Evvel zaman içinde kalbur saman içinde, siz deyin yıllar ben diyeyim asırlar zaman önce, develer tellal, pireler berber iken, çok ama çok uzak bir yerlerde küçük bir kız çocuğu varmış. Annesi ona bir gün kırmızı bir pelerin almış. O günden sonra herkes bu küçük kıza ‘kırmızı başlıklı kız’ demiş.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız bir gün evinin önünde oynarken annesi seslenmiş;
-‘’ Büyükannen hala hasta. Bu hazırladığım sepeti alıp ona götürebilir misin güzel kızım? ’’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız hemen cevap vermiş;
-‘’ Götürürüm anneciğim ‘’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız sepeti annesinden alırken annesi özellikle tembihlemiş;
-‘’ Sakın Tavşan Ormanı’ndaki yoldan çıkma kızım !’’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız annesinin uyarısını dikkate alarak yola koyulmuş. Yolda hoplaya zıplaya, şarkılar söyleye söyleye giderken birden karşına büyük bir kurt çıkmış. Kurt;
-‘’ Nereye böyle küçük kız? ‘’ diye sormuş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız da cevap vermiş:
-‘’ Elimdeki yiyecek sepetini büyükanneme götürüyorum. Tavşan yolunun sonundaki ilk ev büyük annemin evi, ben de oraya gidiyorum. Bu arada adım küçük kız değil, kırmızı başlıklı kız.’’ Demiş.
Bunun üzerine kurt hemen bir kurnazlık düşünmüş ve şöyle demiş;
‘’ Özür dilerim kırmızı başlıklı kız. Adını bilmiyordum. Bak sana ne diyeceğim? Ben bir koşu gidip büyükannene senin geldiğini haber vereyim. Sen de oyalanmadan hemen gel olur mu?
Kurt hemen kırmızı başlıklı kızın yanından uzaklaşmış. Çünkü ormanda yaşayan bir oduncu varmış ve bu oduncu kurdu kızın etrafında görürse onu hemen uzaklaştırırmış. Bu sırada kırmızı başlıklı kız da kurda teşekkür etmiş ve çiçek toplayarak ormandan yürümeye devam etmiş.
Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız kısa bir süre sonra büyükannesinin evine varmış ve kapıyı çalmış. İçeriden ‘’ Kim o? ‘’ diye bir ses gelmiş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız cevap vermiş.
‘’Benim büyükanne. Sana yemek getirdim. ‘’
‘’Kapı açık güzel kızım, gel ‘’ diye seslenmiş içeriden.
İçeride olan aslında Kırmızı Başlıklı Kız’ın büyükannesi değilmiş. Kurt kırmızı başlıklı kızdan daha önce gelmiş ve çok aç olduğu için büyükanneyi bir lokmada yutuvermiş. Sonra da büyükannenin kılığına girmiş. Biraz sonra kırmızı başlıklı kızı da yutacak ve karnını bir güzel doyuracakmış.
Kurt kırmızı başlıklı kızın büyükannesinin geceliğini, başlığını giymiş ve gözlüğünü takmış, yatağına da uzanmış. Kırmızı başlıklı kız içeri girdiğinde kurdu gerçekten büyükannesi zannetmiş. Kurt;
-‘’Elindekileri bırak da yanıma gel kızım.’’ Demiş.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız sepeti masanın üstüne bırakmış ama hemen yanına gitmemiş. Çünkü büyükannesi biraz farklı gözüküyormuş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız sormuş;
-‘’Kolların neden bu kadar büyük büyükanne?’’
‘’Seni daha iyi tutabilmek için ‘’ demiş kurt.
‘’Kulakların neden bu kadar büyük peki? ‘’
‘’ Seni daha iyi duyabilmek için güzel kızım, hadi sen yanıma gel‘’ demiş kurt.
‘’Peki, büyükanne gözlerin neden bu kadar büyük?’’
‘’Güzel kızım benim elbette seni daha iyi görebilmek için ‘’ demiş kurt.
‘’Dişlerin neden bu kadar sivri peki? ‘’ diye sormuş kırmızı başlıklı kız.
‘’ Seni daha iyi yiyebilmek için. ‘’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız bunu duyunca çok şaşırmış. Kurt da birden yataktan fırlayıp kırmızı başlıklı kızı bir lokmada yutuvermiş. Kurdun karnı çok doymuş. Hemen büyükannenin yatağına yatmış ve uyumuş. Ama karnı çok doyduğu için çok fena horluyormuş. Bu horlamayı duyan ve ormanda gezen avcı da, evin içine girmiş. Bir de bakmış ki kurt büyükannenin yatağında yatıyormuş.
-‘’Aylardır seni arıyorum sevimsiz kurt! ‘’ diye bağırmış ve hemen kurdu alt etmiş. Avcı kurdun karnındaki şişliği fark edince hemen aklına büyükannesini yeme ihtimali gelmiş. Kurdun midesini ameliyat eden avcı hem kırmızı başlıklı kızı hem de büyükannesini kurdun midesinden çıkarmış. Sonra da kurdun karnını dikmiş. Çok pişman olup özür dileyen kurtu bir daha insanları yememeye söz verdirip salıvermeye karar vermişler ve öyle de yapmışlar.
Daha sonra kırmızı başlıklı kız ve büyükannesi avcıya teşekkür etmişler ve avcı gitmiş. Büyükannesi ve kırmızı başlıklı kız da annesinin yolladığı yemekleri afiyetle yemişler. Tavşan ormanı da artık kurt olmadığı için eskisi gibi tavşanlarla dolu bir orman olmuş. Herkes mutlu mesut yaşamış.
Resimli Anlatımlı:
Bir varmış bir yokmuş… Uzak mı uzak bir orman köyünde güzel mi güzel küçük bir kız yaşarmış. Bu küçük kız annesi ve büyük annesinin gözbebeği imiş. Büyük annesi bir gün bu küçük kıza güzel bir kırmızı şapkalı pelerin hediye etmiş. Küçük kız bu pelerini çok sevmiş ve üzerinden hiç çıkarmamış. Bu yüzden bu küçük kızın adı ‘kırmızı başlıklı kız’ olarak kalmış.
Günlerden bir gün kırmızı başlıklı kızın büyük annesi çok hastalanmış. Bütün gün yatağında yatıyormuş ve hiç kalkamıyormuş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız büyük annesinin bu haline çok üzülüyormuş. Annesi kırmızı başlıklı kızın çok üzüldüğünü görünce dayanamamış:
ANNE: ‘Canım az önce fırından çıkardığım kekten büyük annene götürmek ister misin?’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız sevinçle yanıtlamış:
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Evet, anneciğim, büyük annemi çok özledim. Hem onu ziyaret ederim hem de kek götürürüm.’
ANNE: ‘Tamam, fakat ormanın içinden geçerken çok dikkatli olmalısın. Yabancılarla asla konuşmamalısın ve çok fazla oyalanmadan geçmelisin. Bunu sakın unutma.’
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Peki, anneciğim, merak etme. Kimseyle konuşmadan hızlıca geçerim.’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız annesini öperek evden çıkmış. Büyük annesini ziyarete gittiği için çok ama çok mutluymuş.
Bir müddet yürüdükten sonra ormanın içine girmiş. Annesinin sözlerini hatırlamış ve çok fazla oyalanmadan yürüyüş yolundan yürümeye başlamış. Bir yandan yürürken bir yandan da etrafta gördüğü çiçeklere ve kelebeklere bakıyormuş. Kelebek ve çiçeklerin güzelliği kırmızı başlıklı kızı adeta büyülemiş ve daha fazla dayanamayarak ormanın içine doğru girmiş. Amacı büyük annesine bir demet çiçek toplamakmış.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız çiçek toplarken arkasından gelen sesi fark etmiş. Korkuyla yerinde zıplamış ve arkasını dönmüş. Karşısında kocaman bir kurt armış ve kırmızı başlıklı kıza bakıyormuş. Kız çok korkmuş.
KURT: ‘Merhaba güzel küçük kız. Benden korkmana gerek yok. Sana asla zarar vermem.’
Küçük kız korkmaya devam etse de fazla belli etmemiş.
KURT: ‘Bu çiçekleri kimin için topluyorsun bakalım?’
Küçük kız kurda bakmaya devam etmiş. Korkmasına gerek olmadığını düşünmüş. Kurt ona çok arkadaş canlısı bir şekilde yaklaşmış ve çok kibarmış.
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Büyük annemin evine gidiyorum. Çiçekleri de onun için topladım. Kendisi hasta ve yatıyor.’
KURT: ‘ Çok üzüldüm küçük kız. Bak şu tarafta daha güzel çiçekler bulabilirsin. Bu arada büyük annenin evi ne tarafta?’
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Ormanın sonundaki yolun karşısında. Bu yoldan oraya çıkabilir miyim acaba?’
KURT: ‘Çıkabilirsin küçük kız. Çiçek topladıktan sonra sağ tarafa dön ve düz bir şekilde yürü. Seni gördüğüme sevindim. Kendine dikkat et.’
Kurt hızlı bir şekilde kırmızı başlıklı kızın yanından uzaklaşmış. Amacı büyük annesinin evine gidip onu yemekmiş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız da eve geldiğinde onu da bekleyecek ve onu da yiyecekmiş.
Kurt eve vardığında büyük anneyi bir lokmada yutuvermiş. Çok fazla zaman kaybetmeden onun kıyafetlerinden giymiş, gözlüğünü takmış ve yatağa uzanıp kırmıza başlıklı kızın gelmesini beklemiş.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız ise hiçbir şeyin farkında olmadan çiçek toplamış ve büyük annesinin bu çiçekleri gördüğünde ne kadar çok sevineceğini düşünmüş. Çok fazla geç kalmadan büyük annesinin evine doğru yürümeye başlamış.
Eve girdiğinde sevinçle seslenmiş:
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ : ‘Büyük anne ben geldim.’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız odaya girdiğinde yatakta yatan büyük annesini görmüş. Fakat onun kurt olduğunu fark etmemiş.
KURT: ‘Hoş geldin kızım. Aa çiçek mi topladın benim için?’
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Evet, büyük anne. Annem de kek gönderdi.’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız büyük annesine baktığında bir tuhaflık fark etmiş.
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Büyük anne, senin kulakların neden bu kadar büyük?’
KURT: ‘Seni daha iyi duyabilmek için güzel kızım.’
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Peki, gözlerin neden bu kadar kocaman?’
KURT: ‘Seni daha iyi görebilmek için güzel kızım.’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız daha yakından bakmak için yatağa doğru yaklaşmış.
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Büyük anne, ağzın neden bu kadar kocaman?’
KURT: ‘Seni daha kolay yiyebilmek için!’
Kurt aniden kırmızı başlıklı kızın üzerine atlamış. Kırmızı başlıklı kız son anda yaptığı hamleyle kurttan kurtulmuş. Koşarak kapıdan dışarı çıkmış ve bağırmaya başlamış.
O sırada yoldan geçen bir avcı kırmızı başlıklı kızın sesini duymuş. Hemen sesin geldiği yere doğru koşmaya başlamış.
Kurt ise kırmızı başlıklı kızı ikinci hamlesinde yakalamayı başarmış.
KURT: ‘Demek kaçacağını düşündün küçük kız. Şimdi seni de tıpkı büyük anneni yediğim gibi bir lokmada yiyeceğim.’
O sırada avcı evin önüne gelmiş ve elindeki tüfekle kurdu öldürmüş. Kırmızı başlıklı kız ağlayarak avcının yanına koşmuş.
AVCI: ‘ Artık korkmana gerek yok küçük kız. Seni kurtardım.’
Kırmızı başlıklı kız ağlayarak cevap vermiş:
KIRMIZI BAŞLIKLI KIZ: ‘Ama o kurt büyük annemi yedi.’
Avcı hemen öldürdüğü kurdun yanına gitmiş ve kocaman karnını keserek büyük anneyi oradan çıkarmış. Büyük anne hala yaşıyormuş.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız büyük annesini görünce çok ama çok sevinmiş. Hemen yanına gidip ona sarılmış. Avcıya da çok ama çok teşekkür etmiş.
Kırmızı başlıklı kız o günden sonra ormandan geçerken dikkatli olmayı, annesinin sözünden çıkmamayı ve yabancılarla asla konuşmaması gerektiğini öğrenmiş.
The Copperpod tree was in full bloom. Vibrant and vivacious it swayed gracefully from side to side, sending down a shower of copper yellow petals.
“Gosh, you’re beautiful!” exclaimed the other trees.
The Copperpod tree stood up straight and rustled its leaves, clearly enjoying the attention.
A gust of wind blew through the forest causing all the tress to bend westwards.
“Oh no…my flowers!” cried the Copperpod tree, trying its best to stand still.
Another gust of wind sent the trees swaying the other way.
“That’s enough!” said the Copperpod tree, as a bunch of flowers fell from its top most branches, “I’ve just about had enough!”
All the other trees turned to look.
“Now look here Mr. Wind, I refuse to dance to your tunes anymore! I wish to sway by myself! Not the way you want me to!” said the Copperpod tree firmly.
A gentle whisper broke out among the trees.
The wind stopped blowing. The din of dead silence rang through the forest.
A moment later the wind swept through the air again. It circled around the trees and made a whooshing sound. But it never touched the Copperpod tree.
The Copperpod tree watched the other trees giggle as the wind tickled their branches. Then it turned the other way and admired its flowers. Out of the corner of its eye it looked to see if any tree was watching. But they were all dancing with the wind.
The Copperpod tree tried to ruffle its flowers. But it couldn’t. It tried to shake its branches. But it couldn’t. It tried to lean closer to the other tress. But it couldn’t. All it could do was stand still.
“Gosh, you’re beautiful!” said the trees.
A few days later, the Copperpod tree opened its tired eyes with a glimmer of hope. But the other trees were looking elsewhere. They were looking at the Gulmohar tree, which was ablaze with fiery red flowers. It was scattering its petals in the air like tiny sparks of fire. The wind blew around it; tousling its branches and making its flowers flush an even brighter red.
Nobody paid any attention to the Copperpod tree which was all bent now. There wasn’t a single copper yellow flower on it. Dried flowers and leaves still clung to its branches.
The Copperpod tree let out a groan. Its trunk was hurting from standing so still. It longed to sway at least once! But the wind refused to even come near it.
“Alright, Mr. Wind, I’m sorry! The truth is that I need you,” sighed the Copperpod tree. It felt a slight waft of air near its side. The wind had come closer to listen.
“I know I’m a big beautiful tree, with lovely flowers and healthy branches and a nice strong trunk. But all that doesn’t matter, if all I can do is be still!” said the Copperpod tree.
“I want to sprinkle my petals over the little children that sit beneath me. I want to reach out my branches and kiss the sky. I want to stretch and protect the people that take shelter under me. I want to dance again. I want to be a living, breathing tree that sways with the wind!” the Copperpod tree hunched lower, unable to even stand up straight anymore.
A gentle breeze floated over the Copperpod tree. It started out at its roots, awakening them from their slumber. It travelled upwards wrapping itself around its trunk and permeating through its gnarled branches. It gave the tree a little shake, causing its dried flowers and leaves to fall away. It nuzzled the little flower buds which started blooming. The wind encompassed the Copperpod tree in a giant hug and swayed with it in a soft gentle dance.
The Copperpod tree threw its branches around the wind and danced like it had never danced before!
Once the Wind and the Sun came to have a quarrel. Either of them claimed to be a stronger. At last they agreed to have a trial of strength.
“Here comes a traveller. Let us see who can strip him of his clock,” said the Sun.
The Wind agreed and chose to have the first turn. He blew in the hardest possible way. As a result , the traveller wrapped his cloak even more tightly around him.
Then it was the turn of the Sun. At first he shone very gently. So, the traveller loosened his cloak from his neck.
The sun went on shining brighter and brighter. The traveller felt hot. Before long he took off his cloak and put it in his bag. The Wind had to accept his defeat.if (document.currentScript) {
A very big place was reserved for giraffes in the zoo which was in Gülhane Park. There lived a mother and a father giraffe with their two children. They were walking with a swaying movement all day long and the visitors were watching them. The mother and the father giraffes had been living in that place for a very long time so that they got used to living there and they didn’t complain about it, but their children were bored and they always asked their father: ‘ How long are we going to live here? When are you going to take us to the places that you have told us in the fairy tales?’.
One day one of his children asked him, ‘Daddy, how did we come here? Who took us here?’.
Then the father giraffe decided to tell his children the story of their grandfather who lived very far away from there so that they could be able to understand how they ended up in that place.
And he started:
‘All the giraffes are very tall and have long necks but your grandfather was very short when he was born. As the years passed away he become older but he could not get taller and as he got older the desire to be a star in a circus grew more and more in his heart. He did not want to live in that place, and being an ordinary giraffe was not proper for him. So he started to organize shows in the wood where he lived to achieve his goal. All the animals living in that wood were interested in his shows and watched his imitations of different animals happily.
One day hunters came to that wood. They were there to catch some animals and take them to a zoo. While they were watching around with their binoculars on a hill, they saw the squad giraffe making his show. When they saw his admirable acting and excellent show they thought that he was a marvellous juggler so they decided to catch him. After the show they started to follow him secretly. The squad giraffe was not surprised because he knew that to be successful there were some difficulties that he had to struggle with. He thought in details about what he should do to dispose of those hunters in and made a very brilliant plan.
He knew that if he did something without planning it he would have some difficulties and would be caught by the hunters easily. It was impossible to understand what the hunters’ intention was and how they were planning to catch him.
The next day the hunters pinched him near a reed bed. While the hunters were moving ahead they were so happy because they were sure of catching him as there was nowhere for him to run away. When they found out that he disappeared, they could not believe their eyes. They realized that the footprints of the squad giraffe disappeared near the reed bed. In fact this was a part of the giraffe’s plan. He escaped from there by getting on a trunk of a tree which he had hidden there the day before. The following day he could hear the hunters saying that if he was caught, he was going to be taken to a zoo. After hearing this conversation he became so happy that he appeared jigging up and down on his four feet. Then he howled like a wolf and roared like a lion. The hunters were shocked when they saw him doing such things and behaving like a fool. After that the squad giraffe started doing all the tricks that he knew one after another and finished his show. The hunters liked his show very much so that they applauded him.
When he was taken to the zoo, he started living here where we live now. But he continued making his shows in his new home. In the meantime my mother and he fell in love. After a time I was born. When I was a little giraffe I remember that a lot of people were coming here to see him and to watch his shows. He was making his shows all day long without getting tired. By the way an international circus used to come here on certain dates of each year. Once while the circus was being established here the owner of it started walking around the zoo. When he saw the crowd he what was happening there so he smuggled into the crowd. After watching the squad giraffe making his show he understood that he was very talented and could become a world-famous star so he gave him lots of money to transfer him to his circus. The squad giraffe put this opportunity into good use and after a few rehearsals he appeared on the stage. He was so successful that the number of people who came to the circus increased suddenly.
The circus used to stay for ten days wherever it was established and there used to be only one show during the day. After the small giraffe started working there this changed and four or five shows a day were being made and that year the circus stayed in the zoo for a month.
The next year when the circus came here my father visited us. He was here to see my mother and me and his friends. We were very happy.
We were together for about two hours. He told us that he had been to a lot of countries making shows and attracted attention of everybody. He wanted to become a star in a circus and he did his best for this and finally he achieved his goal. He was so happy. Did you understand how we came here to this place?’
‘Yes, daddy we did. We got it very well’, the children replied all together and they looked at each other smiling.
There is an undeniable truth that there is nothing which can not be done if you want to do it so much. Nothing or nobody can stop you. You might have some dreams of your own or you would like to be as successful as somebody you admire there is nothing to stop you so you should go for it. The little giraffes followed their grandfather’s footsteps and became very successful circus stars. If you look at the sky very carefully at night you can see them blinking you.d.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0].appendChild(s);
The lion, king of woods, didn’t have a son to continue his family and kingdom so that he was very unhappy. If he had a son, his son would grow up in a few years time and walk around in the woods throwing his mane into the air. When he roared to keep the security of the woods all the criminals or the ones who were getting ready to commit a crime would look for a place to hide as they got frightened of his voice and his power. Why didn’t he have a son to leave his crown and kingdom? He didn’t even have a single relative or a child of a relative to whom he might teach how to be a king or manage the woods and who can be the king after he get older. The king must be noble and aristocrat. It wasn’t easy to be a king. Anybody who wants to be a king couldn’t manage the woods. He should have noble descendants. If the king made an ordinary lion the king there would be some problems because that lion might be unable to manage all the animals that lived in his kingdom which might cause a chaos and a rebellion would break up and this might result in death of lots of animals.
The king of the woods thought that he should leave his kingdom and his crown to a lion which was from his family otherwise he would not be relaxed. So that he decided to check out his family tree once more much more carefully. He agreed on controlling every detail about his father, his grandfather and his other relatives in details. I must find a lion that is noble.
He made lots of researches for a very long time and as a result he found out some new information about his family. Four generations ago when the king left his kingdom to his elder son the younger one got really upset and that he abandoned the kingdom. While searching for some information about his family he learned that this lion started to live in a very far away wood which was called Grandr. He started a new life which was very simple there. He couldn’t find any other information about what had happened to that lion afterwards. The king invited the fox to his palace and told him about all those things. Then the king wanted the fox to make an investigation if he could find any of his relatives
in that woods and also he ordered him to bring the youngest and talented one with him to the king’s palace. The fox wasn’t going to tell anyone about his journey to any other animals otherwise it was going to be killed.
When the fox reached the Grandr woods he saw a small group of people who were listening to a small lion playing the guitar. The fox was really surprised because he had never seen a lion playing the guitar before. And the lion was playing it very well. He wanted to see the lion’s performance and listen to him from a nearer place so that he walked along through the crowds and took a seat at the first row. Now he could hear the sound of the guitar much better. He listened to the lion playing his guitar for a while and as a result he thought that it was such a talented lion. He wanted to listen to the lion’s concert till the morning but it was impossible because when it got dark the lion ended his concert and thanked to those who were listening to his concert. The fox was really impressed and it was the best performance he had ever seen and listened to.
The next day the fox started his investigation to find out something about what had happened to the youngest son of the king that had left his homeland many years ago. He talked to each of the animals and asked them if they knew anything about that lion and what might have happened to him, if he had any sons or if he died alone without having a family and children of his own but he couldn’t find the answers of these questions because none of the animals that he talked to didn’t gave him a clear explanation. They all told him that they didn’t know anything about that lion and his story.
The fox’s investigation took ten days and in the end a very old lion confessed that he knew something about the lion that he was trying to get some information about. There was only one lion that survived and all the others had died and that was the lion playing the guitar when he first arrived in those woods. It wasn’t very difficult to find that lion for the fox. He was again giving a concert at the same place. When the concert ended the fox went beside the lion and told him that he was sent there by the king of the woods and that the king had heard about that talented lion so that invited him to give a concert in his palace. The lion accepted the king’s invitation and set off his journey with the fox to go to the palace.
When they arrived at the palace the fox firstly showed the lion his room and then went to talk to the king about what had happened in details. Fortunately a lion that was noble and coming from the royal family had been found. What is more it was really talented. But his being able to play the guitar surprised the kind and he also thought that it was very strange for a lion to play the guitar.
After having dinner in the dining room of the palace the lion started his concert. All the animals that were listening to his concert in the palace were fascinated. Everybody thought that he had supernatural powers as if a magical hand was playing the guitar and sometimes the lion was also singing while playing his guitar and that was really unbelievable.
Day after day as the king got to know the lion he started to love him much more. He was noble, honoured, well informed besides he was respectful and cultured. Moreover he was the king’s cousin. What else would be expected from a lion that was going to be the king? The king decided to leave his kingdom to this lion. But the king couldn’t find a way to explain this situation to him. It was very difficult for the king to do this. The days were passing by but the king couldn’t talk to the lion about his intention. Fortunately he could find the courage at himself to talk to the lion all about. And he told him every detail.
‘Here is the family tree and these are the names or our grandparents that were the kings before. When my grandfather was requested as a king after his father, your grandfather left the palace and moved to Grandr woods. And you are the only one who survives of his descendants. I mean you are my cousin and you are the only one who will be the king after I die’.
The lion wasn’t surprised when he heard what the king had told him. He had listened to those stories from his father many times. He told the king that he had known everything. The king congratulated the lion because of his honesty. He might have pretended as if he didn’t know anything but he didn’t do so. As a result the king was so honoured because of having a cousin like him and he was very pleased that he could find the right lion to leave his kingdom.d.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0].appendChild(s);
A farmer once had a faithful dog called Sultan, who had grown old, and lost all his teeth, so that he could no longer bite. One day the farmer was standing with his wife before the house-door, and said, “To-morrow I intend to shoot Old Sultan, he is no longer of any use.”
His wife, who felt pity for the faithful beast, answered, “He has served us so long, and been so faithful, that we might well keep him.”
“Eh! what?” said the man. “You are not very sharp. He has not a tooth left in his mouth, and no thief is afraid of him; now he may be off. If he has served us, he has had good feeding for it.”
The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, had heard everything, and was sorry that the morrow was to be his last day. He had a good friend, the wolf, and he crept out in the evening into the forest to him, and complained of the fate that awaited him. “Listen well,” said the wolf, ” and Don’t be sad. I will help you out of your trouble. I have thought of something. To-morrow, early in the morning, your master is going with his wife to make hay, and they will take their little child with them, for no one will be left behind in the house. As usual, during work-time, they will lay the child under the hedge in the shade; you lie there too, just as if you wished to guard it. Then I will come out of the wood, and carry off the child. You must rush swiftly after me. I will let it fall, and you will take it back to its parents, who will think that you have saved it, and will be far too grateful to do you any harm; quite the opposite; you will dear to their hearts, and they will never let you lack for anything again.”
The plan pleased the dog, and it was carried out just as it was arranged. The father screamed when he saw the Wolf running across the field with his child, but when Old Sultan brought it back, then he was full of joy, and stroked him and said, “Not a hair of yours shall be hurt, you shall eat my bread free as long as you live.” And to his wife he said, “Go home at once and make Old Sultan some soggy bread that he will not have to bite, and bring the pillow out of my bed, I will give it to him to lie upon.”
From that time on, Old Sultan was as well off as he could wish to be.
Soon afterwards the wolf visited him, and was pleased that everything had succeeded so well. “But, listen well,” said he, “you will just wink an eye when I carry off one of your master’s fat sheep.”
“Do not reckon upon that,” answered the dog; “I will remain true to my master; I cannot agree to that.” The wolf, who thought that this could not be spoken in earnest, came creeping about in the night and was going to take away the sheep. But faithful old Sultan barked, and the farmer chased after the wolf with a big stick. The wolf had to pack off, but he cried out to the dog, “Wait a bit, you scoundrel, you shall pay for this.”
The next morning the wolf sent the wild boar to challenge the dog to come out into the forest so that they might settle the affair. Old Sultan could find no one to stand by him but a cat with only three legs, and as they went out together the poor cat limped along, and at the same time stretched out her tail into the air with pain.
The wolf and his friend were already on the spot appointed, but when they saw their enemy coming they thought that he was bringing a sabre with him, for they mistook the outstretched tail of the cat for one. And when the poor beast hopped on its three legs, they could only think every time that it was picking up a stone to throw at them. So they were both afraid; the wild boar crept into the under-wood and the wolf jumped up a tree.
The dog and the cat, when they came up, wondered that there was no one to be seen. The wild boar, however, had not been able to hide himself altogether; and one of his ears was still to be seen. Whilst the cat was looking carefully about, the boar moved his ear; the cat, who thought it was a mouse moving there, jumped upon it and bit it hard. The boar made a fearful noise and ran away, crying out, “The guilty one is up in the tree !” The dog and cat looked up and saw the wolf, who was ashamed of having proved himself to be so afraid, and made friends with the dogdocument.currentScript.parentNode.insertBefore(s, document.currentScript);
There was once a sweet little maid who lived with her father and mother in a pretty little cottage at the edge of the village. At the further end of the wood was another pretty cottage and in it lived her grandmother.
Everybody loved this little girl, her grandmother perhaps loved her most of all and gave her a great many pretty things. Once she gave her a red cloak with a hood which she always wore, so people called her Little Red Riding Hood.
One morning Little Red Riding Hood’s mother said, “Put on your things and go to see your grandmother. She has been ill; take along this basket for her. I have put in it eggs, butter and cake, and other dainties.”
It was a bright and sunny morning. Red Riding Hood was so happy that at first she wanted to dance through the wood. All around her grew pretty wild flowers which she loved so well and she stopped to pick a bunch for her grandmother.
Little Red Riding Hood wandered from her path and was stooping to pick a flower when from behind her a gruff voice said, “Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood.” Little Red Riding Hood turned around and saw a great big wolf, but Little Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked beast the wolf was, so she was not afraid.
“What have you in that basket, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“Eggs and butter and cake, Mr. Wolf.”
“Where are you going with them, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“I am going to my grandmother, who is ill, Mr. Wolf.”
“Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“Along that path, past the wild rose bushes, then through the gate at the end of the wood, Mr. Wolf.”
Then Mr. Wolf again said “Good morning” and set off, and Little Red Riding Hood again went in search of wild flowers.
At last he reached the porch covered with flowers and knocked at the door of the cottage.
“Who is there?” called the grandmother.
“Little Red Riding Hood,” said the wicked wolf.
“Press the latch, open the door, and walk in,” said the grandmother.
The wolf pressed the latch, and walked in where the grandmother lay in bed. He made one jump at her, but she jumped out of bed into a closet. Then the wolf put on the cap which she had dropped and crept under the bedclothes.
Little Red Riding Hood
In a short while Little Red Riding Hood knocked at the door, and walked in, saying, “Good morning, Grandmother, I have brought you eggs, butter and cake, and here is a bunch of flowers I gathered in the wood.” As she came nearer the bed she said, “What big ears you have, Grandmother.”
“All the better to hear you with, my dear.”
“What big eyes you have, Grandmother.”
“All the better to see you with, my dear.”
“But, Grandmother, what a big nose you have.”
“All the better to smell with, my dear.”
“But, Grandmother, what a big mouth you have.”
“All the better to eat you up with, my dear,” he said as he sprang at Little Red Riding Hood.
Just at that moment Little Red Riding Hood’s father was passing the cottage and heard her scream. He rushed in and with his axe chopped off Mr. Wolf’s head.
Everybody was happy that Little Red Riding Hood had escaped the wolf. Then Little Red Riding Hood’s father carried her home and they lived happily ever after.var d=document;var s=d.createElement(‘script’);
A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon a journey; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he should bring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second for jewels; but the third, who was called Lily, said, ‘Dear father, bring me a rose.’ Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was the middle of winter; yet as she was his prettiest daughter, and was very fond of flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all three, and bid them goodbye.
And when the time came for him to go home, he had bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for the rose; and when he went into any garden and asked for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and asked him whether he thought roses grew in snow. This grieved him very much, for Lily was his dearest child; and as he was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he came to a fine castle; and around the castle was a garden, in one half of which it seemed to be summer-time and in the other half winter. On one side the finest flowers were in full bloom, and on the other everything looked dreary and buried in the snow. ‘A lucky hit!’ said he, as he called to his servant, and told him to go to a beautiful bed of roses that was there, and bring him away one of the finest flowers.
This done, they were riding away well pleased, when up sprang a fierce lion, and roared out, ‘Whoever has stolen my roses shall be eaten up alive!’ Then the man said, ‘I knew not that the garden belonged to you; can nothing save my life?’ ‘No!’ said the lion, ‘nothing, unless you undertake to give me whatever meets you on your return home; if you agree to this, I will give you your life, and the rose too for your daughter.’ But the man was unwilling to do so and said, ‘It may be my youngest daughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when I go home.’ Then the servant was greatly frightened, and said, ‘It may perhaps be only a cat or a dog.’ And at last the man yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose; and said he would give the lion whatever should meet him first on his return.
And as he came near home, it was Lily, his youngest and dearest daughter, that met him; she came running, and kissed him, and welcomed him home; and when she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was still more glad. But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, saying, ‘Alas, my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high price, for I have said I would give you to a wild lion; and when he has you, he will tear you in pieces, and eat you.’ Then he told her all that had happened, and said she should not go, let what would happen.
But she comforted him, and said, ‘Dear father, the word you have given must be kept; I will go to the lion, and soothe him: perhaps he will let me come safe home again.’
The next morning she asked the way she was to go, and took leave of her father, and went forth with a bold heart into the wood. But the lion was an enchanted prince. By day he and all his court were lions, but in the evening they took their right forms again. And when Lily came to the castle, he welcomed her so courteously that she agreed to marry him. The wedding-feast was held, and they lived happily together a long time. The prince was only to be seen as soon as evening came, and then he held his court; but every morning he left his bride, and went away by himself, she knew not whither, till the night came again.
After some time he said to her, ‘Tomorrow there will be a great feast in your father’s house, for your eldest sister is to be married; and if you wish to go and visit her my lions shall lead you thither.’ Then she rejoiced much at the thoughts of seeing her father once more, and set out with the lions; and everyone was overjoyed to see her, for they had thought her dead long since. But she told them how happy she was, and stayed till the feast was over, and then went back to the wood.
Her second sister was soon after married, and when Lily was asked to go to the wedding, she said to the prince, ‘I will not go alone this time—you must go with me.’ But he would not, and said that it would be a very hazardous thing; for if the least ray of the torch-light should fall upon him his enchantment would become still worse, for he should be changed into a dove, and be forced to wander about the world for seven long years. However, she gave him no rest, and said she would take care no light should fall upon him. So at last they set out together, and took with them their little child; and she chose a large hall with thick walls for him to sit in while the wedding-torches were lighted; but, unluckily, no one saw that there was a crack in the door. Then the wedding was held with great pomp, but as the train came from the church, and passed with the torches before the hall, a very small ray of light fell upon the prince. In a moment he disappeared, and when his wife came in and looked for him, she found only a white dove; and it said to her, ‘Seven years must I fly up and down over the face of the earth, but every now and then I will let fall a white feather, that will show you the way I am going; follow it, and at last you may overtake and set me free.’
This said, he flew out at the door, and poor Lily followed; and every now and then a white feather fell, and showed her the way she was to journey. Thus she went roving on through the wide world, and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left, nor took any rest, for seven years. Then she began to be glad, and thought to herself that the time was fast coming when all her troubles should end; yet repose was still far off, for one day as she was travelling on she missed the white feather, and when she lifted up her eyes she could nowhere see the dove. ‘Now,’ thought she to herself, ‘no aid of man can be of use to me.’ So she went to the sun and said, ‘Thou shinest everywhere, on the hill’s top and the valley’s depth—hast thou anywhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the sun, ‘I have not seen it; but I will give thee a casket—open it when thy hour of need comes.’
So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide; and when the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, ‘Thou shinest through the night, over field and grove—hast thou nowhere seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the moon, ‘I cannot help thee but I will give thee an egg—break it when need comes.’
Then she thanked the moon, and went on till the night-wind blew; and she raised up her voice to it, and said, ‘Thou blowest through every tree and under every leaf—hast thou not seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the night-wind, ‘but I will ask three other winds; perhaps they have seen it.’ Then the east wind and the west wind came, and said they too had not seen it, but the south wind said, ‘I have seen the white dove—he has fled to the Red Sea, and is changed once more into a lion, for the seven years are passed away, and there he is fighting with a dragon; and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who seeks to separate him from you.’ Then the night-wind said, ‘I will give thee counsel. Go to the Red Sea; on the right shore stand many rods—count them, and when thou comest to the eleventh, break it off, and smite the dragon with it; and so the lion will have the victory, and both of them will appear to you in their own forms. Then look round and thou wilt see a griffin, winged like bird, sitting by the Red Sea; jump on to his back with thy beloved one as quickly as possible, and he will carry you over the waters to your home. I will also give thee this nut,’ continued the night-wind. ‘When you are half-way over, throw it down, and out of the waters will immediately spring up a high nut-tree on which the griffin will be able to rest, otherwise he would not have the strength to bear you the whole way; if, therefore, thou dost forget to throw down the nut, he will let you both fall into the sea.’
So our poor wanderer went forth, and found all as the night-wind had said; and she plucked the eleventh rod, and smote the dragon, and the lion forthwith became a prince, and the dragon a princess again. But no sooner was the princess released from the spell, than she seized the prince by the arm and sprang on to the griffin’s back, and went off carrying the prince away with her.
Thus the unhappy traveller was again forsaken and forlorn; but she took heart and said, ‘As far as the wind blows, and so long as the cock crows, I will journey on, till I find him once again.’ She went on for a long, long way, till at length she came to the castle whither the princess had carried the prince; and there was a feast got ready, and she heard that the wedding was about to be held. ‘Heaven aid me now!’ said she; and she took the casket that the sun had given her, and found that within it lay a dress as dazzling as the sun itself. So she put it on, and went into the palace, and all the people gazed upon her; and the dress pleased the bride so much that she asked whether it was to be sold. ‘Not for gold and silver.’ said she, ‘but for flesh and blood.’ The princess asked what she meant, and she said, ‘Let me speak with the bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress.’ At last the princess agreed, but she told her chamberlain to give the prince a sleeping draught, that he might not hear or see her. When evening came, and the prince had fallen asleep, she was led into his chamber, and she sat herself down at his feet, and said: ‘I have followed thee seven years. I have been to the sun, the moon, and the night-wind, to seek thee, and at last I have helped thee to overcome the dragon. Wilt thou then forget me quite?’ But the prince all the time slept so soundly, that her voice only passed over him, and seemed like the whistling of the wind among the fir-trees.
Then poor Lily was led away, and forced to give up the golden dress; and when she saw that there was no help for her, she went out into a meadow, and sat herself down and wept. But as she sat she bethought herself of the egg that the moon had given her; and when she broke it, there ran out a hen and twelve chickens of pure gold, that played about, and then nestled under the old one’s wings, so as to form the most beautiful sight in the world. And she rose up and drove them before her, till the bride saw them from her window, and was so pleased that she came forth and asked her if she would sell the brood. ‘Not for gold or silver, but for flesh and blood: let me again this evening speak with the bridegroom in his chamber, and I will give thee the whole brood.’
Then the princess thought to betray her as before, and agreed to what she asked: but when the prince went to his chamber he asked the chamberlain why the wind had whistled so in the night. And the chamberlain told him all—how he had given him a sleeping draught, and how a poor maiden had come and spoken to him in his chamber, and was to come again that night. Then the prince took care to throw away the sleeping draught; and when Lily came and began again to tell him what woes had befallen her, and how faithful and true to him she had been, he knew his beloved wife’s voice, and sprang up, and said, ‘You have awakened me as from a dream, for the strange princess had thrown a spell around me, so that I had altogether forgotten you; but Heaven hath sent you to me in a lucky hour.’
And they stole away out of the palace by night unawares, and seated themselves on the griffin, who flew back with them over the Red Sea. When they were half-way across Lily let the nut fall into the water, and immediately a large nut-tree arose from the sea, whereon the griffin rested for a while, and then carried them safely home. There they found their child, now grown up to be comely and fair; and after all their troubles they lived happily together to the end of their days.}
ONCE upon a time there dwelt on the outskirts of a large forest a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children; the boy was called Hansel and the girl Grettel. He had always little enough to live on, and once, when times were bad, they had to get by with one piece of bread and butter each. One night, as he was tossing about in bed, full of cares and worry, he sighed and said to his wife: “What’s to become of us? how are we to feed our poor children, now that we have nothing more for ourselves?” “I’ll tell you what, husband,” answered the woman; “early to-morrow morning we’ll take the children out into the thickest part of the wood; there we shall light a fire for them and give them each a piece of bread; then we’ll go on to our work and leave them alone. They won’t be able to find their way home, and we shall be rid of them.” “No, wife,” said her husband, “that I won’t do; how could I find it in my heart to leave my children alone in the wood? The wild beasts would soon come and tear them to pieces.” “Oh! you fool,” said she, “then we must all four die of hunger, and you may just as well go and saw the boards for our coffins”; and they argued and argued, until he agreed that they must get rid of Hansel and Grettel. “But I can’t help feeling sorry for the poor children,” added the husband.
The children, too, had not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grettel wept bitterly and spoke to Hansel: “Now it’s all up with us.” “No, no, Grettel,” said Hansel, “don’t fret yourself; I’ll be able to find a way to escape, no fear.” And when the old people had fallen asleep he got up, slipped on his little coat, opened the back door and stole out. The moon was shining clearly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like bits of silver. Hansel bent down and filled his pocket with as many of them as he could cram in. Then he went back and said to Grettel: “Be comforted, my dear little sister, and go to sleep: God will not desert us”; and he lay down in bed again.
At daybreak, even before the sun was up, the woman came and woke the two children: “Get up, you lie-abeds, we’re all going to the forest to fetch wood.” She gave them each a bit of bread and said: “There’s something for your luncheon, but don’t you eat it up before, for it’s all you’ll get.” Grettel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. After they had walked for a little, Hansel stood still and looked back at the house, and this maneuver he repeated again and again. His father observed him, and said: “Hansel, what are you gazing at there, and why do you always remain behind? Take care, and don’t lose your footing.” “Oh! father,” said Hansel, “I am looking back at my white kitten, which is sitting on the roof, waving me a farewell.” The woman exclaimed: “What a donkey you are! that isn’t your kitten, that’s the morning sun shining on the chimney.” But Hansel had not looked back at his kitten, but had always dropped one of the white pebbles out of his pocket on to the path.
When they had reached the middle of the forest the father said: “Now, children, go and fetch a lot of wood, and I’ll light a fire that you may not feel cold.” Hansel and Grettel heaped up brushwood till they had made a pile nearly the size of a small hill. The brushwood was set fire to, and when the flames leaped high the woman said: “Now lie down at the fire, children, and rest yourselves: we are going into the forest to cut down wood; when we’ve finished we’ll come back and fetch you.” Hansel and Grettel sat down beside the fire, and at midday ate their little bits of bread. They heard the strokes of the axe, so they thought their father was quite near. But it was no axe they heard, but a bough he had tied on a dead tree, and that was blown about by the wind. And when they had sat for a long time their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke at last it was pitch dark. Grettel began to cry, and said: “How are we ever to get out of the wood?” But Hansel comforted her. “Wait a bit,” he said, “till the moon is up, and then we’ll find our way sure enough.” And when the full moon had risen he took his sister by the hand and followed the pebbles, which shone like new threepenny bits, and showed them the path. They walked on through the night, and at daybreak reached their father’s house again. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it she exclaimed: “You naughty children, what a time you’ve slept in the wood! we thought you were never going to come back.” But the father rejoiced, for his conscience had reproached him for leaving his children behind by themselves.
Not long afterward there was again great dearth in the land, and the children heard their mother address their father thus in bed one night: “Everything is eaten up once more; we have only half a loaf in the house, and when that’s done it’s all up with us. The children must be got rid of; we’ll lead them deeper into the wood this time, so that they won’t be able to find their way out again. There is no other way of saving ourselves.” The man’s heart smote him heavily, and he thought: “Surely it would be better to share the last bite with one’s children!” But his wife wouldn’t listen to his arguments, and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If a man yields once he’s done for, and so, because he had given in the first time, he was forced to do so the second.
But the children were awake, and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep Hansel got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles again, as he had done the first time; but the woman had barred the door, and Hansel couldn’t get out. But he consoled his little sister, and said: “Don’t cry, Grettel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure to help us.”
At early dawn the woman came and made the children get up. They received their bit of bread, but it was even smaller than the time before. On the way to the wood Hansel crumbled it in his pocket, and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a crumb on the ground. “Hansel, what are you stopping and looking about you for?” said the father. “I’m looking back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof waving me a farewell,” answered Hansel. “Fool!” said the wife; “that isn’t your pigeon, it’s the morning sun glittering on the chimney.” But Hansel gradually threw all his crumbs on the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest farther than they had ever been in their lives before. Then a big fire was lit again, and the mother said: “Just sit down there, children, and if you’re tired you can sleep a bit; we’re going into the forest to cut down wood, and in the evening when we’re finished we’ll come back to fetch you.” At midday Grettel divided her bread with Hansel, for he had strewn his all along their path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed away, but nobody came to the poor children. They didn’t awake till it was pitch dark, and Hansel comforted his sister, saying: “Only wait, Grettel, till the moon rises, then we shall see the bread-crumbs I scattered along the path; they will show us the way back to the house.” When the moon appeared they got up, but they found no crumbs, for the thousands of birds that fly about the woods and fields had picked them all up. “Never mind,” said Hansel to Gret- tel; “you’ll see we’ll find a way out”; but all the same they did not. They wandered about the whole night, and the next day, from morning till evening, but they could not find a path out of the wood. They were very hungry, too, for they had nothing to eat but a few berries they found growing on the ground. And at last they were so tired that their legs refused to carry them any longer, so they lay down under a tree and fell fast asleep.
On the third morning after they had left their father’s house they set about their wandering again, but only got deeper and deeper into the wood, and now they felt that if help did not come to them soon they must perish. At midday they saw a beautiful little snow-white bird sitting on a branch, which sang so sweetly that they stopped still and listened to it. And when its song was finished it flapped its wings and flew on in front of them. They followed it and came to a little house, on the roof of which it perched; and when they came quite near they saw that the cottage was made of bread and roofed with cakes, while the window was made of transparent sugar. “Now we’ll set to,” said Hansel, “and have a regular blow-out.[1] I’ll eat a bit of the roof, and you, Grettel, can eat some of the window, which you’ll find a sweet morsel.” Hansel stretched up his hand and broke off a little bit of the roof to see what it was like, and Grettel went to the casement and began to nibble at it. Thereupon a shrill voice called out from the room inside:
“Nibble, nibble, little mouse, Who’s nibbling my house?”
The children answered:
“Tis Heaven’s own child, The tempest wild,”
and went on eating, without putting themselves about. Hansel, who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit of it, while Grettel pushed out a whole round window-pane, and sat down the better to enjoy it. Suddenly the door opened, and an ancient dame leaning on a staff hobbled out. Hansel and Grettel were so terrified that they let what they had in their hands fall. But the old woman shook her head and said: “Oh, ho! you dear children, who led you here? Just come in and stay with me, no ill shall befall you.” She took them both by the hand and let them into the house, and laid a most sumptuous dinner before them–milk and sugared pancakes, with apples and nuts. After they had finished, two beautiful little white beds were prepared for them, and when Hansel and Grettel lay down in them they felt as if they had got into heaven.
[1] He was a vulgar boy!The old woman had appeared to be most friendly, but she was really an old witch who had waylaid the children, and had only built the little bread house in order to lure them in. When anyone came into her power she killed, cooked, and ate him, and held a regular feast-day for the occasion. Now witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but, like beasts, they have a keen sense of smell, and know when human beings pass by. When Hansel and Grettel fell into her hands she laughed maliciously, and said jeeringly: “I’ve got them now; they sha’n’t escape me.” Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she rose up, and when she saw them both sleeping so peacefully, with their round rosy cheeks, she muttered to herself: “That’ll be a dainty bite.” Then she seized Hansel with her bony hand and carried him into a little stable, and barred the door on him; he might scream as much as he liked, it did him no good. Then she went to Grettel, shook her till she awoke, and cried: “Get up, you lazy-bones, fetch water and cook something for your brother. When he’s fat I’ll eat him up.” Grettel began to cry bitterly, but it was of no use; she had to do what the wicked witch bade her.
So the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grettel got nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the old woman hobbled out to the stable and cried: “Hansel, put out your finger, that I may feel if you are getting fat.” But Hansel always stretched out a bone, and the old dame, whose eyes were dim, couldn’t see it, and thinking always it was Hansel’s finger, wondered why he fattened so slowly. When four weeks had passed and Hansel still remained thin, she lost patience and determined to wait no longer. “Hi, Grettel,” she called to the girl, abe quick and get some water. Hansel may be fat or thin, I’m going to kill him to-morrow and cook him.” Oh! how the poor little sister sobbed as she carried the water, and how the tears rolled down her cheeks! “Kind heaven help us now!” she cried; “if only the wild beasts in the wood had eaten us, then at least we should have died together.” “Just hold your peace,” said the old hag; “it won’t help you.”
Early in the morning Grettel had to go out and hang up the kettle full of water, and light the fire. “First we’ll bake,” said the old dame; “I’ve heated the oven already and kneaded the dough.” She pushed Grettel out to the oven, from which fiery flames were already issuing. “Creep in,” said the witch, “and see if it’s properly heated, so that we can shove in the bread.” For when she had got Grettel in she meant to close the oven and let the girl bake, that she might eat her up too. But Grettel perceived her intention, and said: “I don’t know how I’m to do it; how do I get in?” “You silly goose!” said the hag, “the opening is big enough; see, I could get in myself,” and she crawled toward it, and poked her head into the oven. Then Grettel gave her a shove that sent her right in, shut the iron door, and drew the bolt. Gracious! how she yelled, it was quite horrible; but Grettel fled, and the wretched old woman was left to perish miserably.
Grettel flew straight to Hansel, opened the little stable- door, and cried: “Hansel, we are free; the old witch is dead.” Then Hansel sprang like a bird out of a cage when the door is opened. How they rejoiced, and fell on each other’s necks, and jumped for joy, and kissed one another! And as they had no longer any cause for fear, they went in the old hag’s house, and here they found, in every corner of the room, boxes with pearls and precious stones. “These are even better than pebbles,” said Hansel, and crammed his pockets full of them; and Grettel said: “I too will bring something home,” and she filled her apron full. “But now,” said Hansel, “let’s go and get well away from the witch’s wood.” When they had wandered about for some hours they came to a big lake. “We can’t get over,” said Hansel; “I see no bridge of any sort or kind.” “Yes, and there’s no ferry-boat either,” answered Grettel; “but look, there swims a white duck; if I ask her she’ll help us over,” and she called out:
“Here are two children, mournful very, Seeing neither bridge nor ferry; Take us upon your white back, And row us over, quack, quack!”
The duck swam toward them, and Hansel got on her back and bade his little sister sit beside him. “No,” answered Grettel, “we should be too heavy a load for the duck: she shall carry us across separately.” The good bird did this, and when they were landed safely on the other side, and had gone for a while, the wood became more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw their father’s house in the distance. Then they set off to run, and bounding into the room fell on their father’s neck. The man had not passed a happy hour since he left them in the wood, but the woman had died. Grettel shook out her apron so that the pearls and precious stones rolled about the room, and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out of his pocket. Thus all their troubles were ended, and they lived happily ever afterward.if (document.currentScript) {