nd so he tore off a great
piece; while Gretel broke a large round pane out of the window and sat
down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, and a very old
woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Gretel were so
frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands; but the
old woman, nodding her head, said, "Ah, you dear children, what has
brought you here? Come in and stay with me, and no harm shall befall
you." And so saying, she took them both by the hand and led them into
her cottage.

[Illustration]

A good meal of milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples and nuts, was
spread on the table, and in the back room were two nice little beds,
covered with white, where Hansel and Gretel laid themselves down, and
rested happily after all their hardships. The old woman was very kind
to them, but in reality she was a wicked witch who waylaid children,
and built the bread-house in order to entice them in; then as soon as
they were in her power she killed them, cooked and ate them, and made
a great festival of the day.

Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far; but they have a fine
sense of smell, like wild beasts, so that they know when children
approach them. When Hansel and Gretel came near the witch's house she
laughed wickedly, saying, "Here come two who shall not escape me." And
early in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, and saw
how lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red cheeks; and she
mumbled to herself, "That will be a good bite." Then she took up
Hansel with her rough hand, and shut him up in a little cage with a
lattice-door; and although he screamed loudly it was of no use. Gretel
came next, and, shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up, you lazy
thing, and fetch some water to cook something good for your brother, who
must remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough I shall eat
him."

Gretel began to cry, but it was all useless, for the old witch made her
do as she wished. So a nice meal was cooked for Hansel, but Gretel got
nothing but a crab's claw.

Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel, stretch
out your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat." But Hansel
used to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very bad sight,
thought that it was his finger, and wondered very much that he did not
get fatter.

When four weeks had passed, and Hansel was still quite lean, she lost
all her patience, and