenly the chocolate door opened and an ugly old woman came out.

Hello? Who's eating my house?

We're very sorry, said Hansel.

That's okay.

You must be hungry, she said.

Come inside and have some breakfast.

Hansel and Gretel were very hungry.

They went inside with the old woman.

There was a lot of nice food on the table.

There were cakes and biscuits and apples and oranges.

Eat all you can, said the old woman.

I like big, strong children.

The two children ate and ate.

The ugly old woman sat and watched them.

This ugly old woman was a witch.

And this witch ate little boys for dinner.

The witch put Hansel into a cage.

She locked the door of the cage.

Then she locked the door of the house.

She didn't want Gretel to leave the house.

You're very thin, little boy.

I'm going to give you lots of lovely food.

Then you're going to be fat and I'm going to eat you for dinner.

The witch said to Hansel.

Then the witch said to Gretel.

You're going to do all my housework.

Every day the witch said to Gretel.

Give Hansel some more food.

Every day for seven days Gretel gave Hansel, chicken and chips, cakes and pies.

On the seventh day the witch said give me your arm Hansel.

Hansel knew that the witch couldn't see very well.

He didn't give her his arm.

He gave her a chicken bone.

The witch felt the bone.

She was very surprised.

You're very thin.

Eat some more.

On the tenth day the witch was very angry.

Hansel was still thin and she was very hungry.

I'm going to eat your brother today she said to Gretel.

Go and prepare the oven.

Gretel went and prepared the oven.

She made it very hot.

Then she went to the witch and asked.

Can you come and check the oven?

You stupid girl.

You can't do anything right said the witch.

The witch went to check the oven.

She opened the oven door and Gretel pushed her in.

Quickly Gretel shut the oven door.

Then she went and unlocked the cage.

Well done Gretel said Hansel.

Quick let's go home.

No said Gretel.

The witch has some treasure.

She also has a map.

Follow me. I'll show you.

Gretel took Hansel to the witch's bedroom.

They found the treasure and the map.

Now we can go home said Gretel.

Hansel and Gretel took a large box of treasure with them.

They looked at the map and walked home.

The woodcutter was very happy to see his children.

He hugged them both.

I looked everywhere for you.

But I couldn't find you he said.

Where's our stepmother asked Gretel?

She was very unkind to you.

I told her to leave.

Said the woodcutter.

Hurray!

Said Hansel and Gretel and they danced around the room.

They were very happy.

Hansel and Gretel told their father about the biscuit house with the chocolate door.

And they told him about the ugly old witch.

Then they showed him the treasure.

The woodcutter and his two children were never hungry again.

And they lived together very happily.