صفحة 187 من 626

It was now three mornings since they had left their father's

house. They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into

the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of

hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful

snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully

that they stood still and listened to it. And when its song was

over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they

followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of

which it alighted; and when they approached the little house they

saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that

the windows were of clear sugar. 'We will set to work on that,'

said Hansel, 'and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof,

and you Gretel, can eat some of the window, it will taste sweet.'

Hansel reached up above, and broke off a little of the roof to

try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and

nibbled at the panes.