Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/293

 science had reproached him for leaving his children behind by themselves.

Not long afterwards there was again great dearth in the land, and the children heard their mother address their father thus in bed one night: ‘Everything is eaten up once more; we have only half a loaf in the house, and when that’s done it’s all up with us. The children must be got rid of; we’ll lead them deeper into the wood this time, so that they won’t be able to find their way out again. There is no other way of saving ourselves.’ The man’s heart smote him heavily, and he thought: ‘Surely it would be better to share the last bite with one’s children!’ But his wife wouldn’t listen to his arguments, and did nothing but scold and reproach him. If a man yields once he’s done for, and so, because he had given in the first time, he was forced to do so the second.

But the children were awake, and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep Hansel got up, and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles again, as he had done the first time; but the woman had barred the door, and Hansel couldn’t get out. But he consoled his little sister, and said: ‘Don’t cry, Grettel, and sleep peacefully, for God is sure to help us.’

At early dawn the woman came and made the children get up. They received their bit of bread, but it was even smaller than the time before. On the way to the wood Hansel crumbled it in his pocket, and every few minutes he stood still and dropped a crumb on the ground. ‘Hansel, what are you stopping and looking about you for?’ said the father. ‘I’m looking back at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof waving me a farewell,’ answered