Hansel and Gretel
Grimm Brothers
A poor woodcutter once lived near a forest. His children Hansel and Gretel were cruelly treated by the stepmother. Once there was a famine and the wife advised her husband to leave the children in the forest forever. The husband was unwilling because he loved his children. Having heard the stepmother's plan, Hansel collected shiny pebbles at night. He dropped those pebbles when they were leaving for forest. In the forest, when their parents deserted them, they returned back home following the shiny pebbles in the moon light. Next time also their parents deserted them in the forest. This time they could not return home. After three days of searching their home, they found a house made of cake, sugar and bread. A witch came and trapped them. She put Hansel in a cage in order to eat him. But by the intelligence of Hansel, they were freed. Hansel even killed the witch with her clever trick. After collecting lots of jewels from the witch's house, they returned home and united with their father.
-Hansel and Gretel
Theme:
‘Hansel and Gretel’ by Grimm Brothers present a story of a family; which consists of a father, a stepmother and two children. The writers present the psychology of step mother in very realistic manner. At the same time, he shows that evil force suffers in the end and good force emerges victorious.
Summary:
Once there was a famine in a country, which compelled the step mother to think of leaving the children to the forest. The father yielded to the wish of wife, as she was pigheaded. In the morning, the step mother asked them to get ready to go to the forest. Hansel had collected pebbles as he had heard the conversation of parents the earlier night. As they left their home, the boy dropped pebbles on the way. After walking for some duration, they reached to a spot where the step mother asked the children to wait till they return back. But it was only a trick to leave the children in the forest. At midnight, when they got up, the boy thought of returning to house. He could return successfully with the assistance of pebbles he had dropped. At home they were welcomed by the father though the mother was indifferent. There was another famine in the country, which forced the mother to bring the previous idea back again. The father accepted despite his unwillingness. The boy, unlike previous time, was unable to collect pebbles as the mother had locked the door from outside. Early in the morning, the children were woken up and given bread. The boy dropped the bread on the way making it crumbs. Unlike before, the parents took them deep into the forest. The children were left there. They wished that their parents would come which didn’t happen as they had thought. The children couldn’t return back to their house as the breads crumbs had been eaten by birds. They, at last reached to a house made of bread and cakes. As they nibbled from the house, a voice sweetly spoke them to continue. It was a witch, who used to eat children whoever came handy. The witch, on the next day imprisoned the brother and compelled the sister to do laborious deeds. Everyday the witch went there and checked how fat he had become. The boy could deceive her with the help of a bone. As she realized that the lad would never become sedentary, she decided to end the consequence. Early in the morning, she ordered Gretel to fetch water. She had prepared oven to end the brother and sister. As Gretel arrived there, she asked her to be in. Gretel showed ignorance to the way of entering and asked her to demonstrate. No sooner had the witch tried to enter her head, she pushed her into oven and closed it. She then released her brother. They went inside the house and collected treasures. On the way back home, they arrived by a river, which was full of water. The boy asked a duck to help him across the river. As they reached their house after long walk, they saw their father, who welcomed them happily. Their step mother had already died.
Q. What do the bird and the expense of water symbolizes in the fairy tale?
The white bird is the symbol of bridge which guides the children up to home safely and then water is the symbol of transition and beginning of happiness.
copied;
Credential: Dr. Ramesh Adhikari
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