"
He stretched out his hand to help himself, and Gretel had already
begun to nibble one of the window-panes, when suddenly they heard a
voice call from within:--
"Nibbly, nibbly, mouse!
Who's nibbling at my house?"
The children answered quickly:--
"'Tis my Lady Wind that blows,
As round about the house she goes."
And then they went on eating as though nothing had happened for the
cake of which the roof was made just suited Hansel's taste, whilst the
barley-sugar window-panes were better than any sweetmeat Gretel had
ever tasted before.
All at once the door of the cottage flew wide open, and out came an
old, old woman, leaning upon a crutch. The children were so frightened
that they dropped their food and clung to each other.
The old woman nodded her head to them, and said: "Who brought you
here, my pets? Come inside, come inside; no one will hurt you."
She took their hands and led them into the house, and set before them
all kinds of delicious foods, milk, sugared pancakes, apples, and
nuts. When they had finished their meal she showed them two cosy
little white beds, and as Hansel and Gretel lay snugly tucked up in
them, they thought to themselves that surely they had now found the
most delightful place in the whole wide world.
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