d talk very nicely to them.

"You are lovely children! Don't give yourselves such airs. I am Rosina
Dainty-Mouth and just love little children like you," but she didn't
say how she preferred them--broiled or stewed. Nevertheless, Haensel
had his doubts about her, in spite of her affectionate pretensions.

Come, little mousey,
Come into my housey!
Come with me, my precious,
I'll give you sweets, delicious!

This extraordinary old lady cried, naming things that made the
children's mouths water. But there was Haensel's caution! He was not to
be caught napping after sunrise. Gretel, however, recalled the flavour
of the eave-spout which she had lately tasted and could not help
showing a certain amount of interest.

"Just what shall I get if I go into your housey?" she inquired; but
before the old creature could reply, Haensel had pulled Gretel's
petticoat.

"Have a care! Do not take anything from her that you can help. She is
meaning to fatten us and cook us,"--which was the exact truth. At that
moment, Haensel got clear of the rope which had been about his neck and
ran to Gretel, but the old witch pointed at them a stick which had
been hanging at her girdle, and instantly they found themselves
spellbound. She repeated this blood-curdling rhyme, and there they
stood, quite helpless:

Hocus pocus, witches' charm!
Move not as you fear my arm.
Back or forward, do not try,
Fixed you are, by the evil eye!

And "fixed" they were. Now, right in the middle of the forenoon, it
began to grow horribly dark, and as it darkened, the little knob on
the end of her stick began to glow brilliantly, and as Haensel watched
it, fascinated, the witch gradually led him, by the stick's charm,
into the stable, and fastened him in. Then the knob of the stick
gradually ceased to glow, and Gretel was still standing there.

"Now while I feed Haensel up till he is plump as a partridge, you stand
where you are," said the witch, and into the house she went. Gretel
stood horrified, and Haensel whispered to her:

"Don't speak loud, and be very watchful, Gretelkin. Pretend to do
everything the witch commands, yet be very watchful. There she comes
again"; and so she did, with a basket full of raisins and other things
for him to eat. 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 th