A Handful of Beans by Jeanne Steig

Author:Jeanne Steig
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

The children embraced each other, and then ran shouting and singing into the witch’s house, where there was nothing left to fear. They found it was crowded in every corner with chests full of silver and pearls and precious stones of all colors and shapes.

“These are certainly better than pebbles or crumbs!” cried Hansel.

He filled up his pockets, and Gretel filled hers as well. “I believe it’s time to go home,” she said. With that, they ran out of the witch’s house and into the wood. For two hours they walked, until they arrived at a wide, wide river, and there they stopped, for there was no way across it. In the middle, a little white duck was diving and splashing, with not a care in the world. Gretel called out to it:

“Sweet bird, kind bird, good-luck-giver,

Ferry two children over the river.”

The little duck came to them at once, and Hansel jumped on her back.

“Come on, Gretel,” cried he, but Gretel saw that the two of them would make too heavy a burden.

“No, Hansel, we must go one at a time,” she said. So the duck took Hansel across and then went back for Gretel. They thanked her well and walked straight on into the wood, which did not seem so strange or so dark as it had on the other side. Before very long, they spied their house and ran through the door, right into their father’s arms.

“My children, my dear ones!” he cried, and hugged them tenderly. He had grieved so long that he’d filled both a barrel and a bucket with his tears. “You’re home, and you’ve nothing to fear anymore, for my wife, that wicked woman, is dead.”

“And so is the bad old witch!” cried Gretel, and she began to throw handfuls of precious jewels into her father’s lap. Hansel joined in, flinging pieces of glittering silver into the air. There was no limit to their rejoicing.

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