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024 - Hansel and Gretel · Blue Fairy Book

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  Speaker 1: Hansel and Gretel from The Blue Fairy Book. This is
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  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: This recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina.
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  Speaker 1: The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang Hansel and Gretel.
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  Speaker 1: Once upon a time there dwelt on the outskirts of
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  Speaker 1: a large forest, a poor woodcutter with his wife and
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  Speaker 1: two children. The boy was called Hansel, and the girl Gretel.
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  Speaker 1: He had always little enough to live on, and once,
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  Speaker 1: when there was a great famine in the land, he
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  Speaker 1: couldn't even provide them with daily bread. One night, as
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  Speaker 1: he was tossing about in bed, full of cares and worry,
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  Speaker 1: he sighed and said to his wife, what's to become
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  Speaker 1: of us? How are we to support our poor children
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  Speaker 1: now that we have nothing more for ourselves. I'll tell
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  Speaker 1: you what, husband, answered the woman. Early tomorrow morning, we'll
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  Speaker 1: take the children out into the thickest part of the wood.
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  Speaker 1: There we shall light a fire for them and give
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  Speaker 1: them each a piece of bread. Then we'll go on
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  Speaker 1: to our work and leave them alone. They won't be
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  Speaker 1: able to find their way home, and we shall thus
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  Speaker 1: be rid of them. No, wife, said her husband, that
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  Speaker 1: I won't do. How could I find it in my
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  Speaker 1: heart to leave my children alone in the wood. The
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  Speaker 1: wild beast would soon come and tear them to pieces. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: you fool, said she. Then we must all four die
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  Speaker 1: of hunger, and you may just as well go and
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  Speaker 1: plain the boards for our coffins. And she left him
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  Speaker 1: no peace till he consented. But I can't help feeling
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  Speaker 1: sorry for the poor children, added the husband. The children
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  Speaker 1: too had not been able to sleep for hunger, and
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  Speaker 1: had heard what their stepmother had said to their father.
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  Speaker 1: Gretel wept bitterly and spoke to Hansel. Now it's all
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  Speaker 1: up with us. No, no, Gretel said Hansel. Don't fret yourself.
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  Speaker 1: I'll be able to find a way to escape. No fear.
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  Speaker 1: And when the old people had fallen asleep, he got up,
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  Speaker 1: slipped on his little coat, opened the back door, and
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  Speaker 1: stole out. The moon was shining clearly, and the white
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  Speaker 1: pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like
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  Speaker 1: bits of silver. Hansel bent down and filled his pocket
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  Speaker 1: with as many of them as he could cram in.
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  Speaker 1: Then he went back and said to Gretel, be comforted,
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  Speaker 1: my dear little sister, and go to sleep. God will
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  Speaker 1: not desert us. And he lay down in bed again.
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  Speaker 1: At daybreak, even before the sun was up, the woman
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  Speaker 1: came and woke the two children. Get up, you liah beds.
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  Speaker 1: We're all going to the forest to fetch wood. She
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  Speaker 1: gave them each a bit of bread and said, there's
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  Speaker 1: something for your luncheon. But don't you eat it up before,
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  Speaker 1: for it's all you'll get. Gretel took the bread under
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  Speaker 1: her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket.
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  Speaker 1: Then they all set out together on the way to
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  Speaker 1: the forest. After they had walked for a little Hansel
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  Speaker 1: stood still and looked back at the house, and this
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  Speaker 1: maneuver he repeated again and again. His father observed him
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  Speaker 1: and said, Hansel, what are you gazing at there? And
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  Speaker 1: why do you always remain behind? Take care and don't
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  Speaker 1: lose your footing, oh father, said Hansel, I am looking
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  Speaker 1: back at my white kitten, which is sitting on the roof,
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  Speaker 1: waving me a farewell. The woman exclaimed, what a donkey
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  Speaker 1: you are. That isn't your kitten. That's the morning sun
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  Speaker 1: shining on the chimney, But Hansel had not looked back
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  Speaker 1: at his kitten, but had always dropped one of them
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  Speaker 1: white pebbles out of his pocket on to the path.
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  Speaker 1: When they had reached the middle of the forest, the
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  Speaker 1: father said, now, children, go and fetch a lot of wood,
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  Speaker 1: and i'll light a fire that you may not feel cold.
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  Speaker 1: Hansel and Gretel heaped up brushwood till they had made
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  Speaker 1: a pile nearly the size of a small hill. The
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  Speaker 1: brushwood was set fire to and when the flames leaped high,
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  Speaker 1: the woman said, now lie down at the fire, children,
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  Speaker 1: and rest your cells. We are going into the forest
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  Speaker 1: to cut down wood. When we finished, we'll come back
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  Speaker 1: and fetch you. Hansel and Gretel sat down beside the fire,
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  Speaker 1: and at midday ate their little bits of bread. They
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  Speaker 1: heard the strokes of the axe, so they thought their
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  Speaker 1: father was quite near. But it was no axe they heard,
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  Speaker 1: but a bough he had tied on a dead tree,
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  Speaker 1: and that was blown about by the wind. And when
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  Speaker 1: they had sat for a long time, their eyes closed
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  Speaker 1: with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke
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  Speaker 1: at last, it was pitch dark. Gretel began to cry
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  Speaker 1: and said, how are we ever going to get out
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  Speaker 1: of the wood, But Hansel comforted her. Wait a bit,
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  Speaker 1: he said, till the moon is up, and then we'll
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  Speaker 1: find our way sure enough, And when the full moon
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  Speaker 1: had risen, he took his sister by the hand and
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  Speaker 1: followed the pebbles, which shone like new threepenny bits, and
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  Speaker 1: showed them the path. They walked on through the night,
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  Speaker 1: and at daybreak reached their father's house again. They knocked
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  Speaker 1: at the door, and when the woman opened it, she exclaimed,
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  Speaker 1: you naughty children, what a time you've slept in the wood.
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  Speaker 1: We thought you were never going to come back. But
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  Speaker 1: the father rejoiced, for his conscience had reproached him for
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  Speaker 1: leaving his children behind by themselves. Not long afterward, there
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  Speaker 1: was again great dearth in the land, and the children
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  Speaker 1: heard their mother address their father. Thus in bed one
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  Speaker 1: night everything is eaten up once more. We have only
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  Speaker 1: half a loaf in the house, and when that's done,
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  Speaker 1: it's all up with us. The children must be got
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  Speaker 1: rid of, and will lead them deeper into the wood
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  Speaker 1: this time, so that they won't be able to find
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  Speaker 1: their way out again. There is no other way of
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  Speaker 1: saving ourselves. The man's heart smote him heavily, and he thought,
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  Speaker 1: surely it would be better to share the last bite
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  Speaker 1: with one's children. But his wife wouldn't listen to his
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  Speaker 1: arguments and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If
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  Speaker 1: a man yields once he's done for and so, because
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  Speaker 1: he had given in the first time, he was forced
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  Speaker 1: to do so the second. But the children were awake
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  Speaker 1: and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep,
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  Speaker 1: Hansel got up and wanted to go out and pick
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  Speaker 1: up pebbles again, as he had done the first time,
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  Speaker 1: But the woman had barred the door and Hansel couldn't
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  Speaker 1: get out. But he consoled his little sister and said,
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  Speaker 1: don't cry, Gretel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure
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  Speaker 1: to help us. At early dawn, the woman came and
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  Speaker 1: made the children get up. They received their bit of bread,
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  Speaker 1: but it was even smaller than the time before. On
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  Speaker 1: the way to the wood, Hansel crumpled it in his pocket,
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  Speaker 1: and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a
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  Speaker 1: crumb on the ground. Hans, so what are you stopping
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  Speaker 1: and looking about you for? Said the father. I'm looking
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  Speaker 1: back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof,
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  Speaker 1: waving me a farewell, answered Hansel. Fool, said the wife,
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  Speaker 1: that isn't your pigeon. It's the morning sun glittering on
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  Speaker 1: the chimney. But Hansel gradually threw all his crumbs on
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  Speaker 1: the path. The woman led the children still deeper into
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  Speaker 1: the forest, farther than they had ever been in their
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  Speaker 1: lives before. Then a big fire was lit again, and
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  Speaker 1: the mother said, just sit down there, children, and if
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  Speaker 1: you're tired, you can sleep a bit. We're going into
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  Speaker 1: the forest to cut down wood, and in the evening,
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  Speaker 1: when we're finished, we'll come back to fetch you. At midday,
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  Speaker 1: Gretel divided her bread with Hansel, for he had strewn
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  Speaker 1: his all along their path. Then they fell asleep, and
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  Speaker 1: evening passed away, but nobody came to the poor children.
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  Speaker 1: They didn't wake till it was pitch dark, and Hansel
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  Speaker 1: comforted his sister, saying, only wait, Gretel till the moon rises.
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  Speaker 1: Then we shall see the bread crumbs I scattered along
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  Speaker 1: the path. They will show us the way back to
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  Speaker 1: the house. When the moon appeared, they got up, but
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  Speaker 1: they found no crumbs. For the thousand of birds that
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  Speaker 1: fly about the woods and fields had picked them all up.
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  Speaker 1: Never mind, said Hansel to Gretel. You'll see, we'll find
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  Speaker 1: a way out. But all the same they did not.
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  Speaker 1: They wandered about the whole night and the next day,
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  Speaker 1: from morning till evening, but they could not find a
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  Speaker 1: path out of the wood. They were very hungry, too,
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  Speaker 1: for they had nothing to eat but a few berries
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  Speaker 1: they found growing on the ground. And at last they
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  Speaker 1: were so tired that their legs refused to carry them
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  Speaker 1: any longer, so they lay down under a tree and
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  Speaker 1: fell fast asleep. On the third morning, after they had
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  Speaker 1: left their father's house, they set about their wandering again,
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  Speaker 1: but only got deeper and deeper into the wood. And
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  Speaker 1: now they felt that if help did not come to
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  Speaker 1: them soon, they must perish. At midday they saw a
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  Speaker 1: beautiful little snow white bird sitting on a branch, which
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  Speaker 1: sang so sweetly that they stopped still and listened to it.
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  Speaker 1: And when its song was finished, it flapped its wings
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  Speaker 1: and flew on in front of them. They followed it
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  Speaker 1: and came to a little house on the roof of
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  Speaker 1: which it perched, And when they came quite near, they
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  Speaker 1: saw that the cottage was made of bread and roofed
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  Speaker 1: with cakes, while the window was made of transparent sugar.
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  Speaker 1: Now we'll set to, said Hansel, and have a regular
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  Speaker 1: blow out. I'll eat a bit of the roof, and you, Gretel,
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  Speaker 1: can eat some of the window, which you'll find a
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  Speaker 1: sweet morsel. Hansel stretched up his hand and broke off
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  Speaker 1: a little bit of the roof to see what it
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  Speaker 1: was like, and Gretel went to the casement and began
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  Speaker 1: to nibble at it. Thereupon a shrill voice called out
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  Speaker 1: from the room inside. Nibble, nibble, little mouse, who's nibbling
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  Speaker 1: my house? The children answered, tis Heaven's own child the
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  Speaker 1: tempest wild, and went on eating without putting themselves about. Hansel,
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  Speaker 1: who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit
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  Speaker 1: of it, while Gretel pushed out a whole round window
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  Speaker 1: pane and sat down the better to enjoy it. Suddenly
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  Speaker 1: the door opened, and an ancient dame, leaning on a staff,
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  Speaker 1: hobbled out. Hansel and Gretel were so terrified that they
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  Speaker 1: let what they had in their hands fall. But the
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  Speaker 1: old woman shook her head and said, oh, you dear children,
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  Speaker 1: who led you here, Just come in and stay with me.
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  Speaker 1: No ill shall befall you. She took them both by
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  Speaker 1: the hand and let them into the house, and laid
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  Speaker 1: a most sumptuous dinner before them, milk and sugared pancakes
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  Speaker 1: with apples and nuts. After they had finished, two beautiful
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  Speaker 1: little white beds were prepared for them, and when Hansel
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  Speaker 1: and Gretel lay down in them, they felt as if
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  Speaker 1: they had got into heaven. The old woman had appeared
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  Speaker 1: to be most friendly, but she was really an old
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  Speaker 1: witch who had waylaid the children and had only built
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  Speaker 1: the little bread house in order to lure them in.
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  Speaker 1: When anyone came into her power, she killed, cooked, and
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  Speaker 1: ate him, and held a regular feast day for the occasion.
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  Speaker 1: Now witches have red eyes and cannot see far, but
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  Speaker 1: like beasts, they have a keen sense of smell and
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  Speaker 1: know when human beings passed by. When Hansel and Gretel
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  Speaker 1: fell into her hands, she laughed maliciously and said, jeeringly,
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  Speaker 1: I've got them. Now, they shan't escape me. Early in
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  Speaker 1: the morning, before the children were awake, she rose up,
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  Speaker 1: and when she saw them both sleeping so peacefully with
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  Speaker 1: her round rosy cheeks. She muttered to herself, that'll be
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  Speaker 1: a dainty bite. Then she seized Hansel with her bony
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  Speaker 1: hand and carried him into a little stable and barred
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  Speaker 1: the door on him. He might scream as much as
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  Speaker 1: he liked, it did him no good. Then she went
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  Speaker 1: to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, get up,
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  Speaker 1: you lazy bones. Fetch water and cook something for your brother.
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  Speaker 1: When he's fat, I'll eat him up. Gretel began to
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  Speaker 1: cry bitterly, but it was of no use. She had
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  Speaker 1: to do what the wicked witch bade her. So the
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  Speaker 1: best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got
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  Speaker 1: nothing but crab shells. Every morning, the old woman hobbled
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  Speaker 1: out to the stable and cried, Hansel, put out your
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  Speaker 1: finger that I may feel if you are getting fat.
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  Speaker 1: But Hansel always stretched out a bone, and the old dame,
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  Speaker 1: whose eyes were dim, couldn't see it, and, thinking always
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  Speaker 1: it was Hansel's finger, wondered why he fattened so slowly.
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  Speaker 1: When four weeks had passed and Hansel still remained thin,
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  Speaker 1: she lost patience and determined to wait no longer. Hi Gretel,
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  Speaker 1: she called to the girl be quick and get some water.
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  Speaker 1: Han so may be fat or thin. I'm going to
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  Speaker 1: kill him tomorrow and cook him. Oh how the poor
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  Speaker 1: little sister sobbed as she carried the water, and how
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  Speaker 1: the tears rolled down her cheeks. Kind Heaven help us now,
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  Speaker 1: she cried. If only the wild beasts in the wood
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  Speaker 1: had eaten us, then at least we should have died together.
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  Speaker 1: Just hold your piece, said the old hag. It won't
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  Speaker 1: help you. Early in the morning, Gretel had to go
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  Speaker 1: out and hang up the kettle full of water and
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  Speaker 1: light the fire. First, O bake, said the old dame.
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  Speaker 1: I've heated the oven already and kneaded the dough. She
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  Speaker 1: pushed Gretel out to the oven, from which fiery flames
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  Speaker 1: were already issuing. Creep In, said the witch, and see
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  Speaker 1: if it's properly heated, so that we can shove in
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  Speaker 1: the bread. For when she had got Gretel in, she
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  Speaker 1: meant to close the oven and let the girl bake,
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  Speaker 1: that she might eat her up too, But Gretel perceived
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  Speaker 1: her intention and said, I don't know how un to
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  Speaker 1: do it. How do I get in, you silly goose,
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  Speaker 1: said the hag. The opening is big enough. See, I
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  Speaker 1: could get in myself. And she crawled toward it and
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  Speaker 1: poked her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her
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  Speaker 1: a shove that sent her right in. Shut the iron
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  Speaker 1: door and drew the bolt. Gracious, how she yelled. It
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  Speaker 1: was quite horrible, But Gretel fled, and the wretched old
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  Speaker 1: woman is left to perish miserably. Gretel flew straight to Hansel,
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  Speaker 1: opened the little stable door, and cried, Hansel, we are free.
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  Speaker 1: The old witch is dead. Then Hansel sprang like a
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  Speaker 1: bird out of a cage when the door is opened.
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  Speaker 1: How they rejoiced and fell on each other's necks, and
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  Speaker 1: jumped for joy, and kissed one another. And as they
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  Speaker 1: had no longer any cause for fear, they went in
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  Speaker 1: the old hag's house. And here they found in every
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  Speaker 1: corner of the room boxes with pearls and precious stones.
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  Speaker 1: These are even better than pebbles, said Hansel, and crammed
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  Speaker 1: his pockets full of them. And Gretel said, I too,
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  Speaker 1: will bring something home, and she filled her apron full.
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  Speaker 1: But now said Hansel, let's go and get well away
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  Speaker 1: from the witch's wood. When they had wandered about for
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  Speaker 1: some hours, they came to a big lake. We can't
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  Speaker 1: get over, said Hansel. I see no bridge of any
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  Speaker 1: sort or kind. Yes, and there's no ferry boat either,
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  Speaker 1: answered Gretel. But look there swims a white duck. If
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  Speaker 1: I ask her, she'll help us over. And she called out,
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  Speaker 1: here are two children, mournful, very seeing neither bridge nor fairy.
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  Speaker 1: Take us upon your white back and row us over.
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  Speaker 1: Quack quack. The duck swam toward them, and Hansel got
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  Speaker 1: on her back and bade his little sister sit beside him. No,
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  Speaker 1: answered Gretel, we should be too heavy a load for
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  Speaker 1: the duck. She shall carry us across separately. The good
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  Speaker 1: bird did this, and when they were landed safely on
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  Speaker 1: the other side, and had gone for a while, the
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  Speaker 1: wood became more and more familiar to them, and at
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  Speaker 1: length they saw their father's house in the distance. Then
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  Speaker 1: they set off to run, and, bounding into the room,
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  Speaker 1: fell on their father's neck. The men had not passed
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  Speaker 1: a happy hour since he left them in the wood,
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  Speaker 1: but the woman had died. Gretel shook out her apron
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  Speaker 1: so that the pearls and precious stones rolled about the room,
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  Speaker 1: and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out
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  Speaker 1: of his pocket. Thus all their troubles were ended, and
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  Speaker 1: they lived happily ever after my story is done. See
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  Speaker 1: there runs a little mouse. Any One who catches it
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  Speaker 1: may make himself a large fur cap out of it.
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  Speaker 1: End of story