The San Francisco call., 1904-09-18
HANS
and
GRETEL
A Fairy Story

nchen-
In this castle there once dwelt little
girl and boy with their uncle, who
was their guardian. About half a mile
from the castle IS a high tower. Up in
the very top OF the tower is a little
glass room, and IN this room is a large
telescope That was a favorite place
for Ears and Gretel TO spend their
time. but The old nurse, Bettina, always
went with them Hans and Gretel were
as happy as the day was long, al
though they knew nothing OF life out
side o. the high wall.
One day their uncle went OF on q
long journey A week later he returned,
bringing with him some strange men,
whose rough looks and loud talk
frightened Hans and GreteL But when
their uncle called the children to him
and said. ''See what I have brought
you. little ones" they forgot their
fright IN locking at the pretty things
spread out before them For Gretel
there was q beautiful doll and a silk
gown and for Hans a silver handled
riding whip and bonbons which came
from the wonderful city. many, many
miles distant
But Bettina, who loved the children
dearly. could not forget the looks Of the
rough men, and when, after the chill
d-en had gone to bed, she still heard
the loud talk and the clink Of glasses
ga the dining hall, she crept down stairs
very softly, listened at the door and
heard the wicked uncle planning with
his friends to XIII the children and thus
gain all their money and the castle. 1t
was now Friday, and the wicked deed
was 10 be done on the following Mon
day
Sad at heart, the old nurse crept
softly up the stairs into the room
where, in the pure moonlight, Hans and
Grefel lay fast asleep. Bettina opened
the window and looked out What Joy
filed her heart as she saw the round.
friendly face OF her old friend the
moon, AS his rays shone further and
further into the little room a plan Of
escape began TO form in her mind
The evening OF the next day Hans
and Gretel begged to go to the tower,
as usual, and look at the beautiful
landscape by moonlight So Bettina
wrapped them up warmly, tocx some
little cakes and a flask Of wine and
they started.
wait a moment" said the old nurse,
e"and ] viii show you something you
have never seen before. You did not
know that tomorrow night is the time
when the fairies meet in their magic
circle. ] viii show you the place"
s. Then she turned the big telescope on
9ts oiled hinges, so that it pointed to q
zmountain many miles distant.
"Ah," she said, there il is," Surely,
there II was-a beautiful green ring.
The children clapped their hands with
lglee
- After time the old nurse told them
of the plan Of the wicked uncle. But"
Continued she, whoever stands in that
Sfsiry ring tomorrow eve is safe from
all harm. We viii start for it early
sto-mcrTow morning"
~ The next morning was clear and
bright 1t happened very fortunately
that on that day their uncle was TO
make another journey TO the beautiful
city where he had bought the bonbons
As soon as he was out Of sight the
children and Bettina started on their
fsUrney. All day long they travelled,
and when night came on they found
themselves beside a very wide river.
which they must cross in order to
reach the fairy ring. Here was a di-
lemma, and they were almost in de-
spair when they saw squirrel. He
was chattering very fast. evidently
trying TO attract their attention.
"HO. hol good friends" quoth he,
'why are you so sad2 If. like me, you
had had nothing TO eat all day, you
might indeed be downhearted."
Here IS a cracker" said Hans. II
was the last one the little boy had, but
he gave it without hesitation to the
hungry squirrel, and. while the squir-
rel ate the cracker. they told him their
story.
''why. that is nothing at all" said the
squirrel encOuragingly. Don't be
alarmed at what you see. / am going
60 make a bridge for you" Thereupon
he began TO grow and grow and grow.
What great teeth he had and what a
tall lie was really a very ferocious
looking animal Finally he became so
large that his tail spanned the river
and made a bridge. the like Of which
has never since been seen. Over this
bridge they all went in safety. When
they were on the other side they
watched the squirrel grow smaller and
smaller. until be was his natural size
once more. But TO their. dismay they
found that the fairy ring was still a
long way of.
In the meantime the uncle had re-
turned ard discovered their fight. He
Immediately put on his seven league
boots and started In pursuit. These
boots were his one magic possession
They had been given him by an old
witch for whom he had once done a
service.
Just as the squirrel had become his
natural size the uncle came to the river.
High I'd IN an old oak tree sa& the
squirrel on guard
There they are, the wretches.~ said
ne unclA Il win soon have them II
mEZ one can Unaa that xtEsE I esrta1n,y