Hansel and Gretel
Characters:
An author
Woodcutter
His Wife
A boy Hansel
A girl Gretel
A bird
An old lady
An Author:Once upon a time, there lived on the edge of a
dark forest, a poor woodcutter, his wife and two children. The little boy was
called Hansel and the little girl’s name was Gretel.
When the children were small, the
woodcutter had lots of work and everyone had plenty to eat. But sad to say,
their happiness did not last. The woodcutter’s wife died, and the poor man
chose another, who turned out to be cruel and selfish.
One day a great famine came to the
land, leaving everyone short of food. The poor woodcutter was very worried as
they had only one piece of bread left. His family would soon starve.Hansel and
Gretel’s cruel stepmother made sure that she wouldn’t starve.
Wife: Tomorrow morning,
take the children to the thickest part of the forest, and leave them.
Woodcutter: O dear! What
are you talking about! I can not take my children to the forest. They will
die!
Wife: Someone may come
along and take pity on them and perhaps give them some food.
Woodcutter: But if nobody
comes!
Wife: But if they stay with
us they will starve anyway.
An author: She pleaded and
argued so much that the woodcutter was forced to agree with her evil
suggestion. Hansel and Gretel had not been able to sleep, because they were so
hungry. And they heard every word their parents had said.
Hansel: Don’t cry, Gretel,
I have thought of a plan to find our way home again.
An author: The moon was
shining brightly as Hansel climbed out of his bedroom window and jumped down
onto the path. He filled both his pockets with small white pebbles, then crept
quietly back to bed.
Early next morning, the poor
woodcutter led his children deeper and deeper into the forest.
Clever Hansel trailed behind,
pretending to be watching the birds. Every so often he let fall a shiny white
pebble from his pocket.
When it grew dark, the woodcutter
built a huge fire. His children were so tired that they fall asleep in
front of it. When they woke up, their father had gone.
Gretel: I am so frightened.
What are going to do?
Hansel:Don’t worry. Wait
until the moon comes out.
An author: Once the moon
had risen, the children could see the pebbles shining brightly on the forest
path. They followed them, and by morning they were home.
Woodcutter: O my goodness!
You are back! Praise the Lord you are save!
An author: Their father was
overjoyed to see his dear children again, but his cruel stepmother was very
angry because the plan had failed.
It wasn’t long before she began to
argue and plead with the woodcutter once more. Wife: There is not enough food
left to feed us all,.Get rid of your children, or we shall all die.
Woodcutter: My darling, you
know, children do not eat much. Let them stay with us. We will be OK.
Wife: Do not tell rubbish.
Teke them away or we will die.
An author: This time (to
make sure the woodcutter made no more mistakes), the stepmother went along to
see that Hansel and Gretel were left to die in the forest.
However, she did not notice Hansel
throwing down tiny crumbs of bread onto the forest path.
Once again, the woodcutter made
the children a roaring fire, and once again they both fell fest asleep.
When the children woke up and
found themselves alone, they began to search for the breadcrumbs. But, the
birds had eaten them all up. Poor Hansel and Gretel, they sat down and cried
themselves to sleep by the fire.
In the morning, when it grew
light, the two set off to find their way home. In fact, they were just walking
round in circles – deeper and deeper into the forest.
It was then Hansel noticed a tiny
white bird sitting on a branch.
The bird:Follow me, follow
me.
An author: It flew in front
of the children until it reach a little house.
Hansel: Look, sister, the
house is unusual. The walls are made of gingerbread and the roof of cake and
biscuits.
Gretel: I see, dear
brother. Look at the window! The windows are sugar and the doors are peppermint
sticks.
An author: Hansel and
Gretel were so hungry that they began to eat bits and pieces off the house.
Then the door opened and old woman
hobbled out. At first the children drew back in fear.
An old lady: Come inside,
my dears, and I will look after you.
An author:The old woman
cooked them a lovely dinner and showed them two little beds, covered with soft
pillows and blankets. That night the children fell asleep thinking they were
safe and sound at last.
Poor Hansel and Gretel. They had
fallen right into a trap. The old woman was really an evil witch, whose favorite
food was children!
Very early next morning, the witch
grabbed the sleeping Hansel and locked him in a cage.
Next, she shook Gretel hard.
An old lady: Wake up girl
and cook your brother a huge breakfast. When he is fat enough I shall eat him.
An author: Day after day,
Gretel had cook huge meals to fatten-up her brother.
Now, the witch was very shortsighted.
Every morning she would make Hansel stick his finger out of the cage – just to
see how much he had grown. But the boy was crafty. Instead of his finger, he
would poke a chicken bone through the bars.
An old lady: You’re still
too thin!
An author: Week after week
went by, until the witch could wait no longer.
An old lady: I shall eat
him right away!
An author: Without wasting
a moment, the old witch dragged Gretel into the kitchen. She made the terrified
girl stoke the fire until the oven was red-hot.
An old lady: Is the oven
ready for roasting?
Gretel: I cannot tell.
An old lady: Stupid girl. This
is how it’s done.
An author: The witch bent
over and stuck her head in the oven.
Gretel gave her one great push,
and the evil witch fell inside and was burnt to a crisp.
Swiftly, Gretel freed her brother
from that awful cage, and the children danced for joy.
Before they left for home, they
found a pile of gold hidden in the witch’s cottage.
Then, as if by magic, a new path
opened up through the forest. It led to a broad river where a great white duck
was waiting to take them across.
Very soon they saw their own dear
house through the trees. Their wicked stepmother had died, and their father was
a sad and sorry man.
Luckily, Hansel and Gretel soon
forgot about the wicked witch. They forgave their poor father and all lived
happily ever after.
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