Hansel and Gretel, illustrated by Frank Adams
This book was published by Blackie and Son Ltd. very likely between 1910 and 1920.
Hunger was killing people all around. Hansel and Gretel suffered with their parents too. Their father was a poor woodcutter and they had even fewer resources than others. Their stepmother has got an idea. Wouldn't be great to take people into the woods and leave them there?
This way, there would be two hungry mouths in the household. The Father of the kids was too weak to oppose her. He agreed.
This way, there would be two hungry mouths in the household. The Father of the kids was too weak to oppose her. He agreed.
Hansel decided to get out of the house and pick up some pebbles. White pebbles should mark the way so they can find their path home.
Hansel's plan worked! When their parents left them they just followed the trail of white pebbles and returned soon after their father and stepmother.
But this was not a permanent solution. Their parents took them to the woods again. This time Hansel couldn't mark the way with pebbles because the kids were locked in the house all night. He tried to replace the white stones with white bread crumbs but the birds ate them and the kids were lost.
They strayed around the forest for a pretty long time. They were starving.
Then they saw a strange-looking house. It was made of candy!
They strayed around the forest for a pretty long time. They were starving.
Then they saw a strange-looking house. It was made of candy!
Hansel and Gretel immediately started eating the parts of the house. They had no idea who the owner was.
But we all know that a cannibalistic witch lived there, preying on kids who would get lost in the woods and come by.
But we all know that a cannibalistic witch lived there, preying on kids who would get lost in the woods and come by.
She invited them in to offer even more food.
Hansel and Gretel accepted and they were trapped right after that.
Because they were so skinny the witch decided to fatten them a bit before eating them. Hansel was locked in the cage and Gretel had to help the witch with house chores.
Hansel and Gretel accepted and they were trapped right after that.
Because they were so skinny the witch decided to fatten them a bit before eating them. Hansel was locked in the cage and Gretel had to help the witch with house chores.
Gretel gave Hansel a chicken bone to offer instead of his finger when the witch came to check if he was fat enough already. Her vision was poor so she relied mostly on smell and touch.
But her patience wasn't limitless. One day she decided to bake both kids. Gretel had to help her to lodge the wood. Then the witch told her to get into the oven to check if it was hot already.
She planned to lock her in and bake.
But Gretel was smart enough to foresee the witch's idea and pretended to not understand what to do.
So the witch showed her how to get into the oven and Gretel used the opportunity to push her in and burn.
She planned to lock her in and bake.
But Gretel was smart enough to foresee the witch's idea and pretended to not understand what to do.
So the witch showed her how to get into the oven and Gretel used the opportunity to push her in and burn.
Gretel helped Hansel to get out of the cage. The children looked around the witch's house and found a lot of precious things. Enough to make their family rich beyond expectations.
They loaded their pockets with gold and jewelry and went out.
A bird was there to show them the way.
They loaded their pockets with gold and jewelry and went out.
A bird was there to show them the way.
They went to a lake but there was a duck to help them cross it. Then there was just a few minutes of walk.
At home, they found out that their stepmother died in the meantime. It was just the father and the kids and a lot of money now.
Some food for thought:
- The death of the stepmother matches the death of the witch. Many literature experts believe we are actually dealing with the same person. Kids just had to move into the woods, into primitive environments to deal with parental issues.
- The evil stepmother in Hansel and Gretel was their mother in earlier versions of Hansel and Gretel in Children and Household Tales by the Grimm Brothers.
- Even earlier versions (by other writers) put the father in the role of the parent who wants to get rid of children to improve his own chances of survival.