Hansel and Gretel

Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Karl (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) popularly known as Grimm Brothers. German philologists and collectors of fairy tales. Encouraged by a spirit of Romantic nationalism the brothers collected stories from friends, relatives, and villagers. They compiled these stories and published them in three volumes, Nursery and Household Tales between 1812 and 1822.

Synopsis 

Once at the edge of a large forest there lived a poor woodcutter with his second wife and two children. The little boy´s name was Hansel and the little girl´s name was Gretel. Once there was a famine in a country. They didn’t have enough food to eat. The woodcutter was very worried about their situation. When he asked his wife , the step mother of Hansel and Gretel, she suggested him that he should take the children to the dense forest. The famine compelled the step mother to think of leaving the children to the forest so that it would be easier for them to live. The husband didn’t like it but he was forced by his wife. 

The two children Hansel and Gretel  were unable to sleep well because of hunger. So, they overheard the secret plan of step mother. Gretel was much worried and started to weep. But Hansel comforted her and made her quiet. Then he went out secretly and collected some shining pieces of pebbles into his pockets and slept. Early in the morning, the step mother asked them to get ready to go to the forest. As they left their home, the boy turned back and looked at the house again and again. Every time he dropped pebbles on the way. When his father asked him what he was looking back, he answered that he was looking at his cat who was saying goodbye to him.  After walking for some duration, they reached to the middle of forest and father made a fire for them. The step mother asked the children to wait till they return back. But it was only a trick to leave the children in the forest. Hansel and Gretel ate their bread and waited their parents who never came to take them back. Gretel began to cry and Hansel comforted her saying to wait for the moon. At midnight, when they got up, the boy thought of returning to house. He returned successfully with the help of pebbles he had dropped. They shone brightly with moonlight and they reached their house. At home they were welcomed by the father though the mother was indifferent.

After some years there was another famine in the country, which forced the mother to bring the previous idea back again. The father accepted despite his unwillingness. The boy, unlike previous time, was unable to collect pebbles as the mother had locked the door from outside. Early in the morning, the children were woken up and given bread. This time Hansel dropped the crumbs of bread on the way. Unlike before, the parents took them deep into the dense forest. The children were left there. They wished that their parents would come but they didn’t. The children couldn't return back to their house as the breads crumbs had been eaten by birds. Hansel was hopeful of survival. He comforted his sister. They walked further and got lost in the great forest. 

On the third day, while they were sitting under a tree, they saw a beautiful bird which sang very beautifully. The bird flew and they also followed it. The bird sat on the roof of a house which was made of bread and cakes. As they were hungry, Hansel ate the cake roof and Gretel ate the windows made of sugar. As they started to nibble the house, a voice sweetly spoke to them. It was a witch. The children were afraid of her. The witch used to eat children whoever came handy. The witch kindly took them into her house. She gave them sweet food to eat. She pretended to be kind. The witch, on the next day imprisoned the brother and compelled the sister to do laborious deeds.

 Everyday the witch went there and checked how fat he had become. The boy could deceive her with the help of a bone. As she realized that the lad would never become fat, she decided to end the consequence. Early in the morning, she ordered Gretel to fetch water. She had prepared oven to end the brother and sister. As Gretel arrived there, she asked her to be in. Gretel showed ignorance to the way of entering and asked her to demonstrate. No sooner had the witch tried to enter her head, she pushed her into oven and closed it. She then released her brother. They went inside the house and collected treasures. On the way back home, they arrived by a river, which was full of water. The boy asked a duck to help him across the river. The duck did so. As they reached their house after long walk, they saw their father, who welcomed them happily. Their step mother had already died. All the worries were gone and they lived together with great happiness.