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Poems
"Hansel and Gretel"
Information Plot/Description
Information
Plot/Description
Spoiler Warning! Hansel and Gretel's parents are
fed up with how much food their children eat, so they decide to get rid of
them. They plan to take them for a walk in the woods and then to leave
the children there. Hansel guesses that his parents are up to something,
though, and he leaves a trail of breadcrumbs to follow back home. As
expected, their parents abandon them. They're unable to follow the
breadcrumbs, though, as the crows have eaten them all. The children are
frightened but a snow-white bird tells them, "Come follow me, you troubled
things, / I'll take you on my silver wings / To safety, to a lovely place
/ Where you can live in peace and grace!" The bird leads them to a cottage
where a sweet old lady greets them. She says they must be hungry and feeds
them loads of wonderful food. The second course is a curious sizzling
roast of meat. The children like it but are unable to guess what it is.
After dinner the woman locked Hansel in a stable and told him that she was
fattening him to eat. (Here the author interjects with an explanation that
the original Brothers Grimm version was much more gory and scary.) As the
woman prepares the oven to cook Hansel, Gretel shoves her inside and locks
the door. Then she runs to free her brother. "Hansel!" she shouts. "We're
free at last! / The foul old dame is roasting fast!" / Young Hansel cried,
"Oh, well done you! / Oh, what a splendid thing to do! / But then again,
you must admit / You always liked to cook a bit."
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Created and maintained by Kristine Howard, © 1996-2008
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