Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife: “What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?` “I`ll tell you

One summer`s morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then came a peasant woman down the street crying: “Good jams, cheap! Good jams, cheap!` This rang pleasantly in the tailor`s ears; he stretched his delicate head out of the window, and called: “Come up here, dear woman; here you will get rid of your goods.` The woman came up the three steps to the tailor with her heavy basket, and he made her unpack all the pots for him. He inspected each one, lifted

There was once a forester who went into the forest to hunt, and as he entered it he heard a sound of screaming as if a little child were there. He followed the sound, and at last came to a high tree, and at the top of this a little child was sitting, for the mother had fallen asleep under the tree with the child, and a bird of prey had seen it in her arms, had flown down, snatched it away, and set it on the high tree.
The forester climbed up, brought the child down, and thought to himself:

There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world. One day the woman was standing by

“The nuts are quite ripe now,` said Chanticleer to his wife Partlet, “suppose we go together to the mountains, and eat as many as we can, before the squirrel takes them all away.` “With all my heart,` said Partlet, “let us go and make a holiday of it together.`
So they went to the mountains; and as it was a lovely day, they stayed there till the evening. Now, whether it was that they had eaten so many nuts that they could not walk, or whether they were lazy and would not, I do not know: however, they took it into

The king of a great land died, and left his queen to take care of their only child. This child was a daughter, who was very beautiful; and her mother loved her dearly, and was very kind to her. And there was a good fairy too, who was fond of the princess, and helped her mother to watch over her. When she grew up, she was betrothed to a prince who lived a great way off; and as the time drew near for her to be married, she got ready to set off on her journey to his country. Then

A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together. “But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer from hunger,` said the cat; “and you, little mouse, cannot venture everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day.` The good advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put it. At length, after

One fine evening a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs, andwent out to take a walk by herself in a wood; and when she came to acool spring of water, that rose in the midst of it, she sat herselfdown to rest a while. Now she had a golden ball in her hand, which washer favourite plaything; and she was always tossing it up into theair, and catching it again as it fell. After a time she threw it up sohigh that she missed catching it as it fell; and the ball boundedaway, and rolled along upon the

Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest,and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said:”Brother wolf, what bird is it that sings so well?` “That is the Kingof birds,` said the wolf, “before whom we must bow down.` In realitythe bird was the willow-wren. “IF that`s the case,` said the bear, “Ishould very much like to see his royal palace; come, take me thither.`”That is not done quite as you seem to think,` said the wolf; “youmust wait until the Queen comes,` Soon afterwards, the Queen arrivedwith some food in her

There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, closeby the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing;and one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at thesparkling waves and watching his line, all on a sudden his float wasdragged away deep into the water: and in drawing it up he pulled out agreat fish. But the fish said, “Pray let me live! I am not a realfish; I am an enchanted prince: put me in the water again, and let mego!` “Oh, ho!` said the man, “you