FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2598, 4 September 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

HANSEL AND GRETHEL. (Once upon a time near the borders of a dense forest, there dwelt a poor man who earned his living by cutting wood. On lais way home through the woqd, one day, he found a poor little girl who had been carried away by a vulture and left high up on a branch of a tree to die. He toon the little girl home to his wife, and they called her Grethel, and brought her up with their only son, Hansel. But his wile died, and the woodcutter married again. After a little while the wood-cutter became very poor indeed, and could ly earn enough money to buy bread. One night, as they were lying awake, weak and restless from hunger, Hansel and Grethel heard their stepmother say to their father: “In a few days we shall all die of hunger. If we had only ourselves to keep we might manage to live. I know what w r e must do. Early to-mor-row morning we will take the children far into the forest and leave them there.”

“No, wife,” said the man. “How can I have the heart to leave my children all alone in the forest for the wild beasts to kill and devour?” But the hard-hearted woman talked and talked until the man agreed. Hearing this dreadful plan, Grethel wept bitterly. But Hansel, who deeply loved her, comforted her. , "“Do net cry, dear Grethel,” said he; “I will find a way to get home safely.” He then got up quietly, crept out of the house, and filled his pockets with little white pebbles. At sunrise their stepmother wakened Hansel and Grethel, saying, “Get up, children, for we are going into the forest to gather wood,” and she gave them two slices of bread for their dinner. Grethel carried both pieces in her apron, as Hansel’s pockets were full of pebbles. As they went along, Hansel kept ; looking back, until at last his stepI mother asked him sharply why he was i lingering behind. ! “I can see my little white cat eit- \ ting on the roof, and I, am sure she is ' crying for me,” said Hansel, j “You stupid!” she replied. “It is j, only the sun shining on the chimneyj pot.” I When they reached the middle of the I wood their stepmother said:

“Run about and collect some twigs, and we will make a bonfire to keep us warm.” And Hansel and Grethel soon had a blazing bonfire of brushwood. Tired with their long walk, they fell asleep; but when tliev woke up it was dark, and they were quite alone. Grethel began to cry bitterly; but Hansel said: “We shall be able to find our way borne all right when the moon rises, because I dropped a white pebble everytime a looked behind this morning.” When they reached home they were scolded by their stepmother for straying away: but their father was ever so pleased to see them come back lyNot long afterwards, however, the same poverty came upon them, and the stepmother persuaded her husband to take the children farther into the wood. The children again overheard the cruel scheme; hut Hansel was unable to get a pocketful of stones because bis mother had locked the door. He bravely lingered behind, however, and dropped crumbs from his piece of bread all the way along. “Why do you lag behind so, Hansel?” said the woman.

“I am looking at my little dove sitting on the roof wanting to say goodbye to me,” replied Hansel. “You silly boy,” she said. “It is only the morning sun shining on the house-top.” Their mother left them, asleep, just as before, and when Grethel said, “What are we to do, Hansel, dear, for the night is coining on and we are much farther in the forest than we were last time?” Hansel replied, “Ho not fear dear Grethel; I have left all my bread in little crumbs on the wayside.” Grethel then -dried her eyes and shared her piece of bread with Hansel. When the moon rose they started off; but to their alarm, thev found that there were no crumbs to be seen, as tbe birds bad eaten tbem all up. They wandered about the forest all through the night and next day, having only berries to eat; but they could not find their way home, so they laid themselves down and went to sleep. About noon the next day they saw a lovely snow-white bird sitting on a branch, and singing so beautifully that they listened to it for-a long while. When it h,ad. finished singing it flew slowlv away," booking round at them as if inviting the children to follow; - This Hansel and Grethel did', a nil after a while the bird perched on "the roof of a tiny house. To their sunrise -’they found .That the. walls of this little" Mouse were made tSY gingerbread, the roof of cake, and the windows of barley sugar. “Oh! Something to eat. at last,” cried the hungry Hansel. “Here is a lovelv piece of barley sugar for you,

Grethel.” and the two children pulled" pieces of gingerbread off the walls, and ate to their heart’s content. Suddenly a voice came from within: “Munching, crunching, munching, Who is eating up my house?” And the children answered: “The wind, the wind, Tis only the wind!” and went on eating hungrily. In a minute or two the door opened and a little old •woman hobbled out. “Poor little children,” said she. “How tired and hungry you loot! Come in with me, and X will give you plenty to eat and drink.” The children followed her in, and had a meal of milk and pancakes, and apples and nuts. And then she put Mjan into two pretty little beds, and why fell asleep and dreamt they were in heaven. Now, the old woman was really a witch, who built this gingerbread house to attract children, so that she could capture them and eat them. So when Hansel was asleep she took hold of him and quickly shut him up in an iron cage. She then shook Grethel and said: “Get up, lazy bones, and help me get water and cook some food, lor I am going to fatten your brother and eat him.”

After breakfast the old woman went out. Grethel immediately ran and told Hansel all the old woman had said. “The old woman must be a bad fairy,” said Hansel. “Search for her magic wand and pipe, and then help moout of this cage.” So Grethel found the wand and pipe, and they ran away together. After some time the old woman came back, and was very angry to find that Hansel and Grethel had escaped her. So she put on her seven-leagued boots, and quickly caught up the children. As soon as they saw the bad fairy, however, Grethel waved the magic wand, changed herself into a lake, and Hansel into a swan floating upon it. The fairy tried hard to entice the swan to the shore by offering him crumbs of bread and cake, but lie would not move, so she gave it up and went home in disgust for the night. Grethel then changed Hansel and herself "back into their proper forms, and cn the-’' went. Next day they perceived the fairy overtaking them again. This time Grethel changed herself into a rose in a prick!" hedge, and _ Hansel sat on a mossy bank beside it and waited. The fairy soon came up and mounted the bank to pick the rose which she knew must be Grethel. Hansel quickly put the pipe to his mouth and began to play. Now, everyone who heard its music had to dance, even the old fairy, and here she capered and jigged, getting fixed firmly into the hedge, where the sharp thorns tore her clothes off and cricked her skin. V (To be Concluded on Saturday nerS.)