you all these
good things and some tea besides.

_Mother._ Tea! how good it smells and how glad I am! Now I will cook the
supper.

_Father._ But where are the children? Haensel! Gretel! Where are they?

_Mother._ Oh, the bad children! They did no work and they were singing
and dancing and spilled the milk, so I sent them to the woods to pick
some strawberries for supper.

_Father._ Laughing and dancing! Why should you be angry? Where have they
gone?

_Mother._ To the mountain.

_Father._ To the mountain! the home of the witch!

_Mother._ What do you mean? The witch?

_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! Haensel, 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_

HAeNSEL, GRETEL

_Gretel._ See, my wreath is nearly done.

_Haensel._ And the basket is filled with strawberries. Won't mother be
pleased? We will have them for supper.

_Gretel._ Let me put the wreath on you!

_Haensel._ No, no! boys don't wear wreaths. Put it on your own head. You
shall be queen of the woods.

_Gretel._ Then I must have a nosegay, too.

_Haensel._ Now you have a scepter and a crown. You shall have some
strawberries, too. Don't they taste good?

_Gretel._ Let me feed you.

_Haensel._ And I'll feed you. Don't be greedy!

_Gretel._ Oh, Haensel, the berries are all gone. What naughty children we
are! We must pick some more now for mother.

_Haensel._ I don't care, I was so hungry. But it is too late to pick
strawberries now. Let us go home.

_Gretel._ Let us hurry; it is dark and I'm afraid.

_Haensel._ Pooh, _I'm_ not afraid. But I can't see the way. Gretel, we're
lost!

_Gretel._ What was that?

_Haensel._ What?

_Gretel._ That shining there in the dark!

_Haensel._ Pshaw, don't be afraid! That is a birch tree in its silver
dress.

_Gretel._ There, see! a lantern is coming this way.

_Haensel._ That is a will-of-the-wisp with its little candle.

_Gretel._ I'm frightened, I'm frightened! I wish I were home!

_Haensel._ Gretelkin, stick close to me! I'll take care of you.

_Gretel._ See! what is that little man in gray?

_Haensel._ I see him, too. I wonder who he is!

_Sandman_ (_comes_).

With my little bag of sand
By every c