Kitabı oku: «Scary Fairy Tales. A1 / Страшные сказки», sayfa 5

And because they were so tired that their legs would no longer carry them, they lay down under a tree and fell asleep. They were walking in the woods for three days.

They started walking again, butmanaged only to go deeper and deeper into the woods. If help did not come soon, they would die. At noon 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 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 whole little house was built from bread with a roof made of cake, and the windows were made of clear sugar.

“Let's have a good meal,” said Hansel. “I'll eat a piece of the roof, and Gretel, you eat from the window. That will be sweet.”

Hanselreachedup and broke off a little of the roof to see how it tasted, while Gretel stood next to the window glasses 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. Hansel, who very much liked the taste of the roof, tore down another large piece, and Gretelpulled out an entire round window glass. Suddenly the door opened, and an old woman went 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. Afterwards she made two nice beds for them. Hansel and Gretel went to bed, thinking they were inheaven. But the old woman pretended to be friendly. She was an evil witch who was waiting there for children. She built her house of bread in order to trap them. If she caught one, she would kill him, cook him, and eat him.