Hi! Here is The Tragic Tale of Hansel and Gretel, by Katie Cowan.
[[Once Upon a Time...->Beginning Passage]]Once upon a time, there was a small village near a great forest. In the village lived a poor woodcarver, his wife, and two children named Hansel and Gretel.
When Hansel and Gretel were very young, a great famine came to the land, and the poor woodcarver could not afford to buy any bread for his family.
(click-append: "family.") [
One night, long after the children were supposed to be asleep, he turned to his wife and asked what they were supposed to [[do.]]]His wife turned to him and said, "We have no food to feed the children. We must take them into the woods and leave them there."
"I cannot abandon my children in the woods," said the woodcarver.
"Then we shall all starve," said his wife, and the woodcarver did not reply.
(click-append: "reply.") [ Hansel and Gretel had not been able to sleep because of their hunger, and heard the conversation. The two sat and pondered what to do.
[[explore bedroom]]
[[leave bedroom]]]Their bedroom was sparse- two small beds each covered with a ratty blanket. On Gretel's bed there was a small, wooden doll that her father had carved for her birthday. In the corner stood a chest of drawers for clothes and a small basin for water. Looking around, neither saw anything that would help their current predicament.
[[open chest of drawers]]
[[leave bedroom]]Hansel and Gretel quietly left their bedroom and tip-toed down the hall. In the cramped living room, there was a fireplace, embers still burning, and two chairs in front of it. To the right there was a small window, and to the left was the entrance to the kitchen.
[[look out window]]
[[enter kitchen]]Hansel and Gretel crept softly over to the window and gasped. Outside, the ground was littered with small white stones that shone under the moonlight. Hansel had a plan. "Gretel," he whispered, "with those stones, we can make a trail that will lead us back home."
Gretel nodded, and the two made their way through the kitchen to the front door.
[[go outside]]The kitchen had a small stove with a set of cupboards above it. Both Hansel and Gretel were too small to reach the cupboards. The table with four chairs stood in the middle of the room. Next to the stove was front door.
[[try to open cupboards]]
[[open door]]Gretel opened the chest of drawers with Hansel looking over her shoulder. There were several folded shirts and trousers, but nothing that seemed like it would help them.
[[go back->explore bedroom]] "Maybe there's something in the cupboards we can use," Gretel suggested.
"But how can we open them?" Hansel asked.
Gretel looked around, and her eyes landed on the chairs. She pointed them out to Hansel.
"We can stand on the chair! That will make us tall enough," she said. So the two began to drag the chair across the floor.
(click-append: "floor.") [
The chair made a loud scraping sound, and instantly they both froze. Eyes glued to their father and step-mother's door. A minute passed, then two without a sound. When they thought it was safe, they picked up the chair, and carried it precariously to place it in front of the cupboard.
[[examine cupboard]]]The pair rushed outside and began to gather the stones in their pockets. Soon, their pockets were full, and they could hold no more stones.
They snuck back inside and got into bed, falling asleep quickly.
(click-append: "quickly.") [
Early the next morning, before the sun came up, their step-mother banged on their door to wake them up.
"Get up, you lazy children. We're going into the forest to collect firewood."
Hansel and Gretel were nervous, but they had a good plan.
"Here's your lunch," their step-mother said, thrusting half a loaf of bread into each of their hands.
So the four of them made their way [[into the forest.]]]Gretel climbed up on the chair and reached to open the cupboard. Standing on her tip-toes, she could just see inside. There were several plates and glasses on the top shelf. On the shelf below, there was a loaf of bread and a smattering of crumbs.
"What do you see?" Hansel asked from where he was holding the chair so Gretel didn't fall.
Gretel told him, but neither of them could think of a way the items inside the cupboard could help.
[[get down from chair->enter kitchen]]"Maybe there's something outside we can use," said Hansel. The two made their way over to the door, and opened it slowly so it didn't creak.
On the ground they saw white stones that shone in the moonlight.
"We can use these to make a trail back home!" Hansel exclaimed.
[[go outside]]
The walk through the woods was easy, though Hansel and Gretel frequently lagged behind to drop stones and mark their way back.
"Keep up!" their step-mother snapped.
Soon, they stopped far into the [[wood.]]"Children, go collect some brush so that we can start a fire," their father asked, so Hansel and Gretel left and collected sticks and leaves.
When they returned, their father started a small fire, and the four of them sat around it.
"Rest, now. We are going to cut down wood, and we will collect you once we are done," said their step mother. Their father turned and left without a word.
Despite what they heard last night, they hoped that it had been a misunderstanding, and that their father was not going to abandon them in the forest.
Hansel and Gretel waited all day, even as their small fire burned out and the sun began to sink below the horizon.
"They're not coming back for us," Hansel said in a small voice.
"What should we do," Gretel asked.
[[Follow the stones back]]
[[Stay in the forest]]"Maybe they just got lost," Hansel said. "We should follow the stones back home." Gretel nodded.
When the moon had risen, the light made the white stones shine against the dark forest floor. Hansel and Gretel trudged hand in hand back toward their home, tripping over rocks and roots from exhaustion.
Finally, their house came into view. Gretel squeezed Hansel's hand a little tighter as they [[pushed open the door.]]"Perhaps we should not go back, if father doesn't want us," Gretel said quietly. There were teartracks down her cheeks.
Hansel only nodded, and the two continued to wander into the forest.
"What are we going to do?" Gretel said, close to tears.
"Don't worry. We'll figure something out," said Hansel, but he wasn't really sure what they should do either.
The pair wandered through the forest, deeper and deeper, until they stopped in their tracks. The most wonderful smell was wafting through the trees- cooking meat and fresh bread. Their mouths began to water immediately, and their stomachs ached.
"Come on, Hansel! We must find the source of the smell," said Gretel. [[So the two took off running toward the smell of the food.]]Their father and step-mother were sitting around the kitchen table. When Hansel and Gretel pushed open the door, their step-mother dropped a dish with a loud crash, and her jaw hit the floor.
After a moment, she said, "Why you naughty children stayed too long in the woods. We thought you were never coming back."
Gretel turned to their father and said, "Father, why did you not come back for us?"
Their father did not reply, only looked down at his plate.
The children sat down at the table, and their step-mother served them, but Gretel swore she saw her glaring when she thought Gretel wasn't looking.
[[continue]]It wasn't terribly long before the food was running out again. The winter had been harsh, and people were using their furniture for firewood. No one could afford to buy the woodcarvers wares.
Again, the children heard their step-mother say to their father, "There is very little food left in the house. The children must go, or we shall starve."
This time their father didn't even try to protest.
[["What are we going to do?" Gretel cried.]]
"The stones will not be visible on top of the white snow," Hansel said. "We must figure out something else."
But they were very hungry and very tired, and they could not come up with a good solution.
"We should sleep. Perhaps we can think of something in the morning," said Hansel, finally. So Gretel clutched her doll close, and the two of them curled up under their worn [[blankets.]]Early the next morning, their step-mother pounded on their door to wake them up. She shoved a small piece of bread into each of their hands, and they made their way outside.
"What are we going to do?" Gretel whispered.
[["We can break branches to mark our way back," Hansel suggested.]]
[["We can scatter breadcrumbs to mark our way back," Hansel suggested.]]Gretel nodded, and the four set out into the wood. However, when Hansel stops to break the first branch, their step-mother turns around angrily.
"What are you doing?"
Hansel doesn't know what to say, just shakes his head.
"Well stop doing that and keep up," she snaps.
Hansel and Gretel exchange a nervous look.
"I guess we'll have to use the breadcrumbs," Gretel whispers, and begins to sprinkle the crumbs behind her.
They continue into the forest, [[leaving a trail of breadcrumbs behind them.]]"Okay," Gretel says, and the two begin to tear up the bread in their pockets to scatter behind them. Luckily, neither their father or their step-mother seem to notice.
They continued deep into the forest, [[leaving a trail of breadcrumbs behind them.]]They made their way deep into the forest before stopping.
"Children, you should rest here. Your father and I are going to cut down wood."
"Do you think they'll come back this time?" Hansel asked.
"I don't know," Gretel replied.
The two didn't dare move in case their father did come back and couldn't find them. However, both of them had used their bread to leave a trail and had nothing to eat, and they were very hungry.
Soon, the sun set, and their parents were nowhere to be seen.
[["I don't think they're coming," said Hansel.]]
So the two stood up and began looking for the trail of breadcrumbs, but they could not find the trail. The birds and animals that lived in the forest had eaten their trail home.
"What are we going to do?" Gretel said, close to tears.
"Don't worry. We'll find our way out," said Hansel, but he wasn't really sure what they should do either.
The pair wandered through the forest, deeper and deeper, until they stopped in their tracks. The most wonderful smell was wafting through the trees- cooking meat and fresh bread. Their mouths began to water immediately, and their stomachs ached.
"Come on, Hansel! We must find the source of the smell," said Gretel. [[So the two took off running toward the smell of the food.]]Soon, they came to a cabin in the wood. The smell was overpowering now, and they both felt a little lightheaded.
Without thinking, the two opened the door to the cabin and walked in. The cabin was small, and not entirely unlike their own house. They found themselves standing in the kitchen, and in front of them was an old woman.
She looked at Hansel and Gretel and gave a soft tut of her tongue.
"Come sit, children. Have something to eat," she said, so Hansel and Gretel sat and were served steak and carrots and apples. They ate until they couldn't anymore, and then the old woman led them to another room which had two small beds.
Hansel and Gretel curled up under the soft covers, so different from their usual worn blankets, and fell asleep almost [[instantly.]] The old woman, however, was not as kind as she seemed. In fact, she was a witch who preyed upon small children who found her cabin in the wood. She would fatten them up and eat them, and seeing Hansel and Gretel only whetted her appetite.
(click-append: "appetite.") [
Before Hansel or Gretel awoke, she grabbed Hansel and dragged him to the stable. She locked the door with a heavy padlock and hid away the key. Hansel screamed and pounded on the door, but it was no use.
The witch returned to the cabin and shook Gretel awake.
"Get up, lazy girl. Get some water from the well and cook something for your brother. Soon, he will be fat enough for me to eat!" the witch exclaimed, and [[Gretel began to cry.]]]Gretel couldn't disobey the witch, so she got to work. Days passed, and Gretel was running out of hope of rescuing Hansel. Especially because that morning the witch had told her she was planning on eating Hansel the next morning.
"Are you alright? The witch told me she is going to eat you tomorrow morning," she said to Hansel when she brought him out some lunch.
"I'm okay," he replied. "But you have to get me out of here."
"There's a lock on the door. I'll try to find the key tonight when the witch is asleep," replied Gretel.
[[wait for nightfall]]Soon enough, nightfall came, and Gretel stole out of her bed to look for the key. She had never seen the witch with it, so she figured it was hidden somewhere in the cabin. The moon was bright, providing her enough light, so she didn't need to worry about getting a candle. The only question was where to start.
[[Look in the kitchen?]]
[[Look around bedroom?]]
(set: $key to false)Gretel carefully opened the door of her bedroom, making sure it did not squeak. Silently, she padded toward the kitchen. Once she enters the room, she hesistates for a moment, making sure the witch had not woken up, but the house remained silent.
[[Look around the kitchen?]]Gretel didn't think that the witch would hide the key in her bedroom, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to check.
She was sitting on a soft white bed. In the corner there was a chest of drawers, and a chair.
[[Check under the bed?]]
[[Check the drawers?]]
[[Leave bedroom and look in the kitchen?->Look in the kitchen?]]Gretel got down on her hands and knees, and peered under the bed. Unfortunately, there was nothing there except mothballs.
[[Get up->Look around bedroom?]]Gretel has spent a lot of time in the kitchen during her time at the witch's cabin, and there are plenty of hiding spots for a key. The round table has been cleared of the dishes from supper, and the stove sits cold against the far wall. The heavy, oak door to outside is shut tight.
[[Look in the stove?]]
[[Look in the pantry?]]
[[Look in the cupboards?]]
[[Go to the living room?]]
[[Go to the witch's bedroom?]]
[[Go outside?]]
Perhaps the key isn't in the kitchen. Gretel decides to look around the living room. The living room is cozy. There's a soft rug in the middle of the room and a comfy looking chair. (click-append: "comfy looking chair") [, not that Gretel's ever dared to sit in it before] The fireplace stands dark, and there's a chest of drawers under the window.
[[Look in the drawers?]]
[[Look under the chair]]
[[Look in the fireplace]]
[[Look under the rug?]]
[[Go back to the kitchen?->Look around the kitchen?]]
[[Look around the witch's bedroom?]]It's risky, but Gretel figures the most likely place for the key is the witch's bedroom. Carefully, very carefully, she makes her way down the hall towards her bedroom. She gently turns the knob on the door, and opens it. Gretel's heart feels like it's going to beat right out of her chest from how nervous she is.
When the door is open, Gretel hesitates, but she can only hear the deep, even breathing of the witch.
[[Look around the witch's bedroom?]]Gretel makes her way over to the huge stove that dominates the far wall. It is certainly big enough for a person. She opens the door with a sharp tug, and peers inside. Theres an empty pot, but unfortunately, no key.
[[Look around the kitchen?]]The door to the pantry is already ajar, and Gretel gently nudges it further open. The shelves are stocked with more food than Gretel's ever seen in her whole life. She rumages through bags of flour and sugar, looks under bundles of dried herbs, behind jars of... Gretel doesn't even know what, all to no avail. There's no key here.
[[Look around the kitchen?]]Like in her own house, the cupboards are too high up for her to reach on her own. She doesn't have Hansel to help her lift the chair, but luckily dragging it across the floor doesn't make much noise. She still stops when she reaches them. Listening intently for any sign that the witch has woken up. Two minutes pass in agonizing silence, and nothing happens.
Gretel carefully gets on the chair, and opens the cupboard, it is filled with dishes, glasses, pots, and pans.
Gretel patiently checks each one for the key, but comes away empty handed.
[[Look around the kitchen?]](if: $key is false) [Gretel reaches her hand for the door. But she's pretty sure the key is hidden somewhere in the cabin. She shouldn't leave until she has it. There must be somewhere she hasn't checked yet.
[[Look around the kitchen?]]]
(if: $key is true) [Gretel opens the front door and steps out into the winter cold. The key is clutched tightly in her palm as she rushses over to the stable.
[["Hansel, I have the key," she calls softly.]]]Gretel walks quitely over to the set of drawers, thankful that the rug is muffling her footsteps. She opens the top drawer first. It has a couple books, but no key.
The second drawer has a soft, knitted blanket. Gretel runs her hand over the fabric, longing to curl up with it, but she has to stay focused. Running her hands between the folds, she feels nothing but fabric. No key here either.
The third and final drawer has nothing in it.
[[Look around the living room?->Go to the living room?]]Gretel kneels in front of the chair, and presses her face to the soft fabric of the carpet. There's nothing under the chair.
[[Look around the living room?->Go to the living room?]]Perhaps the key is hidden under the ashes from the fire. Gretel reaches into the fireplace, surprised that the ashes are still warm. She roots her hand around, and gasps, feeling something hard.
She pulls it out, but it's just an unburnt piece of wood, not the key.
She sits back on her heels, hands covered in soot.
[[Look around the living room->Go to the living room?]]Maybe the key is under the rug! It takes all of Gretel's strenght to roll up the heavy rug, and she's panting by the time it bumps against the chair. She waits a moment, both to catch her breath and to make sure the witch hasn't woken up. The house is silent, and she begins to scour the floor. No luck, the key's not here.
[[Look around the living room?->Go to the living room?]]Gretel opens each drawer, but they're all empty.
[[Look around bedroom?]]The bedroom is decorated rather sparsely, and not entirely unlike the room that Gretel is staying in. There's a large bed pressed against the back wall, and a tall wardrobe in the opposite corner. Next to the wardrobe is a basin and a jar full of water.
[[Look under the witch's bed?]]
[[Look in the wardrobe?]]
[[Look in the basin and jar?]]
[[Go back to the kitchen?->Look around the kitchen?]]
[[Go to the living room?]]Softly, Gretel pads into the room. She's only a foot away from the sleeping witch, and waking her up now would be a very bad idea. Gretel gets down on the ground and presses her face to the wooden floor. There's a misplaced stocking and some dust, but no key under the bed. Gretel slowly backs away.
[[Look around the witch's bedroom?]]Gretel makes her way over to the tall wardrobe. It's on the opposite side of the room from the door, and Gretel hardly dares to breathe as she crosses the expanse of the room.
Slowly, she opens the door of the wardrobe, and by some miracle it doesn't creak.
There! On the bottom, pushed behind the hems of the hanging dresses is the old, brass key. Gretel lets out a small sigh of relief, and backs away. Now she can get Hansel out of the stable.
[[Go to the kitchen->Look around the kitchen?]]
(set: $key to true)Slowly, Gretel makes her way over to the basin and jar. The basin is empty, no luck there.
The jar is full of water, and she can see her reflection staring back at her as she peers in. Careful not to make it spill, she reaches in a hand and feels around for the key, but she can only feel the smooth bottom of the jar. It must be somewhere else.
[[Look around the witch's bedroom?]]Gretel approaches the stable, and easily slips the key into the lock. With a turn and a click, it's open. In a moment, Hansel has opened the door and the two hug each other tightly.
"What should we do about the witch?" Hansel asks once they release each other.
[["We should leave now," says Gretel.]]
[["We have to make sure she never does this to any other children," Gretel says seriously, eyes locked onto Hansel's.]]
Hansel nods.
Hand in hand, the two flee from the witch's hut back through the forest. They don't know where they are going, only away from the witch.
They make their way through the forest, and slowly but surely, it begins to look more and more familiar.
"We're almost home!" Gretel exclaims happily.
Finally, they stumble out of the forest, and make their way to their house, just as the sun is beginning to rise.
[[Hands still clasped together, they open the door.]]Hansel nods solemnly.
The two make their way into the cabin, and curl up together in one of the beds. It is still dark when the witch wakes and begins making a racket in the kitchen.
Gretel gestures for Hansel to stay hidden as she makes her way out of the room.
The stove is already on, and the witch is humming as she kneads dough.
"Gretel, creep in the stove so that we will know if it is warm enough for the bread," the witch said sweetly, but Gretel understood the witch's intent.
"I don't know how," she replied.
"Silly girl," the witch said. "the opening is plenty big. I could get in myself." The witch made her way over to the stove and stuck her head in. Gretel pushed her with a cry, and the witch lurched forward into the stove.
(click-append: "stove.") [
In a moment, Hansel was by her side, pushing the witch in. They quickly shut the door of the stove and fled from the house. [[Holding hands, the two make their way back into the forest.]]]It appears that their father and step-mother have just sat down to breakfast, and they were clearly very shocked to see Hansel and Gretel.
"Children!" their father exclaimed, face breaking into a wide grin. He stands and hugs both of his children.
"Why did you leave us in the forest," Hansel asks abrupty. "Why did you not say anything to Step-Mother?"
The woodcarver looked taken aback.
"You must be mistaken. We never meant to leave you in the forest. You must have wandered off, for when we came back, we could not find you anywhere," their step-mother said breezily.
Their father glances back at his wife, looking guilty before nodding along.
"Now, would you two like some breakfast," their step-mother says. Hansel and Gretel exchange a nervous look before nodding slowly, settling themseleves down at the table.
The End...The two flee from the witch's hut back through the forest. They don't know where they are going, only away from the witch.
They make their way through the forest, and slowly but surely, it begins to look more and more familiar.
"We're almost home!" Gretel exclaims happily.
Finally, they stumble out of the forest, and make their way to their house, just as the sun is beginning to rise.
[[Hands still clasped together, they open the door.]]