"We will go in here," said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I will
eat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not be
sweet?" So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in order
to see how it tasted; while Grethel stepped up to the window and
began to bite it. Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap,
tip-tap, who knocks at my door?" and the children answered, "The
wind, the wind, the child of heaven;" and they went on eating without
interruption. Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he tore
off a great piece; while Grethel 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 Grethel
were so much 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 stop with me, and no
harm shall come to you;" and so saying she took them both by the hand,
and led them into her cottage. 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
Grethel laid themselves down, and were happy as could be. The old
woman behaved very kindly to them, but in reality she was a wicked
old witch who way-laid children, and built the breadhouse in order to
entice them in; but 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
smelling, like wild beasts, so that they know when children approach
them. When Hansel and Grethel 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.
Grethel came next, and shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up,
you lazy brat, and fetch some water to cook something good for your
brother, who must remain in that stall and get fat; and when he is fat
enough I shall eat him." Grethel began to cry, but it was all usele