Hansel and Gretel

“ 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." ”

“ HANSEL AND GRETEL
ONCE upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called Hansel and a girl named Gretel. He had little enough to eat; and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he could not get even his daily bread. As he lay thinking in his bed one evening, rolling about for trouble, he sighed, and said to his wife, "What will become of us? How can we feed our children, [231] when we have no more than we can eat ourselves?" ”

“ Then Gretel made great preparations, and there was nothing for a month but scrubbing and sweeping and mending.
"A poor place, Hansel will think it, when all is done, after the fine houses of the city," sighed Gretel; but her husband shook his head.
"The lad is a good lad—he will be thinking how happy he was in the old days. Never fear but he will be glad to see his home."
And so he was. But the parents stared when he came springing in at the door one evening. Could this tall, well-dressed youth be their own Hansel—the very same Hansel? ”

“ The witch calls Gretel out and opens the oven door. Hänsel tells Gretel to beware and the witch tells her to peep in the oven. Gretel pretends she does not understand. She secretly disenchants Hänsel so that when the witch bends over and peeps into the oven they give her a push and in she goes. Then they dance wildly about. Hänsel throws sweetmeats out of the window. The oven cracks open and falls into bits, while groups of children suddenly surround Hänsel and Gretel. Then they disenchant the gingerbread children who are very grateful. ”

“ We certainly are not in our beds at home."
"No—but I had a fine dream," Hänsel answered—"that the angels were here looking after us all night, the entire fourteen. But look there!" he cried, pointing behind them. The mist was gradually lifting and revealing the house of the Witch of Ilsenstein. It looked very fine, with the sun's bright rays upon it; very fine indeed! A little way off to the left of that queer little house was—an oven. Oh, dreadful! It was well Hänsel and Gretel did not know in the least what that oven meant. ”

“ They huddle together as a thick mist arises which hides the background. Gretel, terror-stricken, falls on her knees and hides behind Hänsel. At this moment a little man appears, as the mist rises, and quiets them. It is the Sandman and he sings them to slumber. Half awake they say their evening prayer and sink down on the moss in each other's arms. A dazzling light then appears, the mist rolls itself into a staircase and angels pass down and group themselves about the two sleeping children. ”

“ The children followed him until they reached a little house, on the roof of which he perched. Then the children saw with surprise that the strange little house was built entirely of bread, roofed with cakes, and with windows of barley sugar.
"See, Gretel," cried Hansel joyfully, "there is food for us in plenty. I will take a piece of the roof, and you shall have one of the windows."
He stretched out his hand to help himself, and Gretel had already begun to nibble one of the window-panes, when suddenly they heard a voice call from within:—
"Nibbly, nibbly, mouse! ”

“ Gretel took the bread in her apron, for [233] Hansel's pocket was full of pebbles; and so they all set out upon their way. When they had gone a little distance, Hansel stood still, and peeped back at the house; and this he repeated several times, till his father said, "Hansel, what are you peeping at, and why do you lag behind? Take care, and remember your legs."
"Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at [234] my white cat sitting upon the roof of the house, and trying to say good-bye."
"You simpleton!" said the wife, "that is not a cat; it is only the sun shining on the white chimney." ”

“ Gretel.
Cuckoo, cuckoo, where are you? (Takes a strawberry from the basket and pokes it into Hänsel's mouth; he sucks it up as though he were drinking an egg.)
Hänsel (jumping up) .
Oho, I can do that just like you! (Takes some strawberries and lets them fall into Gretel's mouth.)
Let us do like the cuckoo too,
who takes what doesn't belong to him! (It begins to grow dark.)
Hänsel (helping himself again) .
Cuckoo, how are you? Gretel.
Cuckoo, where are you? Hänsel.
In your neighbour's nest you go. Gretel (helping herself) .
Cuckoo, cuckoo! Hänsel. ”

“ The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces, they glittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many into his pocket as it would hold; and then, going back, he said to Gretel, "Be comforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsake us." And so saying, he went to bed again.
The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and awoke the two children. "Get up, you lazy things; we are going into the forest to chop wood." Then she gave them each a piece of bread, saying, "There is something for your dinner ”

“ How can you bring your heart to leave my children all alone in the wood; for the wild beasts will soon come and tear them to pieces?"
"Oh, you simpleton!" said she. "Then we must all four die of hunger."
But she gave him no peace until he consented, saying, "Ah, but I shall regret the poor children."
The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very hunger, and so they overheard what the stepmother said to their father. Gretel wept bitterly, and said to Hansel, "What will become of us?"
"Be quiet, Gretel," said he. "Do not cry—I will soon help you." ”

“ The two children, Hänsel and Gretel, are at work—the boy making brooms and the girl knitting stockings. They both complain of feeling very hungry, and there isn't a thing in the house. Yes, there's a jug of milk that will make nice blanc-mange when mother comes home. Hänsel tastes it and Gretel raps his fingers. He says he won't work any more and proposes they dance instead. ”

“ Juchhei, juchhei! (Sie umfassen sich und walzen zum Knusperhaus, wo sie alle Herrlichkeiten in Besitz nehmen. Im Hexenofen knistert es gewaltig und die Flamme schlägt hoch empor; dann erfolgt ein starker Krach, und der Ofen stürzt zusammen. Hänsel und Gretel eilen herbei, und stehen erstaunt da. Ihre Verwunderung steigt aufs höchste, als sie die Kinder gewahr werden, deren Kuchenhülle inzwischen abgefallen ist.) ”

“ Gretel is making a garland of wild roses while Hänsel is looking for strawberries. In the background is the Ilsenstein. It is sunset. Hänsel crowns Gretel queen of the wood and she allows him to taste a strawberry. He gives her one in return and little by little they devour them all. Then they are frightened. They want to pick more but it is getting too dark. They want to leave but cannot find the way. Gretel fears being in the dark but Hänsel is very brave. She sees faces in trees and stumps and he calls out to reassure her. ”

“ We are going into the forest to hew wood, and in the evening, when we are ready, we will come and fetch you."
[238] When noon came Gretel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewn his on the path. They then went to sleep; but the evening arrived and no one came to visit the poor children, and in the dark night they awoke, and Hansel comforted his sister by saying, "Only wait, Gretel, till the moon comes out, then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have dropped, and they will show us the way home." ”

“ Hänsel has filled his basket with berries and Gretel has made a wreath with which her brother crowns her. Before they realise what they are doing the children eat all the berries. Then they see that it is both too dark to look for any more or to find their way home. Gretel weeps with fear. Hänsel comforts her. They grow sleepy. The sandman sprinkles sand into their eyes, but before going to sleep the children are careful not to forget their evening prayer. Fourteen guardian angels are seen descending the heavenly ladder to protect them. ”

“ She stuck good things into his mouth, as if she were fattening a Strasburg goose, and after that she disenchanted Gretel with a juniper branch.
"Now, then, you go and set the table," she ordered, then turning again to Hänsel she found him apparently asleep.
"That's good! It is a way to grow fat," she grinned. "I'll just begin my supper with Gretel. She looks quite plump enough as she is. Here, my love," she cried, opening the oven door, and sniffing some gingerbread fig-149-ures within, "just look into the oven and tell me if it is hot enough to bake in," she called. ”

“ Gretel is delighted. He is very awkward at first but she teaches him the steps and they are getting along so famously that they whirl around the room and fall exhausted on the floor. At this moment the mother enters and she is so angry at seeing them do no work that she boxes their ears for it. In her excitement she gives the milk pitcher a push. It falls off the table, breaks in pieces, and spills all the milk. At this she is beside herself and seizes a basket and tells the children to go to the wood and pick strawberries. They must not come home till the basket is full. ”

“ Kopf vorgebeugt!
's ist kinderleicht! (Indem sie sich vorbeugt und mit halbem Leibe hineinkriecht, geben ihr Hänsel und Gretel von hinten einen derben Stoss, sodass sie vollends hineinfliegt, und schlagen dann rasch die Thür zu.)
Hänsel und Gretel.
Und bist du dann drin—schwaps!
Geht die Thür—klaps!
Du bist dann statt Gretelchen
ein Brätelchen! (Hänsel und Gretel fallen sich jubelnd in die Arme, fassen sich bei der Hand und tanzen.)
Juchhei! Nun ist die Hexe tot,
mausetot! ”

“ The Dawn Fairy shakes dewdrops on the children. They wake, but Hänsel very lazily. They both have had dreams of angels coming to see them with shining wings. The mist now clears away and in the background is seen the witches' house with a fence of gingerbread figures. There are also seen an oven and a cage. Hänsel wants to go inside and Gretel draws him back. But Hänsel says the angels beguiled their footsteps and why shouldn't they nibble a bit at the cottage? They tiptoe to the fence and break off a bit of the cake cautiously. The witch voice from within tells them to go on nibbling. ”

“ Ja, streicheln will ich dies hübsches Gesicht! (Sie streichelt das nächste Kind; dieses öffnet die Augen und lächelt.)
Andre Kuchenkinder.
O rühre auch mich—auch mich rühr' an,
dass ich die Äuglein öffnen kann. (Gretel geht streichelnd zu den übrigen Kindern, die lächelnd die Augen öffnen, ohne sich zu rühren; endlich ergreift Hänsel den Wachholder.) ”

“ IM WALDE. Erste Scene. (Im Hintergrunde der Ilsenstein, von dichtem Tannengehölz umgeben. Rechts eine mächtige Tanne; darunter sitzt Gretel auf einer moosbedeckten Wurzel und windet einen Kranz von Hagebutten; neben ihr liegt ein Blumenstrauss. Links, abseits im Gebüsch, Hänsel, nach Erdbeeren suchend. Abendrot.) ”

“ Es beginnt zu dämmern.)
Hänsel (greift wieder zu) .
Kuckuck! Eierschluck! Gretel (ebenso) .
Kuckuck! Erbelschluck! Hänsel.
Setzest Deine Kinder aus!
Kuckuck!
Trinkst die fremden Eier aus!
Gluckgluck! (Lässt sich eine ganze Handvoll Erdbeeren in den Mund rollen.)
Gretel.
Sammelst Erbeln schön zuhauf!
Kuckuck!
Schluckst sie, Schlauer, selber auf!
Schluckschluck! (Sie werden immer übermütiger und raufen sich schliesslich um die Beeren. Hänsel trägt den Sieg davon und setzt den Korb vollends an den Mund, bis er gänzlich leer geworden. Indessen hat die Dunkelheit immer mehr zugenommen.) ”

“ Dort sucht mir Erdbeeren!—Nun, wird es bald? (Treibt auch Gretel zur Stube hinaus und droht mit dem Stocke den sich furchtsam umschauenden Kindern.)
Und bringt ihr den Korb nicht voll bis zum Rand,
so hau ich euch, dass ihr fliegt an die Wand! (Setzt sich erschöpft an den Tisch.)
Da liegt nun der gute Topf in Scherben!
Ja, blinder Eifer bringt immer Verderben.—
Herrgott, wirf Geld herab! Nichts hab' ich zu leben,
kein Krümchen den Würmern zu essen zu geben;
kein Tröpfchen im Topfe, kein Krüstchen im Schrank,
schon lange nichts als Wasser zum Trank. (Stützt den Kopf mit der Hand.) ”

“ Father. Yes, the old witch of the mountain turns all children to gingerbread and then she eats them.
Mother. Eats them! Oh, my children, my pretty little children! Come, we must find them! Hänsel, Gretel, where are you?
[Runs out.]
Father. I will go with you, mother. Don't cry! we will surely find them.
[Goes out.]
Scene II.—In the Forest
Hänsel, Gretel
Gretel. See, my wreath is nearly done.
Hänsel. And the basket is filled with strawberries. Won't mother be pleased? We will have them for supper.
[114] Gretel. Let me put the wreath on you!
Hänsel. No, no! boys don't wear wreaths. ”

“ When they awoke, it was quite dark, and Grethel began to cry. "How shall we get out of the wood?" But Hansel tried to comfort her by saying, "Wait a little while till the moon rises, and then we will quickly find the way." The moon shone forth, and Hansel, taking his sister's hand, followed the pebbles, which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way. All night long they walked on, and as day broke they came to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the wife opened it, and saw Hansel and Grethel, she exclaimed, "You wicked children! ”

“ So Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and at noon they each ate their pieces of bread. They thought their father was in the wood all the time, as they seemed to hear the strokes of the axe: but really it was only a dry branch hanging to a withered tree that the wind moved to and fro. ”