hey both fell fast asleep.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the stepmother came
and wakened the children. "Rise, little lie-a-beds," she said, "and
come with us into the wood to gather fuel."

She gave them each a piece of bread for their dinner, and told them to
be sure not to eat it too soon, for they would get nothing more.

Gretel carried the bread in her pinafore, because Hansel had his
pockets full, and then they all set out upon their way to the wood.

As they trudged along, the father noticed that his little son kept
turning back to look at the house. "Take care, my boy," he said, "or
you will slip. What are you looking at so earnestly?"

"I am watching my kitten, father: she is sitting on the roof to bid me
good-by."

"Silly little lad, that is not your cat," said the stepmother; "it is
only the morning sun shining on the chimney."

But Hansel had not been watching his cat at all; he had stayed behind
to drop the pebbles upon the path.

When they reached the thickest part of the forest, the father bade the
children gather wood, that he might kindle a fire for them, so that
they might rest beside it and warm themselves whilst he and his wife
were cutting the fuel. So they gathered a pile of brushwood and twigs,
and as soon as it was well alight, the parents left them, promising to
return as soon as they had finished their work.

Hansel and Gretel sat down by the fire, and when midday came they ate
their bread and sat listening to the strokes of their father's axe,
thinking all the time that he was near to them. But what they heard
was only a dry branch which the man had bound to a tree, so that the
wind swung it hither and thither, and the noise it made deceived the
children. At last the poor, tired, little eyelids closed, and, side by
side, brother and sister fell asleep.

When they awoke, the night was very dark, and Gretel was frightened,
and began to cry. Hansel put his arms around her and whispered. "Wait,
dearie, till the moon rises; we shall soon find our way home then."

As soon as the bright moon rose, Hansel took his little sister by the
hand, and all night long they followed the track of the little white
pebbles, until at daybreak they came to their father's house.

They knocked at the door, and no sooner did the stepmother open it
than she began to scold them for having stayed out so long in the
wood; but the father greeted them kindly, for he had grieved sorely
for his