'' And she left him no peace
until he said he would do as she wished.
``But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all
the same,'' said the man.
The two children had also not been able to
sleep for hunger, and had heard what their father's
wife had said to their father.
Grethel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel,
``Now all is over with us.''
``Be quiet, Grethel,'' said Hansel, ``do not be
troubled; I will soon find a way to help us.''
And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he
got up, put on his little coat, opened the door
below, and crept outside. The moon shone brightly,
and the white pebbles which lay in front of the
house shone like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped
and put as many of them in the little pocket of his
coat as he could make room for. Then he went
back, and said to Grethel, ``Be at ease, dear little
sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsake us.''
And he lay down again in his bed.
When the day dawned, but before the sun had
risen, the woman came and awoke the two children,
saying:--
``Get up, you lazy things! we are going into the
forest to fetch wood.'' She gave each a little piece
of bread, and said, ``There is something for your
dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you
will get nothing else.''
Grethel took the bread under her apron, as
Hansel had the stones in his pocket.
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