the man was very disheartened, and he thought, "It would be better to share the last bit with the children."

　　But the woman would not listen to him, scolded him, and criticized him. He who says A must also say B, and because he had given in the first time, he had to do so the second time as well.

　　the children were still awake and had overheard the conversation. When the adults were asleep, Hansel got up again and wanted to gather pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. But he comforted his little sister and said, "Don't cry, GREtel. Sleep well. God will help us."

　　Early the next morning the woman came and got the children from their beds. They received their little pieces of bread, even less than the last time. On the way to the woods, Hansel crumbled his piece in his pocket, then often stood still, and threw crumbs onto the ground.

　　"Hansel, why are you always stopping and looking around?" said his father. "Keep walking straight ahead."

　　"I can see my pigeon sitting on the roof. It wants to say good-bye to me."

　　"Fool," said the woman, "that isn't your pigeon. That's the morning sun shining on the chimney."

　　But little by little Hansel dropped all the crumbs onto the path. The woman took them deeper into the woods than they had ever been in their whole lifetime.

　　Once again a large fire was made, and the mother said, "Sit here, children. If you get tired you can sleep a little. We are going into the woods to cut wood. We will come and get you in the evening when we are finished."

　　When it was midday GREtel shared her bread with Hansel, who had scattered his piece along the path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed, but no one came to get the poor children.

　　It was dark at night when they awoke, and Hansel comforted GREtel and said, "Wait, when the moon comes up I will be able to see the crumbs of bread that I scattered, and they will show us the way back home."

　　When the moon appeared they got up, but they could not find any crumbs, for the many thousands of birds that fly about in the woods and in the fields had pecked them up.

　　Hansel said to GREtel, "We will find our way," but they did not find it.

　　they walked through the entire night and the next day from morning until evening, but they did not find their way out of the woods. They were terribly hungry, for they had eaten only a few small berries that were growing on the ground. And because they were so tired that their legs would no longer carry them, they lay down under a tree and fell asleep. It was already the third morning since they had left the father's house. They started walking again, but managed only to go deeper and deeper into the woods. If help did not come soon, they would perish. At midday they saw a little snow-white bird sitting on a branch. It sang so beautifully that they stopped to listen. When it was finished it stretched its wings and flew in front of them. They followed it until they came to a little house. The bird sat on the roof, and when they came closer, they saw that the little house was built entirely from bread with a roof made of cake, and the windows were made of clear sugar.

　　"Let's help ourselves to a good meal," said Hansel. "I'll eat a piece of the roof, and GREtel, you eat from the window. That will be sweet."

　　Hansel reached up and broke off a little of the roof to see how it tasted, while GREtel stood next to the windowpanes and was nibbling at them. Then a gentle voice called out from inside:

　　Nibble, nibble, little mouse, Who is nibbling at my house? the children answered:

　　the wind, the wind, The heavenly child. They continued to eat, without being distracted. Hansel, who very much like the taste of the roof, tore down another large piece, and GREtel poked out an entire round windowpane. Suddenly the door opened, and a woman, as old as the hills and leaning on a crutch, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so frightened that they dropped what they were holding in their hands.

　　But the old woman shook her head and said, "Oh, you dear children, who brought you here? Just come in and stay with me. No harm will come to you."

　　She took them by the hand and led them into her house. Then she served them a good meal: milk and pancakes with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterward she made two nice beds for them, decked in white. Hansel and GREtel went to bed, thinking they were in heaven. But the old woman had only pretended to be friendly. She was a wicked witch who was lying in wait there for children. She had built her house of bread only in order to lure them to her, and if she captured one, she would kill him, cook him, and eat him; and for her that was a day to celebrate.

　　Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far, but they have a sense of smell like animals, and know when humans are approaching.

　　When Hansel and GREtel came near to her, she laughed wickedly and spoke scornfully, "Now I have them. They will not get away from me again."