Reading the story with your Child
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Allow your child to read this story to you. If your child does not understand a word or is unable to pronounce it, please assist him/ her by defining or providing the correct pronunciation of the word. Let your child repeat the word a few times. Listen for the correct pronunciation of beginning, middle, and ending sounds.

At the end of the story, ask your child a few questions about the story’s plot. Or, have your child retell the story in his/ her own words. Then, have your child click the "comprehension quiz" button.

"Hansel and Gretel"

Once there was a poor woodcutter who lived in the forest with his wife and his children named Hansel and Gretel. Since the woodcutter and his wife were so poor, the woman suggested that they leave the children deep in the forest. Then, they could not find their way home. Although the thought saddened the father, he could not think of any other solution.

On the way into the forest, Hansel dropped sparkled flintstones along the way. The children were left deep in the forest. They soon fell asleep. When the moon came out, it shone on the stones, and the children followed the sparkles home.

The woman was not happy to see Hansel and Gretel, and called them "naughty" for getting lost. The next morning she gave them a crust of bread and brought them back into the woods. The woman told the children to wait while she went off to chop wood. Hansel had dropped breadcrumbs along the way, but the tiny birds had eaten them. When the woman did not come back, the children had no way of knowing the direction home. They were sad and frightened. Hansel said, "Who will take care of us?"

In the morning they followed a bird, which led them to a beautiful little house. It was made of gingerbread, roofed with cakes, and the windows were transparent sugar. Hansel and Gretel began to eat pieces of the house.

The door opened and out came an old woman. She invited the children in, and was very kind to them. But really, she was a wicked witch who lay in wait for children, and had built the little house to entice them.

The woman's eyes were red and she could not see well. She grasped Hansel with her withered hand and locked him in a little stable. Then, she made Gretel work about the house, cooking and cleaning.

Each day the woman would feed Hansel many times. Each time, she would ask Hansel to stretch out his finger to feel if he was getting fat enough to eat. Hansel would hold out a little bone instead. Since the witch could not see well, she thought it was his finger - and, that he was skinny. The children were very frightened.

Early one morning, Gretel got up to build a fire in the oven. The witch told her to creep into the oven, to see if it was hot enough. Gretel had to think quickly. She said that she didn't know how to creep into the oven, so the witch got in to show her. Then, Gretel gave her a big push - the witch howled frightfully.

Gretel then opened the stable, and freed Hansel. They found chests of pearls and precious stones in the house. Gretel filled her apron with the stones. Hansel filled his pockets with gingerbread for their journey home.

They went through the forest until they came to a river. The children wondered how they could get across. Just then, a white swan came up to them. It offered to carry each child across on its back, one at a time. On the other side, Hansel and Gretel thanked the swan, and gave it pieces of gingerbread.

The woods now became more and more familiar, and at last the children found their father's house. He had missed his children so much. His wife was dead now. Gretel opened her apron. Pearls and precious stones scattered all over the room.

The father, Hansel, and Gretel lived together in great joy after that.

The end.