ss,
for the old witch made her do as she wanted. So a nice meal was cooked
for Hansel, but Grethel got nothing else but a crab's claw.

Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel,
stretch out your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat."
But Hansel used to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very
bad sight, thought it was his finger, and wondered very much why he
did not get fat. When four weeks had passed, and Hansel still kept
quite lean, she lost all her patience, and would not wait any longer.
"Grethel," she cried in a passion, "get some water quickly; be Hansel
fat or lean, this morning I will kill and cook him." Oh, how the poor
little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch the water, and
fast the tears ran down her cheeks! "Dear good God, help us now!" she
prayed. "Had we only been eaten by the wild beasts in the wood, then
we should have died together." But the old witch called out, "Leave
off that noise; it will not help you a bit."

So early in the morning Grethel was compelled to go out and fill the
kettle, and make a fire. "First, we will bake, however," said the old
woman; "I have already heated the oven and kneaded the dough;" and
so saying, she pushed poor Grethel up to the oven, out of which the
flames were burning fiercely. "Creep in," said the witch, "and see if
it is hot enough, and then we will put in the bread," but she intended
when Grethel got in, to shut up the oven and let her bake, so that she
might eat her as well as Hansel. Grethel perceived her wicked thoughts
and said, "I do not know how to do it; how shall I get in?" "You
stupid goose," said she, "the opening is big enough. See, I could even
get in myself!" and she got up, and put her head into the oven. Then
Grethel gave her a push, so that she fell right in, and shutting the
iron door bolted it. Oh! how horribly the witch howled; but Grethel
ran away, and left her to burn to ashes.

[Illustration]

Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening the door, called out, "Hansel we
are saved; the old witch is dead?"

So he sprang out, like a bird from his cage when the door was opened;
and they were so glad that they fell upon each other's neck, and
kissed each other over and over again. And now, as there was nothing
to fear, they went back to the witch's house, where in every corner
were caskets full of pearls and precious stones. "These are better
than pebbles," said Hansel, putting as many into his