糖果屋的故事

Once upon a time, a poor woodcutter lived near a big forest with his two children, Hansel and Gretel. There was not enough food, and the family was always hungry.

One night, the stepmother said, "Tomorrow we will leave the children deep in the forest." The father was very sad, but at last he said yes. The children heard everything. Gretel cried. "Don't cry," said Hansel. "I have a plan."

That night, Hansel went outside and filled his pockets with little white stones. The next day, on the way into the forest, he dropped the stones one by one. That night, the children were alone in the forest. But the moon came up, and the white stones shone. They followed the stones all the way home.

Soon there was no food again. This time, the door was locked. Hansel could not get any stones, so he dropped bits of bread on the path. But the birds ate the bread, and the children were lost.

For three days they walked. Then a little white bird took them to a strange house. The walls were made of bread. The roof was made of cake. The windows were made of sugar! The hungry children began to eat.

"Nibble, nibble, little mouse, who is eating my house?" said a voice. An old woman came out. She gave them milk and pancakes and two soft beds. But she was really a bad witch!

The next morning, she put Hansel in a cage. "Cook lots of food for your brother," she told Gretel. "I want him to get fat." Every day, the witch said, "Hansel, show me your finger." The witch could not see well, so Hansel showed her a little bone. "Still so thin!" she said.

After four weeks, the witch made the oven hot. "Climb in and see if it is hot," she said to Gretel. "I don't know how," said Gretel. "Silly girl! Like this!" said the witch, and she put her head in. Gretel gave her a big push and shut the iron door. Bang!

Gretel let Hansel out. They took the witch's pearls and ran away. A white duck carried them over a big river, and at last they saw their home. Their father was so happy! The stepmother was gone, and they were never hungry again.