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Then she went to Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried:

'Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good

for your brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made

fat. When he is fat, I will eat him.' Gretel began to weep

bitterly, but it was all in vain, for she was forced to do what

the wicked witch commanded.

And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got

nothing but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the

little stable, and cried: 'Hansel, stretch out your finger that I

may feel if you will soon be fat.' Hansel, however, stretched out

a little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could

not see it, and thought it was Hansel's finger, and was

astonished that there was no way of fattening him. When four

weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin, she was seized

with impatience and would not wait any longer. 'Now, then,

Gretel,' she cried to the girl, 'stir yourself, and bring some

water. Let Hansel be fat or lean, tomorrow I will kill him, and

cook him.' Ah, how the poor little sister did lament when she had

to fetch the water, and how her tears did flow down her cheeks!

'Dear God, do help us,' she cried.