Страшные сказки / Scary stories

And as they sat a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and said:

“How will we get out of the forest?”

But Hansel comforted her and said:

“Just wait a little, until the moon rises. Then we will soon find the way”.

And when the full moon rose, Hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like silver pieces, and showed them the way.

They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to their father’s house.

They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said:

“You naughty children, why do you sleep so long in the forest? We thought you stayed there for ever!”

The father, however, rejoiced, for he was very sorry for his children.

Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the land. The children’s stepmother said at night to their father:

“We have nothing to eat.

We have one half loaf left, and that is the end. The children must go, we will take them farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again. There is no other means!”

The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought:

“It will be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children”.

The woman, however, did not listen to him, but scolded and reproached him. But he who says A must say B.

The children, however, were still awake and heard the conversation.

When the old wood-cutter and his wife were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles. But the door was locked, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said:

“Do not cry, Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us”.

Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their beds. She gave them their piece of bread, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground.

“Hansel, why do you stop and look round?” said the father, “go on!”

“I want to look back at my little pigeon which is on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me”.

“Fool!” said the woman, �that is not your little pigeon, that is the morning sun on the chimney”. Hansel, however little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.