Hansel and Gretel

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

Next to a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy's name was Hansel and the girl's name was Gretel. He had but little to eat, and once, when a great famine came to the land, he could no longer provide even their daily bread.

One evening as he was lying in bed worrying about his problems, he sighed and said to his wife, "What is to become of us? How can we feed our children when we have nothing for ourselves?"

"Man, do you know what?" answered the woman. "Early tomorrow morning we will take the two children out into the thickest part of the woods, make a fire for them, and give each of them a little piece of bread, then leave them by themselves and go off to our work. They will not find their way back home, and we will be rid of them."

"No, woman," said the man. "I will not do that. How could I bring myself to abandon my own children alone in the woods? Wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces."

"Oh, you fool," she said, "then all four of us will starve. All you can do is to plane the boards for our coffins." And she gave him no peace until he agreed.

"But I do feel sorry for the poor children," said the man.

The two children had not been able to fall asleep because of their hunger, and they heard what the stepmother had said to the father.

Gretel cried bitter tears and said to Hansel, "It is over with us!"

"Be quiet, Gretel," said Hansel, "and don't worry. I know what to do."

And as soon as the adults had fallen asleep, he got up, pulled on his jacket, opened the lower door, and crept outside. The moon was shining brightly, and the white pebbles in front of the house were glistening like silver coins. Hansel bent over and filled his jacket pockets with them, as many as would fit.

Then he went back into the house and said, "Don't worry, Gretel. Sleep well. God will not forsake us." Then he went back to bed.

At daybreak, even before sunrise, the woman came and woke the two children. "Get up, you lazybones. We are going into the woods to fetch wood." Then she gave each one a little piece of bread, saying, "Here is something for midday. Don't eat it any sooner, for you'll not get any more."

Gretel put the bread under her apron, because Hansel's pockets were full of stones. Then all together they set forth into the woods. After they had walked a little way, Hansel began stopping again and again and looking back toward the house.

The father said, "Hansel, why are you stopping and looking back? Pay attention now, and don't forget your legs."

"Oh, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my white cat that is sitting on the roof and wants to say good-bye to me."

The woman said, "You fool, that isn't your cat. That's the morning sun shining on the chimney."

However, Hansel had not been looking at his cat but instead had been dropping the shiny pebbles from his pocket onto the path.

When they arrived in the middle of the woods, the father said, "You children gather some wood, and I will make a fire so you won't freeze."

Hansel and Gretel gathered together some twigs, a pile as high as a small mountain

The twigs were set afire, and when the flames were burning well, the woman said, "Lie down by the fire and rest. We will go into the woods to cut wood. When we are finished, we will come back and get you."

Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire. When midday came each one ate his little piece of bread. Because they could hear the blows of an ax, they thought that the father was nearby. However, it was not an ax. It was a branch that he had tied to a dead tree and that the wind was beating back and forth. After they had sat there a long time, their eyes grew weary and closed, and they fell sound sleep.

When they finally awoke, it was dark at night. Gretel began to cry and said, "How will we get out of woods?"

Hansel comforted her, "Wait a little until the moon comes up, and then we'll find the way."

After the full moon had come up, Hansel took his little sister by the hand. They followed the pebbles that glistened there like newly minted coins, showing them the way. They walked throughout the entire night, and as morning was breaking, they arrived at the father's house.

They knocked on the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said, "You wicked children, why did you sleep so long in the woods? We thought that you did not want to come back."

But the father was overjoyed when he saw his children once more, for he had not wanted to leave them alone.

Not long afterward there was once again great need everywhere, and one evening the children heard the mother say to the father, "We have again eaten up everything. We have only a half loaf of bread, and then the song will be over. We must get rid of the children. We will take them deeper into the woods, so they will not find their way out. Otherwise there will be no help for us."

The man was very disheartened, and he thought, "It would be better to share the last bit with the children."

But the woman would not listen to him, scolded him, and criticized him. He who says A must also say B, and because he had given in the first time, he had to do so the second time as well.

The children were still awake and had overheard the conversation. When the adults were asleep, Hansel got up again and wanted to gather pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. But he comforted his little sister and said, "Don't cry, Gretel. Sleep well. God will help us."

Early the next morning the woman came and got the children from their beds. They received their little pieces of bread, even less than the last time. On the way to the woods, Hansel crumbled his piece in his pocket, then often stood still, and threw crumbs onto the ground.

"Hansel, why are you always stopping and looking around?" said his father. "Keep walking straight ahead."

"I can see my pigeon sitting on the roof. It wants to say good-bye to me."

"Fool," said the woman, "that isn't your pigeon. That's the morning sun shining on the chimney."

But little by little Hansel dropped all the crumbs onto the path. The woman took them deeper into the woods than they had ever been in their whole lifetime.

Once again a large fire was made, and the mother said, "Sit here, children. If you get tired you can sleep a little. We are going into the woods to cut wood. We will come and get you in the evening when we are finished."

When it was midday Gretel shared her bread with Hansel, who had scattered his piece along the path. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed, but no one came to get the poor children.#p#

It was dark at night when they awoke, and Hansel comforted Gretel and said, "Wait, when the moon comes up I will be able to see the crumbs of bread that I scattered, and they will show us the way back home."

When the moon appeared they got up, but they could not find any crumbs, for the many thousands of birds that fly about in the woods and in the fields had pecked them up.

Hansel said to Gretel, "We will find our way," but they did not find it.

They walked through the entire night and the next day from morning until evening, but they did not find their way out of the woods. They were terribly hungry, for they had eaten only a few small berries that were growing on the ground. And because they were so tired that their legs would no longer carry them, they lay down under a tree and fell asleep. It was already the third morning since they had left the father's house. They started walking again, but managed only to go deeper and deeper into the woods. If help did not come soon, they would perish. At midday they saw a little snow-white bird sitting on a branch. It sang so beautifully that they stopped to listen. When it was finished it stretched its wings and flew in front of them. They followed it until they came to a little house. The bird sat on the roof, and when they came closer, they saw that the little house was built entirely from bread with a roof made of cake, and the windows were made of clear sugar.

"Let's help ourselves to a good meal," said Hansel. "I'll eat a piece of the roof, and Gretel, you eat from the window. That will be sweet."

Hansel reached up and broke off a little of the roof to see how it tasted, while Gretel stood next to the windowpanes and was nibbling at them. Then a gentle voice called out from inside:

Nibble, nibble, little mouse, Who is nibbling at my house? The children answered:

The wind, the wind, The heavenly child. They continued to eat, without being distracted. Hansel, who very much like the taste of the roof, tore down another large piece, and Gretel poked out an entire round windowpane. Suddenly the door opened, and a woman, as old as the hills and leaning on a crutch, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so frightened that they dropped what they were holding in their hands.

But the old woman shook her head and said, "Oh, you dear children, who brought you here? Just come in and stay with me. No harm will come to you."

She took them by the hand and led them into her house. Then she served them a good meal: milk and pancakes with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterward she made two nice beds for them, decked in white. Hansel and Gretel went to bed, thinking they were in heaven. But the old woman had only pretended to be friendly. She was a wicked witch who was lying in wait there for children. She had built her house of bread only in order to lure them to her, and if she captured one, she would kill him, cook him, and eat him; and for her that was a day to celebrate.

Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far, but they have a sense of smell like animals, and know when humans are approaching.

When Hansel and Gretel came near to her, she laughed wickedly and spoke scornfully, "Now I have them. They will not get away from me again."

Early the next morning, before they awoke, she got up, went to their beds, and looked at the two of them lying there so peacefully, with their full red cheeks. "They will be a good mouthful," she mumbled to herself. Then she grabbed Hansel with her withered hand and carried him to a little stall, where she locked him behind a cage door. Cry as he might, there was no help for him.

Then she shook Gretel and cried, "Get up, lazybones! Fetch water and cook something good for your brother. He is locked outside in the stall and is to be fattened up. When he is fat I am going to eat him."

Gretel began to cry, but it was all for nothing. She had to do what the witch demanded. Now Hansel was given the best things to eat every day, but Gretel received nothing but crayfish shells.

Every morning the old woman crept out to the stall and shouted, "Hansel, stick out your finger, so I can feel if you are fat yet."

But Hansel stuck out a little bone, and the old woman, who had bad eyes and could not see the bone, thought it was Hansel's finger, and she wondered why he didn't get fat.

When four weeks had passed and Hansel was still thin, impatience overcame her, and she would wait no longer. "Hey, Gretel!" she shouted to the girl, "Hurry up and fetch some water. Whether Hansel is fat or thin, tomorrow I am going to slaughter him and boil him."

Oh, how the poor little sister sobbed as she was forced to carry the water, and how the tears streamed down her cheeks! "Dear God, please help us," she cried. "If only the wild animals had devoured us in the woods, then we would have died together."

"Save your slobbering," said the old woman. "It doesn't help you at all."

The next morning Gretel had to get up early, hang up the kettle with water, and make a fire.

"First we are going to bake," said the old woman. "I have already made a fire in the oven and kneaded the dough."

She pushed poor Gretel outside to the oven, from which fiery flames were leaping. "Climb in," said the witch, "and see if it is hot enough to put the bread in yet." And when Gretel was inside, she intended to close the oven, and bake her, and eat her as well.

But Gretel saw what she had in mind, so she said, "I don't know how to do that. How can I get inside?"

"Stupid goose," said the old woman. The opening is big enough. See, I myself could get in." And she crawled up stuck her head into the oven.

Then Gretel gave her a shove, causing her to fall in. Then she closed the iron door and secured it with a bar. The old woman began to howl frightfully. But Gretel ran away, and the godless witch burned up miserably. Gretel ran straight to Hansel, unlocked his stall, and cried, "Hansel, we are saved. The old witch is dead."

Then Hansel jumped out, like a bird from its cage when someone opens its door. How happy they were! They threw their arms around each other's necks, jumped with joy, and kissed one another. Because they now had nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house. In every corner were chests of pearls and precious stones.

"These are better than pebbles," said Hansel, filling his pockets.

Gretel said, "I will take some home with me as well," and she filled her apron full.

"But now we must leave," said Hansel, "and get out of these witch-woods."

After walking a few hours they arrived at a large body of water. "We cannot get across," said Hansel. "I cannot see a walkway or a bridge."

"There are no boats here," answered Gretel, "but there is a white duck swimming. If I ask it, it will help us across."

Then she called out: Duckling, duckling, Here stand Gretel and Hansel. Neither a walkway nor a bridge, Take us onto your white back. The duckling came up to them, and Hansel climbed onto it, then asked his little sister to sit down next to him.

"No," answered Gretel. "That would be too heavy for the duckling. It should take us across one at a time."

That is what the good animal did, and when they were safely on the other side, and had walked on a little while, the woods grew more and more familiar to them, and finally they saw the father's house in the distance. They began to run, rushed inside, and threw their arms around the father's neck.

The man had not had even one happy hour since he had left the children in the woods. However, the woman had died. Gretel shook out her apron, scattering pearls and precious stones around the room, and Hansel added to them by throwing one handful after the other from his pockets.

Now all their cares were at an end, and they lived happily together.

My tale is done, A mouse has run. And whoever catches it can make for himself from it a large, large fur cap. #p#

在大森林的边上，住着一个贫穷的樵夫，他妻子和两个孩子与他相依为命。他的儿子名叫汉赛尔，女儿名叫格莱特。他们家里原本就缺吃少喝，而这一年正好遇上国内物价飞涨，樵夫一家更是吃了上顿没下顿，连每天的麵包也无法保证。这天夜里，愁得辗转难眠的樵夫躺在床上大伤脑筋，他又是歎气，又是呻吟。终於他对妻子说：「咱们怎么办哪！自己都没有一点吃的，又拿甚么去养咱们那可怜的孩子啊？」

「听我说，孩子他爹，」他老婆回答道：「明天大清早咱们就把孩子们带到远远的密林中去，在那儿给他们生一堆火，再给他们每人一小块麵包，然后咱们就假装去干咱们的活，把他们单独留在那儿。他们不认识路，回不了家，咱们就不用再养他们啦。」

「不行啊，老婆，」樵夫说：「我不能这么干啊。我怎么忍心把我的孩子丢在丛林里喂野兽呢！」

「哎，你这个笨蛋，」他老婆说，「不这样的话，咱们四个全都得饿死！」接着她又叽哩呱啦、没完没了地劝他，最后，他也就只好默许了。

那时两个孩子正饿得无法入睡，正好听见了继母与父亲的全部对话。听见继母对父亲的建议，格莱特伤心地哭了起来，对汉赛尔说：「这下咱俩可全完了。」

「别吱声，格莱特，」汉赛尔安慰她说，「放心吧，我会有办法的。」

等两个大人睡熟后，他便穿上小外衣，打开后门偷偷溜到了房外。这时月色正明，皎洁的月光照得房前空地上的那些白色小石子闪闪发光，就像是一块块银币。汉赛尔蹲下身，尽力在外衣口袋里塞满白石子。然后他回屋对格莱特说：「放心吧，小妹，只管好好睡觉就是了，上帝会与我们同在的。」

说完，他回到了他的小床上睡觉。

天刚破晓，太阳还未跃出地平线，那个女人就叫醒了两个孩子，「快起来，快起来，你们这两个懒虫！」她嚷道，「我们要进山砍柴去了。」说着，她给一个孩子一小块麵包，并告诫他们说：「这是你们的午饭，可别提前吃掉了，因为你们再也甭想得到任何东西了。」格莱特接过麵包藏在她的围裙底下，因为汉赛尔的口袋里这时塞满了白石子。

随后，他们全家就朝着森林进发了。汉赛尔总是走一会儿便停下来回头看看自己的家，走一会儿便停下来回头看自己的家。他的父亲见了便说：「汉赛尔，你老是回头瞅甚么？

专心走你的路。」

「哦，爸爸，」汉赛尔回答说：「我在看我的白猫呢，他高高地蹲在屋顶上，想跟我说'再见'呢！」

「那不是你的小猫，小笨蛋，」继母讲，「那是早晨的阳光照在烟囱上。」其实汉赛尔并不是真的在看小猫，他是悄悄地把亮亮的白石子从口袋里掏出来，一粒一粒地丢在走过的路上。

到了森林的深处，他们的父亲对他们说：「嗨，孩子们，去拾些柴火来，我给你们生一堆火。」

汉赛尔和格莱特拾来许多枯枝，把它们堆得像小山一样高。当枯枝点着了，火焰升得老高后，继母就对他们说：「你们两个躺到火堆边上去吧，好好呆着，我和你爸爸到林子里砍柴。等一干完活，我们就来接你们回家。」

於是汉赛尔和格莱特坐在火堆旁边，等他们的父母干完活再来接他们。到了中午时分，他们就吃掉了自己的那一小块麵包。因为一直能听见斧子砍树的彭、彭声，他们相信自己的父亲就在近旁。其实他们听见的根本就不是斧子发出的声音，那是一根绑在一棵小树上的枯枝，在风的吹动下撞在树干上发出来的声音。兄妹俩坐了好久好久，疲倦得上眼皮和下眼皮都打起架来了。没多久，他们俩就呼呼睡着了，等他们从梦中醒来时，已是漆黑的夜晚。格莱特害怕得哭了起来，说：「这下咱们找不到出森林的路了！」

「别着急，」汉赛尔安慰她说，「等一会儿月亮出来了，咱们很快就会找到出森林的路。」

不久，当一轮满月升起来时，汉赛尔就拉着他妹妹的手，循着那些月光下像银币一样在地上闪闪发光的白石子指引的路往前走。他们走了整整的一夜，在天刚破晓的时候回到了他们父亲的家门口。他们敲敲门，来开门的是他们的继母。她打开门一见是汉赛尔和格莱特，就说：「你们怎么在森林里睡了这么久，我们还以为你们不想回家了呐！」

看到孩子，父亲喜出望外，因为冷酷地抛弃两个孩子，他心中十分难受。

他们一家又在一起艰难地生活了。但时隔不久，又发生了全国性的饥荒。一天夜里，两个孩子又听见继母对他们的父亲说：「哎呀！能吃的都吃光了，就剩这半个麵包，你看以后可怎么办啊？咱们还是得减轻负担，必须把两个孩子给扔了！这次咱们可以把他们带进更深、更远的森林中去，叫他们再也找不到路回来。只有这样才能挽救我们自己。」

听见妻子又说要抛弃孩子，樵夫心里十分难过。他心想，大家同甘共苦，共同分享最后一块麵包不是更好吗？但是像天下所有的男人一样，对一个女人说个「不」字那是太难太难了，樵夫也毫不例外。就像是「谁套上了笼头，谁就必须得拉车」的道理一样，樵夫既然对妻子作过第一次让步，当然就必然有第二次让步了，他也就不再反对妻子的建议了。

然而，孩子们听到了他们的全部谈话。等父母都睡着后，汉赛尔又从床上爬了起来，想溜出门去，像上次那样，到外边去捡些小石子，但是这次他发现门让继母给锁死了。但他心里又有了新的主意，他又安慰他的小妹妹说：「别哭，格莱特，不用担心，好好睡觉。上帝会帮助咱们的。」

一大清早，继母就把孩子们从床上揪了下来。她给了他们每人一块麵包，可是比上次那块要小多了。

在去森林的途中，汉赛尔在口袋里捏碎了他的麵包，并不时地停下脚步，把碎麵包屑撒在路上。

「汉赛尔，你磨磨蹭蹭地在后面看甚么？」他的父亲见他老是落在后面就问他。「我在看我的小鸽子，它正站在屋顶上'咕咕咕'地跟我说再见呢。」汉赛尔回答说。

「你这个白癡，」他继母叫道，「那不是你的鸽子，那是早晨的阳光照在烟囱上面。」但是汉赛尔还是在路上一点一点地撒下了他的麵包屑。

继母领着他们走了很久很久，来到了一个他们从未到过的森林中。像上次一样，又生起了一大堆火，继母又对他们说：「好好呆在这儿，孩子们，要是困了就睡一觉，我们要到远点的地方去砍柴，干完活我们就来接你们。」

到了中午，格莱特把她的麵包与汉赛尔分来吃了，因为汉赛尔的麵包已经撒在路上了。然后，他们俩又睡着了。一直到了半夜，仍然没有人来接这两个可怜的孩子，他们醒来已是一片漆黑。汉赛尔安慰他的妹妹说：「等月亮一出来，我们就看得见我撒在地上的麵包屑了，它一定会指给我们回家的路。」

但是当月亮升起来时，他们在地上却怎么也找不到一点麵包屑了，原来它们都被那些在树林里、田野上飞来飞去的鸟儿一点点地啄食了。

虽然汉赛尔也有些着急了，但他还是安慰妹妹说：「我们一定能找到路的，格莱特。」

但他们没有能够找到路，虽然他们走了一天一夜，可就是出不了森林。他们已经饿得头昏眼花，因为除了从地上找到的几颗草霉，他们没吃甚么东西。这时他们累得连脚都迈不动了，倒在一颗树下就睡着了。

这已是他们离开父亲家的第三天早晨了，他们深陷丛林，已经迷路了。如果再不能得到帮助，他们必死无疑。就在这时，他们看到了一只通体雪白的、极其美丽的鸟儿站在一根树枝上引吭高歌，它唱得动听极了，他们兄妹俩不由自主地停了下来，听它唱。它唱完了歌，就张开翅膀，飞到了他们的面前，好像示意他们跟它走。他们於是就跟着它往前走，一直走到了一幢小屋的前面，小鸟停到小屋的房顶上。他俩这时才发现小屋居然是用香喷喷的麵包做的，房顶上是厚厚的蛋糕，窗户却是明亮的糖块。

「让我们放开肚皮吧，」汉赛尔说：「这下我们该美美地吃上一顿了。我要吃一小块房顶，格莱特，你可以吃窗户，它的味道肯定美极了、甜极了。」

说着，汉赛尔爬上去掰了一小块房顶下来，尝着味道。格莱特却站在窗前，用嘴去啃那个甜窗户。这时，突然从屋子里传出一个声音：

「啃啊！啃啊！啃啊啃！

谁在啃我的小房子？」

孩子们回答道：

「是风啊，是风，是天堂里的小娃娃。」

他们边吃边回答，一点也不受干扰。

汉赛尔觉得房顶的味道特别美，便又拆下一大块来；格莱特也乾脆抠下一扇小圆窗，坐在地上慢慢享用。突然，房子的门打开了，一个老婆婆拄着拐杖颤颤巍巍的走了出来。汉赛尔和格莱特吓得双腿打颤，拿在手里的食物也掉到了地上。

那个老婆婆晃着她颤颤巍巍的头说：「好孩子，是谁带你们到这儿来的？来，跟我进屋去吧，这儿没人会伤害你们！」

她说着就拉着兄妹俩的手，把他们领进了她的小屋，并给他们准备了一顿丰盛的晚餐，有牛奶、糖饼、苹果，还有坚果。等孩子们吃完了，她又给孩子们铺了两张白色的小床，汉赛尔和格莱特往床上一躺，马上觉得是进了天堂。#p#

其实这个老婆婆是笑里藏刀，她的友善只是伪装给他们看的，她事实上是一个专门引诱孩子上当的邪恶的巫婆，她那幢用美食建造的房子就是为了让孩子们落入她的圈套。一旦哪个孩子落入她的魔掌，她就杀死他，把他煮来吃掉。这个巫婆的红眼睛视力不好，看不远，但是她的嗅觉却像野兽一样灵敏，老远老远她就能嗅到人的味道。汉赛尔和格莱特刚刚走近她的房子她就知道了，高兴得一阵狂笑，然后就冷笑着打定了主意：「我要牢牢地抓住他们，决不让他们跑掉。」

第二天一早，还不等孩子们醒来，她就起床了。看着两个小傢伙那红扑扑、圆滚滚的脸蛋，她忍不住口水直流：「好一顿美餐呐！」说着便抓住汉赛尔的小胳膊，把他扛进了一间小马厩，并用栅栏把他锁了起来。汉赛尔在里面大喊大叫，可是毫无用处。然后，老巫婆走过去把格莱特摇醒，冲着她吼道：「起来，懒丫头！快去打水来替你哥哥煮点好吃的。他关在外面的马厩里，我要把他养得白白胖胖的，然后吃掉他。」

格莱特听了伤心得大哭起来，可她还是不得不按照那个老巫婆的吩咐去干活。於是，汉赛尔每天都能吃到许多好吃的，而可怜的格莱特每天却只有螃蟹壳吃。每天早晨，老巫婆都要颤颤巍巍的走到小马厩去喊汉赛尔：「汉赛尔，把你的手指头伸出来，让我摸摸你长胖了没有！」可是汉赛尔每次都是伸给她一根啃过的小骨头，老眼昏花的老巫婆，根本就看不清楚，她还真以为是汉赛尔的手指头呢！她心里感到非常纳闷，怎么汉赛尔还没有长胖一点呢？

又过了四个星期，汉赛尔还是很瘦的样子。老巫婆失去了耐心，便扬言她不想再等了。

「过来，格莱特，」她对小女孩吼道，「快点去打水来！管他是胖还是瘦，明天我一定要杀死汉赛尔，把他煮来吃了。」

可怜的小妹妹被逼着去打水来准备煮她的哥哥，一路上她伤心万分，眼泪顺着脸颊一串一串地往下掉！「亲爱的上帝，请帮帮我们吧！」她呼喊道，「还不如当初在森林里就被野兽吃掉，那我们总还是死在一起的呵！」

趁老巫婆离开一会儿，可怜的格莱特瞅准机会跑到汉赛尔身边，把她所听到的一切都告诉他：

「我们要赶快逃跑，因为这个老太婆是个邪恶的巫婆，她要杀死我们哩。」

可是汉赛尔说：「我知道怎么逃出去，因为我已经把插销给搞开了。不过，你得首先去把她的魔杖和挂在她房间里的那根笛子偷来，这样万一她追来，我们就不怕她了。」

等格莱特好不容易把魔杖和笛子都偷来之后，两个孩子便逃跑了。

这时，老巫婆走过来看她的美餐是否弄好了，发现两个孩子却不见了。虽说她的眼睛不好，可她还是从窗口看到了那两个正在逃跑的孩子。

她勃然大怒，赶紧穿上她那双一步就能走上几码远的靴子，不多一会就要赶上那两个孩子了。格莱特眼看老巫婆就要追上他们了，便用她偷来的那根魔杖把汉赛尔变成了一个湖泊，而把她自己变成了一只在湖泊中游来游去的小天鹅。老巫婆来到湖边，往湖里扔了些麵包屑想骗那只小天鹅上当。可是小天鹅就是不过来，最后老巫婆只好空着手回去了。

见到老巫婆走了，格莱特便用那根魔杖又把自己和汉赛尔变回了原来的模样。然后，他们又继续赶路，一直走到天黑。

很快，老巫婆又追了上来。

这时，小姑娘把自己变成了山楂树篱笆中的一朵玫瑰，於是汉赛尔便在这只玫瑰的旁边坐了下来变成一位笛手。

「吹笛子的好心人，」老巫婆说，「我可以摘下那朵漂亮的玫瑰花吗？」

「哦，可以。」汉赛尔说。

於是，非常清楚那朵玫瑰是甚么的老巫婆快步走向树篱想飞快地摘下它。就在这时，汉赛尔拿出他的笛子，吹了起来。

这是一根魔笛，谁听了这笛声都会不由自主地跳起舞来。所以那老巫婆不得不随着笛声一直不停地旋转起来，再也摘不到那朵玫瑰了。汉赛尔就这样不停地吹着，直吹到那些荆棘把巫婆的衣服挂破，并深深地刺到她的肉里，直刺得她哇哇乱叫。最后，老巫婆被那些荆棘给牢牢地缠住了。

这时，格莱特又恢复了自己的原形，和汉赛尔一块儿往家走去。走了长长的一段路程之后，格莱特累坏了。於是他们便在靠近森林的草地上找到了一棵空心树，就在树洞里躺了下来。就在他们睡着的时候，那个好不容易从荆棘丛中脱身出来的老巫婆又追了上来。她一看到自己的魔杖，就得意地一把抓住它。然后，立刻把可怜的汉赛尔变成了一头小鹿。

格莱特醒来之后，看到所发生的一切，伤心地扑到那头可怜的小动物身上哭了起来。这时，泪水也从小鹿的眼睛里不停地往下流。

格莱特说：「放心吧，亲爱的小鹿，我绝不会离开你。」

说着，她就取下她那长长的金色项炼戴到他的脖子上，然后又扯下一些灯芯草把它编成一条草绳，套住小鹿的脖子，无论她走到哪儿，她都把这头可怜的小鹿带在身边。

终於，有一天他们来到了一个小屋前。格莱特看到这间小屋没有人住，便说：「我们就在这儿住下吧。」

她採来了很多树叶和青苔替小鹿铺了一张柔软的小床。每天早上，她便出去採摘一些坚果和浆果来充饥，又替她的哥哥採来很多树叶和青草。她把树叶和青草放在自己的手中喂小鹿，而那头小鹿就在她的身旁欢快地蹦来蹦去。到了晚上，格莱特累了，就会把头枕在小鹿的身上睡觉。要是可怜的汉赛尔能够恢复原形，那他们的生活该有多幸福啊！

他们就这样在森林里生活了许多年，这时，格莱特已经长成了一个少女。有一天，刚好国王到这儿来打猎。当小鹿听到在森林中回荡的号角声、猎狗汪汪的叫声以及猎人们的大喊声时，忍不住想去看看是怎么回事。「哦，妹妹，」他说，「让我到森林里去看看吧，我再也不能待在这儿了。」他不断地恳求着，最后她只好同意让他去了。

「可是，」她说，「一定要在天黑之前回来。我会把门关好不让那些猎人们进来。如果你敲门并说：'妹妹，让我进来。'我就知道是你回来了。如果你不说话，我就把门紧紧地关住。」

於是小鹿便一蹦一跳地跑了出去。当国王和他的猎人们看到这头美丽的小鹿之后，便来追赶他，可是他们怎么也逮不着他，因为当他们每次认为自己快要抓住他时，他都会跳到树丛中藏起来。

天黑了下来，小鹿便跑回了小屋，他敲了敲门说：「妹妹，让我进来吧！」於是格莱特便打开了门，他跳了进来，在他那温软的床上美美地睡了一觉。

第二天早上，围猎又开始了。小鹿一听到猎人们的号角声，他便说：「妹妹，替我把门打开吧。我一定要出去。」

国王和他的猎人们见到这头小鹿，马上又开始了围捕。他们追了他一整天，最后终於把他给围住了，其中一个猎人还射中了他的一条脚。他一瘸一拐地好不容易才逃回到了家中。那个射伤了他的猎人跟踪着他，听到了这头小鹿说：「妹妹，让我进来吧。」还看到了那扇门开了，小鹿进去后很快又关上了。於是这个猎人就回去向国王禀报了他的所见所闻。国王说：「那明天我们再围捕一次吧。」

当格莱特看到她那亲爱的小鹿受伤了，感到非常害怕。不过，她还是替他把伤口清洗得乾乾净净，敷上了一些草药。第二天早上，那伤口竟已经复原了。当号角再次吹响的时候，那小东西又说：「我不能待在这儿，我必须出去看看。我会多加小心，不会让他们抓住我的。」

可是格莱特说：「我肯定他们这一次会杀死你的，我不让你去。」

「如果你把我关在这儿的话，那我会遗憾而死。」他说。格莱特不得不让他出去，她心情沉重地打开门，小鹿便又欢快地向林中奔去。

国王一看到小鹿，便大声下令：「你们今天一定要追到他，可你们谁也不许伤害他。」

然而，太阳落山的时候，他们还是没能抓住他。於是国王对那个曾经跟踪过小鹿的猎人说：「那么现在领我去那个小屋吧。」

於是他们来到了小屋前，国王敲了敲门，并且说：「妹妹，让我进来吧。」

门儿打开之后，国王走了进去，只见房子里站着一个他生平见过的最美丽的少女。

当格莱特看到来者并非是她的小鹿而是一位戴着皇冠的国王时，感到非常害怕。可是国王非常友善地拉着她的手，并说：「你愿意和我一起到我的城堡去，做我的妻子吗？」

「是的，」格莱特说，「我可以和你一起去你的城堡，可是我不能成为你的妻子，因为我的小鹿必须和我在一起，我不能和他分开。」

「那好吧，」国王说，「他可以和你一起去，永远都不离开你，并且他想要甚么就会有甚么。」

正在这时，小鹿跳了进来。於是格莱特把草绳套在他的脖子上，他们便一起离开了小屋。

国王把小格莱特抱上他的高头大马之后，就朝着他的王宫跑去。那头小鹿也欢快地跟在他们后面。一路上，格莱特告诉了国王有关她的一切，国王认识那个老巫婆，便派人去把她叫来，命令她恢复小鹿的人形。

当格莱特看到他亲爱的哥哥又恢复了原形，她非常感激国王，便欣然同意嫁给他。他们就这样幸福地生活着，汉赛尔也成了国王的王宫大臣。