Peter Norvig Photos

Later that day, their parents left, but as they had said left a fire. Hansel and Gretel stayed close around it so as not to freeze.

They started munching on the wonderful house, which was very tasty indead, when a very scary and old woman came out of the house and right up to where they were standing!

This time they used bread crumbs, but in the night birds ate the crumbs all up

The family was running low on food so the parents had a discussion. The wife, not really loving her children, said, "Why don't we just take the children out to the forest, leaving them only a bit of bread and a fire and then leave them there all by themselves?" The man exclaimed, "Why, we couldn't do that! The children are my dearest treasures!" The wife reminded him of how little food they had so the man reluctantly agreed.

They kept following the trail until they reached their house. Their father rejoiced when he saw them but his wife most definitely didn't.

Near a giant forest lived a poor family: a wood-cutter, his wife, and his two children, Hansel and Gretel.

He went outside and silently gathered many, many pebbles. He then put them into his pocket and went back inside.

They all looked at their new riches and their father said, "I will use some of these jewels to buy whatever you want, my dear children, for you are my dearest treasures, and noone can change that."

All Gretel got for dinner was one small piece of the witch's oldest, bitterest candy.

The witch, being blind in both eyes, decided to feel if Hansel was fattened up enough to eat. He stuck out the twig Gretel had gotten him so it would seem to her as if he was skinner then he was.

The witch decided that even though Hansel was very skinney he would have to do, for she was becoming impatient. She lit the oven, then decided to cook Gretel too, so she asked her to look in to see if the fire was ready. Gretel smartly replied she didn't know how to check it. The witch said, "You silly girl, all you have to do is stick your head in like this." The witch leaned in closer.

Gretel quickly pushed the witch in the oven and closed the door to it. The witch was dead.

Gretel came over to Hansel, let him free and reported the good news. They where both very happy.

They agreed to stay the night and came in. They both got a comfortable bed and a giant candy cane.

But in the middle of them eating the witch snached Hansel away and put him in a cage.

The witch ordered Gretel to make Hansel a big, fattening meal for she said she was going to eat him for dinner. When Gretel came over to where her brother was locked up she told him what the witch had said. He told her to get him a thin twig for he had a plan. She quickly fetched one for him.

The next day when they all went through the forest, Hansel dropped a pebble every so often to leave a clear trail for when he and his sister came back.

The two children where very scared and dropped their pieces of candy. The witch-like woman said to them, "Don't be afraid my dearies, come in and I will give you a place to stay and a very tasty meal."

They saw a beautiful owl and decided to follow it. They came upon a house completely made out of candy! It was like a dream come true.

After a few months, the family was running low on food, and once again Hansel and Gretel overheard their parents talking. They crept over to the door to look for more pebbles but itthe door was locked.

In the morning when the trail was gone Gretel started to cry.

Hansel and Gretel were unable to fall asleep and overheard their parent's conversation. Gretel started to cry, and Hansel tried to comfort her but it was no use, she was too upset. Hansel, being the smarter and older of the two had a brilliant plan.

The children remembered their way home this time and had to carry the heavy chest all the way. When they got home their father was overjoyed they were their. He told them that their mother had died.

Still later in the night they both started to drift off into a deep sleep. The fire had blown out in a strong gust of wind so they huddled together to stay warm.

When they woke up their parents where nowhere to be found so Gretel started to cry. Hansel reminded her of the trail and they started to follow it home.

They looked around the house and came upon a chest full of candy-shaped jewels.