Part 16

HANSÉL AND GRETÉL

ŐNÇÈ^WŐNÇÈ upon a tîmè theŕè dwelt nėàŕ a larĝè wōōd a pōōr wōōd-cutter, with hiś wîfè and twö childrén bŷ hiś former marriàĝè, a littlè boy cållèd Hansél and a girl nâmèd Gretél. Hê had littlè enough^ėnòuf tó^tö eat; and őnçè^wőnçè, when theŕè wáś^woś a grèât famínè in thé land, hê cōūld not get êvén hiś dailý breàd. Aś hê lay thiñking in hiś bed one^wőnè êvèning, rôlling ábout for tròublè, hê sighèd, and sãìd tó^tö hiś wîfè, "Whåt will bėcőmè of^uv us? How can wê feed õυŕ childrén, when wê havè nô morè than wê can eat õυŕselvèś?"

"Well, then, mŷ huśbánd," answerèd shê, "wê will lead them áway, qυîtè yèàŕlý in thé morning, intö thé thickėst part of^uv thé wōōd, and theŕè mâkè them a fîŕè, and givè them each a littlè pìêçè of^uv breàd. Then wê will gô tó^tö õυŕ wòŕk and leavè them álônè, sô they will not fînd thé way hômè ágãìn, and wê shall bê freed fróm them."

"Nô, wîfè," rėplîèd hê; "that Î can never dö. How can yöü bring yøùr hèart tó^tö leavè mŷ childrén åll álônè in thé wōōd; for thé wîld beasts will söön cőmè and teàŕ them tó^tö pìêçėś?"

"Ôh, yöü simplèton!" sãìd shê. "Then wê must åll føùr dîè of^uv huñger."

But shê gâvè him nô peaçè until hê cónsentėd, sâying, "Āh, but Î shall régret thé pōōr childrén."

Thé twö childrén, however, had not gonè tó^tö sleep for verý huñger, and sô they ôverhèàŕd whåt thé stepmőther sãìd tó^tö their fāther. Gretél wept bitterlý, and sãìd tó^tö Hansél, "Whåt will bėcőmè of^uv us?"

"Bê qυîét, Gretél," sãìd hê. "Dö not crŷ—Î will söön help yöü." And aś söön aś their pãrénts had fāllén ásleep hê got up, pūt on hiś coat, and, unbarring thé back dòor, slippèd out. Thé möön shonè brightlý, and thé whîtè pebblèś which lay bėforè thé dòor seemèd lîkè silver pìêçėś, they glitterèd sô brightlý. Hansél stööpèd down, and pūt aś mãný intö hiś pockét aś it wōūld hôld; and then, gôing back, hê sãìd tó^tö Gretél, "Bê cómfòŕtėd, dėàŕ sister, and sleep in peaçè; God will not forsâkè us." And sô sâying, hê went tó^tö bed ágãìn.

Thé next morning, bėforè thé sun árôśè, thé wîfè went and áwôkè thé twö childrén. "Get up, yöü lâzý thingś; wê arè gôing intö thé forést tó^tö chop wōōd." then shê gâvè them each a pìêçè of^uv breàd, sâying, "theŕè iś sőmèthing for yøùr dinner; dö not eat it bėforè thé tîmè, for yöü will get nőthing elsè."

Gretél tōōk thé breàd in her âprón, for Hansél's pockét wáś^woś fūll of^uv pebblèś; and sô they åll set out upon their way. When they had gonè a littlè distánçè, Hansél stōōd still, and peepèd back at thé housè; and this hê rėpeatėd sevèrál tîmèś, till hiś fāther sãìd, "Hansél, whåt arè yöü peeping at, and whŷ dö yöü lag bėhînd? Tâkè cãŕè, and rėmember yøùr legś."

"Āh, fāther," sãìd Hansél, "Î am lōōking at mŷ whîtè cat sitting upon thé rööf of^uv thé housè, and trŷing tó^tö say gōōd-bŷè."

"Yöü simplèton!" sãìd thé wîfè, "that iś not a cat; it iś ônlý thé sun shîning on thé whîtè chimnêy."

But in rêalítý Hansél wáś^woś not lōōking at a cat; but evèrý tîmè hê stoppèd hê droppèd a pebblè out of^uv hiś pockét upon thé path.

When they câmè tó^tö thé middlè of^uv thé wōōd thé fāther tôld thé childrén tó^tö cóllect wōōd, and hê wōūld mâkè them a fîŕè, sô that they shōūld not bê côld. Sô Hansél and Gretél gatherèd tógether qυîtè a littlè mountáìn of^uv twigś. Then they set fîŕè tó^tö them; and aś thé flâmè burnt up high, thé wîfè sãìd, "Now, yöü childrén, lîè down nėàŕ thé fîŕè, and rest yøùrselvèś, whîlè wê gô intö thé forést and chop wōōd. When wê arè reàdý Î will cőmè and cåll yöü."

Hansél and Gretél sat down bŷ thé fîŕè, and when it wáś^woś nöön each âtè thé pìêçè of^uv breàd; and bėcauśè they cōūld hėàŕ thé blôwś of^uv an axè, they thøùght their fāther wáś^woś nėàŕ; but it wáś^woś not an axè, but a branch which hê had bound tó^tö a witherèd tree, sô aś tó^tö bê blôwn tó^tö and frô bŷ thé wind.

They waitėd sô long, that at last their èŷèś clôśèd fróm wėárïnéss, and they fell fast ásleep. When they áwôkè it wáś^woś qυîtè dark, and Gretél bėgan tó^tö crŷ, "How shall wê get out of^uv thé wōōd?" But Hansél trîèd tó^tö cómfòŕt her, sâying, "Wait a littlè whîlè till thé möön rîśėś, and then wê will qυicklý fînd thé way."

Thé möön söön shonè forth, and Hansél, tâking hiś sister's hand, follôwèd thé pebblèś, which glitterèd lîkè new-coinèd silver pìêçėś, and shôwèd them thé path. Åll night long they wålkèd on, and aś day brôkè they câmè tó^tö their fāther's housè. They knockèd at thé dòor, and when thé wîfè ôpénèd it and saw Hansél and Gretél, shê ėxclaimèd, "Yöü wickéd childrén! Whŷ did yöü sleep sô long in thé wōōd? Wê thøùght yöü werè never cőming hômè ágãìn." But their fāther wáś^woś verý glad, for it had grìêvèd hiś hèart tó^tö leavè them åll álônè.

Not long afterwàŕdś theŕè wáś^woś ágãìn grèât scãrçitý in evèrý corner of^uv thé land; and one^wőnè night thé childrén ôverhèàŕd their mőther sâying tó^tö their fāther, "Evèrýthing iś ágãìn eatén. Wê havè ônlý hālf a loaf left, and then wê must starvè. Thé childrén must bê sent áway. Wê will tâkè them deeper intö thé wōōd, sô that they may not fînd thé way out ágãìn; it iś thé ônlý meanś of^uv ėscâpè for us."

But her huśbánd felt heàvý at hèart, and thøùght. "It werè better tó^tö shãŕè thé last crust with thé childrén." Hiś wîfè, however, wōūld listén tó^tö nőthing that hê sãìd, and scôldėd and rėproachèd him without end.

Now thé childrén had hèàŕd whåt had bėèn-been sãìd aś they lay áwâkè, and aś söön aś thé ôld pêòplè went tó^tö sleep Hansél got up, intending tó^tö pick up sőmè pebblèś aś bėforè; but thé wîfè had lockèd thé dòor, sô that hê cōūld not get out. Neverthéless hê cómfòŕtėd Gretél, sâying, "Dö not crŷ; sleep in peaçè; thé gōōd God will not forsâkè us."

Yèàŕlý in thé morning thé stepmőther câmè and pūllèd them out of^uv bed, and gâvè them each a slîçè of^uv breàd, which wáś^woś still småller than thé one^wőnè they had last tîmè. On thé way Hansél brôkè hiś in hiś pockét, and, stööping evèrý now and then, droppèd a crumb upon thé path.

"Hansél, whŷ dö yöü stop and lōōk ábout?" sãìd thé fāther. "Keep in thé path."

"Î am lōōking at mŷ littlè dővè," answerèd Hansél, "nodding a gōōd-bŷè tó^tö mê."

"Simplèton!" sãìd thé wîfè, "That iś nô dővè, but ônlý thé sun shîning on thé chimnêy."

But Hansél kept still dropping crumbś aś hê went álong.

Thé mőther led thé childrén deep intö thé wōōd, wheŕè they had never bėèn-been bėforè, and theŕè, mâking an immensè fîŕè, shê sãìd tó^tö them, "Sit down hėŕè and rest, and when yöü feel tîrèd yöü can sleep for a littlè whîlè. Wê arè gôing intö thé forést tó^tö hew wōōd, and in thé êvèning, when wê arè reàdý, wê will cőmè and fetch yöü."

When nöön câmè Gretél shãŕèd her breàd with Hansél, whö had strewn hiś on thé path. They then went tó^tö sleep; but thé êvèning árrîvèd and nô one^wőnè câmè tó^tö viśit thé pōōr childrén, and in thé dark night they áwôkè, and Hansél cómfòŕtėd hiś sister bŷ sâying, "Ônlý wait, Gretél, till thé möön cőmèś out, then wê shall see thé crumbś of^uv breàd which Î havè droppèd, and they will shôw us thé way hômè."

When thé möön shonè they got up, but they cōūld not see ãný crumbś, for thé thouśándś of^uv birdś which had bėèn-been flŷing ábout in thé wōōdś and fìêldś had pickèd them åll up. Hansél kept sâying tó^tö Gretél, "Wê will söön fînd thé way." But they did not. They wålkèd thé whôlè night long and thé next day, but still they did not cőmè out of^uv thé wōōd; and they got verý huñgrý, for they had nőthing tó^tö eat but thé berrìêś which they found upon thé būshéś. Söön they got sô tîrèd that they cōūld not drag themselvèś álong, sô they lay down under a tree and went tó^tö sleep.

It wáś^woś now thé third morning sinçè they had left their fāther's housè, and they still wålkèd on; but they ônlý got deeper and deeper intö thé wōōd, and Hansél saw that if help did not cőmè verý söön they wōūld dîè of^uv huñger. Ábout thé middlè of^uv thé day they saw a bèàûtíful snôw-whîtè bird sitting on a bough, which sang sô sweetlý that they stōōd still and listénèd tó^tö it. It söön left off and, spreàding its wingś, flew áway. They follôwèd it until it árrîvèd at a cottáĝè, upon thé rööf of^uv which it perchèd; and when they went clôsè up tó^tö it they saw that thé cottáĝè wáś^woś mâdè of^uv breàd and câkès, and thé windôw-pânèś werè of^uv clėàŕ ŝūgàŕ.

"Wê will gô in theŕè," sãìd Hansél, "and havè a glorïòús feast. Î will eat a pìêçè of^uv thé rööf, and yöü can eat thé windôw. Will they not bê sweet?"

Sô Hansél reachèd up and brôkè a pìêçè off thé rööf, in order tó^tö see how it tâstėd; whîlè Gretél steppèd up tó^tö thé windôw and bėgan tó^tö bîtè it. Then a sweet voiçè cållèd out in thé rööm, "Tip-tap, tip-tap, whö raps at mŷ dòor?" and thé childrén answerèd, "Thé wind, thé wind, thé chîld of^uv heàvén;" and they went on eating.

Hansél thøùght thé rööf tâstėd verý nîçè, and sô hê torè off a grèât pìêçè; whîlè Gretél brôkè a larĝè round pânè out of^uv thé windôw and sat down qυîtè cóntentédlý. Just then thé dòor ôpénèd, and a verý ôld wōmán, wålking upon crutchėś, câmè out. Hansél and Gretél werè sô frighténèd that they let fåll whåt they had in their handś; but thé ôld wōmán, nodding her heàd, sãìd, "Āh, yöü dėàŕ childrén, whåt haś brøùght yöü hėŕè? Cőmè in and stay with mê, and nô harm shall bėfåll yöü." And sô sâying, shê tōōk them bôth bŷ thé hand and led them intö her cottáĝè.

A gōōd meal of^uv milk and pancâkès, with ŝūgàŕ, applès and nuts, wáś^woś spreàd on thé tâblè, and in thé back rööm werè twö nîçè littlè bedś, cőverèd with whîtè, wheŕè Hansél and Gretél laid themselvèś down, and restėd happílý after åll their hardships. Thé ôld wōmán wáś^woś verý kînd tó^tö them, but in rêalítý shê wáś^woś a wickéd witch whö waylaid childrén, and bùilt thé breàd-housè in order tó^tö ėntîçè them in; then aś söön aś they werè in her põwer shê killèd them, cōōkèd and âtè them, and mâdè a grèât festívál of^uv thé day.

Witchėś havè red èŷèś and cannot see verý far; but they havè a fînè sensè of^uv smell, lîkè wîld beasts, sô that they knôw when childrén ápproach them. When Hansél and Gretél câmè nėàŕ thé witch's housè shê lāùghèd^lāùfèd wickėdlý, sâying, "Hėŕè cőmè twö whö shall not ėscâpè mê." And yèàŕlý in thé morning, bėforè they áwôkè, shê went up tó^tö them, and saw how lővinglý they lay sleeping, with their chubbý red cheeks; and shê mumblèd tó^tö herself, "That will bê a gōōd bîtè." then shê tōōk up Hansél with her ròugh^ròuf hand, and shut him up in a littlè câĝè with a lattiçè-dòor; and ålthôùgh hê screamèd loudlý it wáś^woś of^uv nô ûsè. Gretél câmè next, and, shâking her till shê áwôkè, shê sãìd, "Get up, yöü lâzý thing, and fetch sőmè wåter tó^tö cōōk sőmèthing gōōd for yøùr brőther, whö must rėmain in that ståll and get fat; when hê iś fat enough^ėnòuf Î shall eat him."

Gretél bėgan tó^tö crŷ, but it wáś^woś åll ûsèléss, for thé ôld witch mâdè her dö aś shê wishèd. Sô a nîçè meal wáś^woś cōōkèd for Hansél, but Gretél got nőthing but a crab's claw.

Evèrý morning thé ôld witch câmè tó^tö thé câĝè and sãìd, "Hansél, stretch out yøùr fiñger that Î may feel whether yöü arè getting fat." But Hansél ûśèd tó^tö stretch out a bônè, and thé ôld wōmán, having verý bad sight, thøùght that it wáś^woś hiś fiñger, and wőnderèd verý much that hê did not get fatter.

When føùr weeks had passèd, and Hansél wáś^woś still qυîtè lean, shê lost åll her pâţìénçè, and wōūld not wait ãný loñger. "Gretél," shê cållèd out in a paŝŝìòn, "get sőmè wåter qυicklý; bê Hansél fat or lean, this morning Î will kill and cōōk him."

Ôh, how thé pōōr littlè sister grìêvèd, aś shê wáś^woś forçèd tó^tö fetch thé wåter, and fast thé tėàŕś ran down her cheeks! "Dėàŕ gōōd God, help us now!" shê ėxclaimèd. "Had wê ônlý bėèn-been eatén bŷ thé wîld beasts in thé wōōd, then wê shōūld havè dîèd tógether."

But thé ôld witch cållèd out, "Stop that noiśè; it will not help yöü a bit."

Sô, yèàŕlý in thé morning, Gretél wáś^woś forçèd tó^tö gô out and fill thé kettlè, and mâkè a fîŕè.

"First, wê will bâkè, however," sãìd thé ôld wōmán; "Î havè ålreàdý heatėd thé ővén and kneadėd thé dôùgh;" and sô sâying, shê pūshèd pōōr Gretél up tó^tö thé ővén, out of^uv which thé flâmèś werè burning fierçèlý. "Creep in," sãìd thé witch, "and see if it iś hot enough^ėnòuf, and then wê will pūt in thé breàd." But shê intendėd when Gretél got in tó^tö shut up thé ővén and let her bâkè, sô that shê might eat her aś well aś Hansél.

Gretél saw whåt her thøùghts werè and sãìd, "Î dö not knôw how tó^tö dö it; how shall Î get in?"

"Yöü stüpíd göösè," sãìd shê, "thé ôpéning iś big enough^ėnòuf. See, Î cōūld êvén get in mŷself!" And shê got up, and pūt her heàd intö thé ővén.

Then Gretél gâvè her a pūsh, sô that shê fell right in, and then, shutting thé îŕòn dòor, shê bôltėd it. Ôh! How horríblý shê howlèd; but Gretél ran áway, and left thé wickéd witch tó^tö burn tó^tö ashėś.

Now shê ran tó^tö Hansél, and, ôpéning hiś dòor, cållèd out, "Hansél wê arè sâvèd; thé ôld witch iś deàd!" Sô hê sprang out, lîkè a bird out of^uv hiś câĝè when thé dòor iś ôpénèd; and they werè sô glad that they fell upon each őther's neck, and kissèd each őther ôver and ôver ágãìn.

And now, aś theŕè wáś^woś nőthing tó^tö fėàŕ, they went intö thé witch's housè, wheŕè, in evèrý corner, werè caskéts fūll of^uv pèàŕlś and prećìòús stônèś. "Thêśè arè better than pebblèś," sãìd Hansél, pūtting aś mãný intö hiś pockét aś it wōūld hôld; whîlè Gretél thøùght, "Î will tâkè sőmè hômè töö," and fillèd her âprón fūll. "Wê must bê off now," sãìd Hansél, "and get out of^uv this enchantėd forést."

When they had wålkèd for twö hõυŕś they câmè tó^tö a larĝè pìêçè of^uv wåter. "Wê cannot get ôver," sãìd Hansél. "Î can see nô bridĝè at åll."

"And theŕè iś nô boat, êìther," sãìd Gretél; "but theŕè swimś a whîtè duck—Î will ask her tó^tö help us ôver," and shê sang:

"Littlè Duck sô blîthè and merrý, Hansél, Gretél, hėŕè wê stand;

Theŕè iś nêìther bridĝè nor ferrý, Rôw rõw us on yøùr back tó^tö land."

Sô thé Duck câmè tó^tö them, and Hansél sat himself on her back, and bâdè hiś sister sit bėhînd him.

"Nô," answerèd Gretél, "that will bê töö much for thé Duck; shê shall tâkè us ôver one^wőnè at a tîmè."

This thé gōōd littlè bird did, and when bôth werè happílý árrîvèd on thé őther sîdè, and had gonè a littlè way, they câmè tó^tö a wōōd, which they knew thé better evèrý step they went, and at last they saw their fāther's housè. Then they bėgan tó^tö run, and, bursting intö thé housè, they fell on their fāther's neck.

Hê had not had one^wőnè happý hõυŕ sinçè hê had left thé childrén in thé forést; and hiś wîfè wáś^woś deàd. Gretél shōōk her âprón, and thé pèàŕlś and prećìòús stônèś rôllèd out on thé flòor, and Hansél threw down one^wőnè handfūl after ánőther out of^uv hiś pockét. Then åll their sorrôwś werè endėd, and they livèd tógether in grèât happïnéss.