By The Brothers Grimm
Download the audio of Hansel and Grettel
ONCE upon a time there lived on the outskirts of a large forest a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children. Times were really bad. …. One night, as he was tossing about in bed, he sighed and said to his wife: “What’s to become of us? how are we to feed our poor children. “I’ll tell you what, husband,” answered the woman; “early to-morrow morning we’ll take the children out into the thickest part of the wood; there we shall light a fire for them and give them each a piece of bread; then we’ll go on to our work and leave them alone. They won’t be able to find their way home, and we shall be rid of them.”
(We are republishing Hansel and Grettel because it has mysteriously disappeared from our archive)
This is a RATHER SCARY STORY. Children and adults might be a touch frightened by Natasha’s rendering of the wicked witch who wants to cook little Hansel and Gretel. But they will also be enraptured by Hansel and Grettel’s ingenuity as they triumph over evil.
This version of the classic story by The Brothers Grimm is from the Blue Fairy Book of Andrew Lang, published in 1889.
As usual, before we get going, we pick-up some royal gossip from Prince Bertie’s the Frog’s Pond, where Colin the Carp is getting grumpy about tadpoles and their silly notions.
Read by Natasha Lee-Lewis. Duration 23 minutes.
ONCE upon a time there dwelt on the outskirts of a large forest a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children; the boy was called Hansel and the girl Grettel. He had always little enough to live on, and once, when times were bad, they had to get by with one piece of bread and butter each. One night, as he was tossing about in bed, full of cares and worry, he sighed and said to his wife: “What’s to become of us? how are we to feed our poor children, now that we have nothing more for ourselves?” “I’ll tell you what, husband,” answered the woman; “early to-morrow morning we’ll take the children out into the thickest part of the wood; there we shall light a fire for them and give them each a piece of bread; then we’ll go on to our work and leave them alone. They won’t be able to find their way home, and we shall be rid of them.” “No, wife,” said her husband, “that I won’t do; how could I find it in my heart to leave my children alone in the wood? The wild beasts would soon come and tear them to pieces.” “Oh! you fool,” said she, “then we must all four die of hunger, and you may just as well go and saw the boards for our coffins”; and they argued and argued, until he agreed that they must get rid of Hansel and Grettel. “But I can’t help feeling sorry for the poor children,” added the husband.
The children, too, had not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grettel wept bitterly and spoke to Hansel: “Now it’s all up with us.” “No, no, Grettel,” said Hansel, “don’t fret yourself; I’ll be able to find a way to escape, no fear.” And when the old people had fallen asleep he got up, slipped on his little coat, opened the back door and stole out. The moon was shining clearly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like bits of silver. Hansel bent down and filled his pocket with as many of them as he could cram in. Then he went back and said to Grettel: “Be comforted, my dear little sister, and go to sleep: God will not desert us”; and he lay down in bed again.
At daybreak, even before the sun was up, the woman came and woke the two children: “Get up, you lie-abeds, we’re all going to the forest to fetch wood.” She gave them each a bit of bread and said: “There’s something for your luncheon, but don’t you eat it up before, for it’s all you’ll get.” Grettel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. After they had walked for a little, Hansel stood still and looked back at the house, and this maneuver he repeated again and again. His father observed him, and said: “Hansel, what are you gazing at there, and why do you always remain behind? Take care, and don’t lose your footing.” “Oh! father,” said Hansel, “I am looking back at my white kitten, which is sitting on the roof, waving me a farewell.” The woman exclaimed: “What a donkey you are! that isn’t your kitten, that’s the morning sun shining on the chimney.” But Hansel had not looked back at his kitten, but had always dropped one of the white pebbles out of his pocket on to the path.
When they had reached the middle of the forest the father said: “Now, children, go and fetch a lot of wood, and I’ll light a fire that you may not feel cold.” Hansel and Grettel heaped up brushwood till they had made a pile nearly the size of a small hill. The brushwood was set fire to, and when the flames leaped high the woman said: “Now lie down at the fire, children, and rest yourselves: we are going into the forest to cut down wood; when we’ve finished we’ll come back and fetch you.” Hansel and Grettel sat down beside the fire, and at midday ate their little bits of bread. They heard the strokes of the axe, so they thought their father was quite near. But it was no axe they heard, but a bough he had tied on a dead tree, and that was blown about by the wind. And when they had sat for a long time their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke at last it was pitch dark. Grettel began to cry, and said: “How are we ever to get out of the wood?” But Hansel comforted her. “Wait a bit,” he said, “till the moon is up, and then we’ll find our way sure enough.” And when the full moon had risen he took his sister by the hand and followed the pebbles, which shone like new threepenny bits, and showed them the path. They walked on through the night, and at daybreak reached their father’s house again. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it she exclaimed: “You naughty children, what a time you’ve slept in the wood! we thought you were never going to come back.” But the father rejoiced, for his conscience had reproached him for leaving his children behind by themselves.
Not long afterward there was again great dearth in the land, and the children heard their mother address their father thus in bed one night: “Everything is eaten up once more; we have only half a loaf in the house, and when that’s done it’s all up with us. The children must be got rid of; we’ll lead them deeper into the wood this time, so that they won’t be able to find their way out again. There is no other way of saving ourselves.” The man’s heart smote him heavily, and he thought: “Surely it would be better to share the last bite with one’s children!” But his wife wouldn’t listen to his arguments, and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If a man yields once he’s done for, and so, because he had given in the first time, he was forced to do so the second.
But the children were awake, and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep Hansel got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles again, as he had done the first time; but the woman had barred the door, and Hansel couldn’t get out. But he consoled his little sister, and said: “Don’t cry, Grettel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure to help us.”
At early dawn the woman came and made the children get up. They received their bit of bread, but it was even smaller than the time before. On the way to the wood Hansel crumbled it in his pocket, and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a crumb on the ground. “Hansel, what are you stopping and looking about you for?” said the father. “I’m looking back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof waving me a farewell,” answered Hansel. “Fool!” said the wife; “that isn’t your pigeon, it’s the morning sun glittering on the chimney.” But Hansel gradually threw all his crumbs on the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest farther than they had ever been in their lives before. Then a big fire was lit again, and the mother said: “Just sit down there, children, and if you’re tired you can sleep a bit; we’re going into the forest to cut down wood, and in the evening when we’re finished we’ll come back to fetch you.” At midday Grettel divided her bread with Hansel, for he had strewn his all along their path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed away, but nobody came to the poor children. They didn’t awake till it was pitch dark, and Hansel comforted his sister, saying: “Only wait, Grettel, till the moon rises, then we shall see the bread-crumbs I scattered along the path; they will show us the way back to the house.” When the moon appeared they got up, but they found no crumbs, for the thousands of birds that fly about the woods and fields had picked them all up. “Never mind,” said Hansel to Gret- tel; “you’ll see we’ll find a way out”; but all the same they did not. They wandered about the whole night, and the next day, from morning till evening, but they could not find a path out of the wood. They were very hungry, too, for they had nothing to eat but a few berries they found growing on the ground. And at last they were so tired that their legs refused to carry them any longer, so they lay down under a tree and fell fast asleep.
On the third morning after they had left their father’s house they set about their wandering again, but only got deeper and deeper into the wood, and now they felt that if help did not come to them soon they must perish. At midday they saw a beautiful little snow-white bird sitting on a branch, which sang so sweetly that they stopped still and listened to it. And when its song was finished it flapped its wings and flew on in front of them. They followed it and came to a little house, on the roof of which it perched; and when they came quite near they saw that the cottage was made of bread and roofed with cakes, while the window was made of transparent sugar. “Now we’ll set to,” said Hansel, “and have a regular blow-out.[1] I’ll eat a bit of the roof, and you, Grettel, can eat some of the window, which you’ll find a sweet morsel.” Hansel stretched up his hand and broke off a little bit of the roof to see what it was like, and Grettel went to the casement and began to nibble at it. Thereupon a shrill voice called out from the room inside:
“Nibble, nibble, little mouse, Who’s nibbling my house?”
The children answered:
“Tis Heaven’s own child, The tempest wild,”
and went on eating, without putting themselves about. Hansel, who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit of it, while Grettel pushed out a whole round window-pane, and sat down the better to enjoy it. Suddenly the door opened, and an ancient dame leaning on a staff hobbled out. Hansel and Grettel were so terrified that they let what they had in their hands fall. But the old woman shook her head and said: “Oh, ho! you dear children, who led you here? Just come in and stay with me, no ill shall befall you.” She took them both by the hand and let them into the house, and laid a most sumptuous dinner before them–milk and sugared pancakes, with apples and nuts. After they had finished, two beautiful little white beds were prepared for them, and when Hansel and Grettel lay down in them they felt as if they had got into heaven.
[1] He was a vulgar boy!
The old woman had appeared to be most friendly, but she was really an old witch who had waylaid the children, and had only built the little bread house in order to lure them in. When anyone came into her power she killed, cooked, and ate him, and held a regular feast-day for the occasion. Now witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but, like beasts, they have a keen sense of smell, and know when human beings pass by. When Hansel and Grettel fell into her hands she laughed maliciously, and said jeeringly: “I’ve got them now; they sha’n't escape me.” Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she rose up, and when she saw them both sleeping so peacefully, with their round rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself: “That’ll be a dainty bite.” Then she seized Hansel with her bony hand and carried him into a little stable, and barred the door on him; he might scream as much as he liked, it did him no good. Then she went to Grettel, shook her till she awoke, and cried: “Get up, you lazy-bones, fetch water and cook something for your brother. When he’s fat I’ll eat him up.” Grettel began to cry bitterly, but it was of no use; she had to do what the wicked witch bade her.
So the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grettel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the old woman hobbled out to the stable and cried: “Hansel, put out your finger, that I may feel if you are getting fat.” But Hansel always stretched out a bone, and the old dame, whose eyes were dim, couldn’t see it, and thinking always it was Hansel’s finger, wondered why he fattened so slowly. When four weeks had passed and Hansel still remained thin, she lost patience and determined to wait no longer. “Hi, Grettel,” she called to the girl, abe quick and get some water. Hansel may be fat or thin, I’m going to kill him to-morrow and cook him.” Oh! how the poor little sister sobbed as she carried the water, and how the tears rolled down her cheeks! “Kind heaven help us now!” she cried; “if only the wild beasts in the wood had eaten us, then at least we should have died together.” “Just hold your peace,” said the old hag; “it won’t help you.”
Early in the morning Grettel had to go out and hang up the kettle full of water, and light the fire. “First we’ll bake,” said the old dame; “I’ve heated the oven already and kneaded the dough.” She pushed Grettel out to the oven, from which fiery flames were already issuing. “Creep in,” said the witch, “and see if it’s properly heated, so that we can shove in the bread.” For when she had got Grettel in she meant to close the oven and let the girl bake, that she might eat her up too. But Grettel perceived her intention, and said: “I don’t know how I’m to do it; how do I get in?” “You silly goose!” said the hag, “the opening is big enough; see, I could get in myself,” and she crawled toward it, and poked her head into the oven. Then Grettel gave her a shove that sent her right in, shut the iron door, and drew the bolt. Gracious! how she yelled, it was quite horrible; but Grettel fled, and the wretched old woman was left to perish miserably.
Grettel flew straight to Hansel, opened the little stable- door, and cried: “Hansel, we are free; the old witch is dead.” Then Hansel sprang like a bird out of a cage when the door is opened. How they rejoiced, and fell on each other’s necks, and jumped for joy, and kissed one another! And as they had no longer any cause for fear, they went in the old hag’s house, and here they found, in every corner of the room, boxes with pearls and precious stones. “These are even better than pebbles,” said Hansel, and crammed his pockets full of them; and Grettel said: “I too will bring something home,” and she filled her apron full. “But now,” said Hansel, “let’s go and get well away from the witch’s wood.” When they had wandered about for some hours they came to a big lake. “We can’t get over,” said Hansel; “I see no bridge of any sort or kind.” “Yes, and there’s no ferry-boat either,” answered Grettel; “but look, there swims a white duck; if I ask her she’ll help us over,” and she called out:
“Here are two children, mournful very, Seeing neither bridge nor ferry; Take us upon your white back, And row us over, quack, quack!”
The duck swam toward them, and Hansel got on her back and bade his little sister sit beside him. “No,” answered Grettel, “we should be too heavy a load for the duck: she shall carry us across separately.” The good bird did this, and when they were landed safely on the other side, and had gone for a while, the wood became more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw their father’s house in the distance. Then they set off to run, and bounding into the room fell on their father’s neck. The man had not passed a happy hour since he left them in the wood, but the woman had died. Grettel shook out her apron so that the pearls and precious stones rolled about the room, and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out of his pocket. Thus all their troubles were ended, and they lived happily ever afterward.
138 Comments
Couldn’t enjoy the stor and pictures because of the ads on the left side of the page. How do I shut it down???
GranGran,
If you download the story, by clicking on the download link, you will be able to listen to the audio file independent of our website. You could also try closing your eyes when you listen, or turning off your computer screen.
Why aren’t pictures, here?
That’s a pitty!!
Julien, We give away free audio and texts every week. Our resources don’t stretch to commissioning pictures for every story. Where they are available, we use them. Of course if you or anyone else would like to draw some pictures for us……
that’s best enough, thanks to you, bertie, and the wonderful site, i’ll come often to get stories for my lovely little princess.
Too much Bertie!
Hello JJ
We understand – though we love Bertie – we do have a little less of him in our intros these days. Hansel and Gretel is one of our older – but still much liked – offerings. Bertie tends to appear in his own stories now.
nuda
Hey you all! This story is really good! Its so very real and i cant stop listaning to it! It gives me good ideas for my own stories!:) i could send story nory one of them but i am going to need berties E-mail addres. So if you respond to this coment please give it to me.
I recomend to storynory: Sorry to be rude but my stories are really good.
hi Cameron
It’s Bertie at Storynory.com Look forward to hearing from you.
you are a nic e frog brtie thanks
who is Bertie?
You can hear all about Bertie in this story
http://storynory.com/2006/02/12/how-prince-bertie-became-bertie-the-frog/
HELLO
NICE STORY NORY.
BYE BYE
He110 ^느^
I’m from South Corea
It’s nice to see you Birtie♡
And nice to see you too Ashine
Hi Bertie,
Any IDEA on what happened to the Stepmother of Hansel and Gretel .After that did their father continued to do his job in cutting trees?
Cool
i like the story but there is NO PICTURES!!!!
very interesting story:)but a lite bit diferent from the original one:)that’s makes it interesting
My daughter – Tessnyme, 15- has read x times this story,
Thanks
I LIKE THIS STORY . ALSO I ADVICE THE TEENEGERS TO READ IT BECAUSE IT IS VERY INTERESTING .
my favorite story
Oh, I’m going to audition for this play soon. Thanks, this was a great help for getting into charater.
I like the podcast
this story really did scare me! jk jk lol lol lol
why does the frog always command you to read the stories?
Hi Sup,
I know it doesn’t sound very polite to “command” Natasha, but that’s just how princes talk.
Hi Natasha and Bertie!!!
I do love theses stories!!
why don’t you put all these stories on iTunes?
Hi Horselover
I’m planning to write a few more instructions on how to get our older stories on itunes soon. They’ll be on our how to page.
In brief, each of our categories has a feed. For instance,
http://storynory.com/category/animal-stories/feed
or
http://storynory.com/category/fairy-tales/feed
You can copy and paste this into itunes under the advanced / podcast tab. This will give you all the stories in the category.
Over all, we have too many to put into one iTunes feed, so for now we only have the latest 30 on our iTunes page.
I really loved this story! I am almost 5-years old and my first time to hear Hansel and Gretel.
okay laa………
that was a good story
The bigining bit I dont like cause the stepmother was a little bit mad.I like the woodcutter cause he is kind of nice.
I now the real story its just because I forgot the story.
I didnt finish the story so Im sory.
I loved the story.
Well not the beginig because the stepmother was mean.
I liked the story alot still.
I feel sorry to Hansel and Grettel.I don’t think the mum and dad should led them to the forest.I am worried to.It is quit of scared.But it is interesting and nice.It has nice bits in the story.I like the settings.
I learned how to describe a character andhow to make a good story
I think this is a very interesting and spooky story.
It is also very funny.
I like it when Hansul went acros the pond on the
back of a swan.
I really enjoyed this story but its a bit scary.
I wouldnt like to be lost in my wood in France.
I like the bit when grettel pushed the wicked witch into th oven.I love the candy house ,I feel like eating it!!!
Nice story Natasha and bertie.I’ll love to have a gingerbread house!!
This story was fine but can there be a better ending for this story?I liked the part when the old wicked witch killed herself in her own oven!
I think this story is scary, but I liked it very much. The children were very clever to find escape from the wicked old woman and find their way home.
VERY GOOD story!!!!!!!I would like a HOUSE like the witch!!!!!!!!
kool
I have read this before ,but I enjoyed it
It was a fantastic and wonderful story!!!!!!!!!!
I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My favorite fairy tale is hansel and greatel !
I liked the story
I wish Hansel and Greatel were real !
/((((((sulten
仇心怡 Says:
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:12 am
故事很好,我挺！
I’m chinese,I like this story!
GO GO 加油
good night
!
!!
!!!
!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!!
!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!
你们两个无聊呀！
这确实很好玩
can we read hansel + gretel
bam
bam
我是飞天小女警二代!!我挺我们的大家族–到底!!!!!!!!
我看,是邹震宇无聊吧!!!!
What a lovely story.
Let’s read it.
I am sure that you will love it!
~o~
My 4 year old has been listening to this same story every night for the last 2 weeks. He just love it. He also loves The monkey who loved chocolate. Great job guys.
i’m now studying german thanks to this story
Hello
i liked it very much it is very good for children
This Book Was Very Very Very Scary
I love this story.
I think it’s good for the kids ,
the story is wonderful and maybe it will make
children more and more imaginative.
Thank you for a nice story.
Whole of this story is better than in the same story in Chinese.I like it.Bless Hansel and Grettel!
Whole of this story is better than in the same story in Chinese.I like it.Bless Hansel and Grettel,also their father.
wonderful i love this story.
: )
its a grat story to reed on the intnet you should do moor
Amy
VERY GOOD story!!!!!!!I would like a HOUSE like the witch!!!!!!!!
I like it.It was really nice.Natasha,what is your nick name!
cool this is a very good story
This was so long. The longest story i’ve ever heard.
This is so interesting fair story.
Thanks for your hospitality!
I really like this website i can listen to stories now. but not all the stories have a listening icon so it’s stupid too
Ahnaf
As far as I know all our stories have a listening icon ( flash player), – any that don’t are just blog entries without audio.
You can also download our stories and use a your own player, such as Windows Media Player, Quicktime, or iTunes.
Hope this helps
good story like the valentimes day
please is this the whole thing
hiya don’t u lot think it is really odd that that both the stepmother and witch die??
thanx that’s cool from u
gerat story but when you have to do a 10 paragraph essay on it you kinda wish it was never written!!!!!!!!!
22.11.2008
I realy like this story and it was a happy
ending!!!!!!
Me gusto muchisimo esta historia y la forma en que se conto…Gracias.
awsome story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i like this story .. in romania : imi place aceasta poveste !!! kiss you all :-*
I think this story is great. My children enjoy listening to the REAL Brothers Grimm fairy tales – not the watered down versions that are in modern publications. When I have to take care of the younger children, I put on Storynory instead of turning on the TV (to entertain the older children). I also love your accent, Natasha!
I think it was awwwwwwwwwwsome you rock
good
i thought it was good and not scary at all
hi! great story ♦♦♦♦♦♦ =Þ
I realy love this story
it is brilliant
cool, longer than in german, very longer
It is the best of the fary tale of all HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII YOU BOYS
Hey Bertie, I love your stories! But, i’m just wondering if you belive in God. Sorry if i’m being rude, but please answer.
Hello Star Struck, Thanks for your question.. On the subject of believing in God, I think everyone has to answer this question for themselves.
hahaha…. Its a good fary tale, but it isnt the best one Iv ever red…. also i have to do a 500 word oral on a fary tale… which fary tale (in you oppion) is the most intresting?
te hee he, you have a very nice voice!! and my brother really liked the story. ^.^
your never too lod for fary tales!!!
Dear Dolly, All the fairy tales are interesting in different ways – But you could say some things about Hansel And Gretal – . It’s quite a scary story, and yet very popular because children like being scared ( a bit). As long as they know it’s just a story, it can help them overcome their fears. This story is about the fear that young children have of being separated from their parents. Perhaps a modern story would be less likely to typecast the mother as a nagging the father into doing something wrong. Also that the children are small and weak – and yet they manage to out fox the witch. This is something that comes up a lot in fairy tales – say the three little pigs.
thanks birtie.it was a lovely story but it wasnt scary at all but thanks anyway.
it’s a kind of spooky and a very interesting story.I enjoyed it very much,but I don’t really thing their was a house made of eatable things. it’s WIERD!!!!
good!~
good story it made me hungry
wow that was a great story and i mean great
this is a great story it realy is i read it at school on my mac
This story rock’s and i read it on my mac 2222222222!
i like this story so much!!!!!
it so cool and wicked.
HOW COOL i like it
its a good site
its a realy good site !!!!!!!!
wow I like theis stories
I have read this a hundred of times and I like it this shore rocks.
*Dolly oyu a laughter about it
Anna made me a comment
thanks story was great
i liked this story alot!*!
especially because its about fairy tales!*!
♥♥♥♥♥:):)
THIS IS A VERY ALSOME STORY…I LIKED IT
the best story ive seen in my life.
THIS STORY WAS A GOOD STORY ..!
IT WAS ALSOME ..! LOL
it was a nice story
someone make a new ending for crying out loud!
Now I’m studying English and this is a good story. Bye
this story i really enjoyed it was good amy<3
Ilove this story about the Hansel And Gretal and in this story i can learn many things.
i got a computer from santa
it’s so awful. tnx for your story.
My little sister, very much enjoyed your story-telling, thank you for taking your time Bertie.
She has listened to it 3 times since last night!
Byeeeeee Anna.x
not that bad
i think this story was sad and happy and cute
i’m very like this story, cheers!!
I love it !
The wich was bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this story is verry nice
This story is just like the one I read in a story book. though some of the words that natasha said were different then what was written. Cool!
creeeppppyyyynesssssss…………. canibalism!!!!!! :p
Really good!,i enjoyed it.
sad! lol. real sad.