Children had stolen bits of my house and left crumbs in my garden.
“Oh, those horrid little thieves!” I cried. Under the dark of night they had stolen my sweets without me even knowing. I had missed my chance on the first sign of nibbling. How did I not hear?
As I cleaned up the mess, and repaired my house, I muttered, “I shall enjoy boiling you in a pot. Oh, yes. Bubble, bubble, boil and bleat. I’ll make the little thieves my special treat.”
That evening I stayed awake, but no one came back. I passed the next few nights reading and creating other delectable sweets. I had a burst of creativity I can only account for by my wish to see justice done. No one would cheat me out of my chance to be the envy of the land. No one eats and runs in my neck of the woods. If I wasn’t careful, they’d eat me out of house and home.
Again, I fell asleep and again, in the morning, I arose and saw a mass of destruction, another missed opportunity staring me in the face. Everywhere holes, bite marks and even a licorice chew a child had eaten and spit out in disgust.
“That is rude,” I cried in a terrible fit. “I did not slave days on end for my sweets to be rejected.” The heat of real anger rumbled against these careless and ungrateful children.
I wouldn’t stand for it. I vowed not to sleep until I captured the responsible party. That night, as I waited by my door, I heard a SNAP! and the sound of nibbling.
In a sweet old lady’s voice I called, “Tip, tap. Tip, tap. Who is rapping at my door?”
“Nothing but the wind,” a pair of children called.
The wind? Did they think me senile? I opened the door and peeked outside. “Oh my, but it is a pair of lovely children. Come in, come in. No harm will befall you here,” I urged kindly, though I would have rather grabbed them and thrown them in the pot.
The children, a boy and a girl, eyed me suspiciously, but I acted just as I had seen Evie act with those who came to her in times of trouble. The children responded and soon I had them sitting at my table, wolfing down a carrot cake with vanilla frosting.
“What brings you two to my house?”
The little girl put down her fork and sniffled. “Our step mother. She said we have no more food and Hansel and I must leave and find our own way in the world.” With that pronouncement, she burst into tears.
The boy covered her hand. “Don’t cry Grethel. Look how we’ve gotten along so far. And this nice old woman has been ever so kind.”
Grethel sniffed and turned huge brown eyes on me. Oh, they were precious eyes. So sweet and endearing. What woman could throw this child away? I bit my lip. “Dear, oh dear.” I hadn’t expected to feel pity.
No, no. I told myself. Think of all you’ve worked toward. I shan’t feel pity, I shan’t. I modeled my face after grandmotherly concern. I placed the sweet mead drink in front of each and encouraged them to drink up. When the sleeping draught was gone, I smiled. “Now, eat your fill and then to bed. Tomorrow is a new day. You’ll see. Everything will be different then.”
Oh yes. Very different.
The innocent little dears toddled off to the beds I made and fell fast asleep. I did not follow. I stayed awake and fashioned a place to keep my guests. I had never thought to have two drop in my lap. It was a good omen. A giggle escaped. I had a spare in case the spell turned bad. “Oh fortune indeed has smiled on me.”
Near the break of dawn, I woke up Hansel and forced him into the cage. Blurry-eyed he obeyed, but when I closed and locked the door, he began to howl his distress. Grethel awoke. She dashed to the cage and rattled the bars, trying to free her brother. I caught her arm. “It is no use. Your brother is doomed.”
“Run, Grethel! Run!” Hansel yelled. “Save yourself!”
Grethel stood firm. “No. I won’t leave you.”
Stupid child. Didn’t she know if she didn’t look out for herself, no one would? “How very loyal. If you behave and do as I
“Oh, those horrid little thieves!” I cried. Under the dark of night they had stolen my sweets without me even knowing. I had missed my chance on the first sign of nibbling. How did I not hear?
As I cleaned up the mess, and repaired my house, I muttered, “I shall enjoy boiling you in a pot. Oh, yes. Bubble, bubble, boil and bleat. I’ll make the little thieves my special treat.”
That evening I stayed awake, but no one came back. I passed the next few nights reading and creating other delectable sweets. I had a burst of creativity I can only account for by my wish to see justice done. No one would cheat me out of my chance to be the envy of the land. No one eats and runs in my neck of the woods. If I wasn’t careful, they’d eat me out of house and home.
Again, I fell asleep and again, in the morning, I arose and saw a mass of destruction, another missed opportunity staring me in the face. Everywhere holes, bite marks and even a licorice chew a child had eaten and spit out in disgust.
“That is rude,” I cried in a terrible fit. “I did not slave days on end for my sweets to be rejected.” The heat of real anger rumbled against these careless and ungrateful children.
I wouldn’t stand for it. I vowed not to sleep until I captured the responsible party. That night, as I waited by my door, I heard a SNAP! and the sound of nibbling.
In a sweet old lady’s voice I called, “Tip, tap. Tip, tap. Who is rapping at my door?”
“Nothing but the wind,” a pair of children called.
The wind? Did they think me senile? I opened the door and peeked outside. “Oh my, but it is a pair of lovely children. Come in, come in. No harm will befall you here,” I urged kindly, though I would have rather grabbed them and thrown them in the pot.
The children, a boy and a girl, eyed me suspiciously, but I acted just as I had seen Evie act with those who came to her in times of trouble. The children responded and soon I had them sitting at my table, wolfing down a carrot cake with vanilla frosting.
“What brings you two to my house?”
The little girl put down her fork and sniffled. “Our step mother. She said we have no more food and Hansel and I must leave and find our own way in the world.” With that pronouncement, she burst into tears.
The boy covered her hand. “Don’t cry Grethel. Look how we’ve gotten along so far. And this nice old woman has been ever so kind.”
Grethel sniffed and turned huge brown eyes on me. Oh, they were precious eyes. So sweet and endearing. What woman could throw this child away? I bit my lip. “Dear, oh dear.” I hadn’t expected to feel pity.
No, no. I told myself. Think of all you’ve worked toward. I shan’t feel pity, I shan’t. I modeled my face after grandmotherly concern. I placed the sweet mead drink in front of each and encouraged them to drink up. When the sleeping draught was gone, I smiled. “Now, eat your fill and then to bed. Tomorrow is a new day. You’ll see. Everything will be different then.”
Oh yes. Very different.
The innocent little dears toddled off to the beds I made and fell fast asleep. I did not follow. I stayed awake and fashioned a place to keep my guests. I had never thought to have two drop in my lap. It was a good omen. A giggle escaped. I had a spare in case the spell turned bad. “Oh fortune indeed has smiled on me.”
Near the break of dawn, I woke up Hansel and forced him into the cage. Blurry-eyed he obeyed, but when I closed and locked the door, he began to howl his distress. Grethel awoke. She dashed to the cage and rattled the bars, trying to free her brother. I caught her arm. “It is no use. Your brother is doomed.”
“Run, Grethel! Run!” Hansel yelled. “Save yourself!”
Grethel stood firm. “No. I won’t leave you.”
Stupid child. Didn’t she know if she didn’t look out for herself, no one would? “How very loyal. If you behave and do as I
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