Hansel and Gretel - Fairy Tales to Help You Sleep

Good evening. Welcome to the Just Sleep Podcast. I'm Tayshia, your host. Every week, I will read you an old story to help you relax, put the stressful day behind you, and drift off to sleep. Occasionally, we will run ads in order to cover the costs of the production of the podcast. Rest assured, there will be no ads during or after the story. If you prefer an ad-free and intro-free show, you can join Just Sleep Premium. Visit justsleeppodcast.com slash support for more information. So be brave, be just. This episode marks the fifth anniversary of the podcast. Five years ago, we started the show, inspired by my husband and his need to listen to something to help him drift off to sleep. I recorded in the attic room in our flat and my husband edited, and he still does. And we put the first episode out on February 26th, 2021. It took us two weeks to put the next one out. Of course we hoped that the show would do well, but we had no idea that it would change our lives. And we have you to thank. So thank you. To mark the anniversary of the show, I'd love to hear from you. If the show has helped you drift off on a difficult night, become part of your nightly routine, or helped someone you love, let me know. You can email me at hello at justsleeppodcast.com. I will read every single one and share a few on the show. I'll put that email address in the show notes. And finally, for the next month, we will be sharing some of the most popular episodes over the last five years, starting with the ever-popular fairy tales. So tonight, I will be reading Hansel and Gretel, and then Cinderella. So lie down, close your eyes, and let me read you a story. Hansel and Gretel In a great forest dwelt a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once, when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. now when he thought over this by night in his bed and tossed about in his anxiety he groaned and said to his wife what is to become of us how are we to feed our poor children when we no longer have anything even for ourselves i'll tell you what husband answered the woman early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest there we will light a fire for them and give each of them one more piece of bread and then we will go to our work and leave them alone they will not find the way home again and we shall be rid of them no wife said the man i will not do that how can i bear to leave my children alone in the forest the wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces oh you fool said she though we must all four die of hunger you may as well plane the planks for our coffins. And she left him no peace until he consented. But I feel very sorry for the poor children all the same, said the man. The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father. Gretel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, now all is over with us. Be quiet, Gretel, said Hansel. Do not distress yourself. I will soon find a way to help us. And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Then he went back and said to Gretel, Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace. God will not forsake us. And he lay down again in his bed. When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying, Get up, you sluggards. We are going into the forest to fetch wood. she gave each a little piece of bread and said there is something for your dinner but do not eat it up before then for you will get nothing else gretel took the bread under her apron as hansel had the pebbles in his pocket then they all set out together on the way to the forest when they had walked a short time hansel stood still and peeped back at the house and did so again and again. His father said, Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for? Pay attention and do not forget how to use your legs. Ah, father, said Hansel, I am looking at my little white cat which is sitting up on the roof and wants to say goodbye to me. The wife said, fool, that is not your little cat. That is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys. Hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble stones out of his pocket on the road. When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, Now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not be cold. Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said, Now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest. We will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch you away. Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread. as they heard the strokes of the wood axe they believed that their father was near it was not the axe however but a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards as they had been sitting such a long time their eyes closed with fatigue and they fell fast asleep When at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and said, How are we to get out of the forest now? But Hansel comforted her and said, Just wait a little, until the moon has risen. and then we will soon find the way. And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the hand and followed the pebbles which shone like newly coined silver pieces and showed them the way. They walked the whole night long, and by a break of day came once more to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said, You naughty children, why have you slept so long in the forest? We thought you were never coming back at all. The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone. Not long afterwards, there was once more a great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father, everything is eaten again. We have one half loaf left, and that is the end. The children must go. We will take them further into the wood, so they will not find their way out again. There's no other means of saving ourselves. The man's heart was heavy, and he thought, it would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your children. The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say A likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also. The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation. When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless, he comforted his little sister and said, Do not cry, Gretel. Go to sleep quietly. The good God will help us. Early in the morning came the woman and took the children out of their beds. Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. Hansel, why do you stop and look around, said the father. Go on. I'm looking at my little pigeon, which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me, answered Hansel. Fool, said the woman. That is not your little pigeon. That is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney. Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path. The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, but they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and the mother said, Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a little. We are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening, when we are done, we will come and fetch you away. When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who'd scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children. They did not wake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said, Just wait, Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I've strewn about. They will show us our way home again. When the moon came, they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all up. Hansel said to Gretel, we shall soon find the way, but they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too, from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest and were very hungry, but they had nothing to eat but two or three berries which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep. 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 midday 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. Then a soft voice cried from the parlor. "'Nibble, nibble, no, who is nibbling at my little house?' The children answered, "'The wind, the wind, the heaven-born wind,' and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out the hole of one round windowpane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with it. Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head and said, Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you. She took them both by the hand and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes with sugar, apples and nuts. Afterwards, two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them and thought they were in heaven. The old woman had only pretended to be so kind. She was in reality a wicked witch who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with her. Witches have red eyes and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts and are aware when human beings draw near. When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighborhood she laughed with malice and said mockingly I have them, they shall not escape me again. Early in the morning before the children were awake she was already up and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty with their plump and rosy cheeks she muttered to herself that would be a dainty mouthful then she seized Hansel with her shriveled hand carried him into a little stable and locked him in behind a grated door scream as he might it would not help him 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. I 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. If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should at any rate have died together. Just keep your noise to yourself, said the old woman, it won't help you at all. Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with the water, and light the fire. We will bake first, said the old woman. I've already heated the oven and kneaded the dough. She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. Creep in, said the witch, and see if it is properly heated so that we can put the bread in. And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her too. But Gretel saw what she had in mind and said, I do not know how I am to do it. How do I get in? Silly goose, said the old woman. The door is big enough. Just look. I can get in myself. And she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it and shut the iron door and fastened the bolt. Oh, then she began to howl quite horribly. but Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death. Gretel however ran like lightning to Hansel opened his little stable and cried Hansel we are saved the old witch is dead. Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door was opened. How they did rejoice and embrace each other and dance about and kiss each other and as they had no longer any need to fear her they went into the witch's house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. These are far better than pebbles, said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever could be got in. And Gretel said, I too will take something home with me, and filled her pinafore full. But now we must be off, said Hansel, that we may get out of the witch's forest. When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water. It cannot cross, said Hansel. I see no foot plank and no bridge. And there is also no ferry, answered Gretel. But a white duck is swimming there. If I ask her, she will help us over. Then she cried. Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee. There's never a plank or bridge in sight. Take us across, on thy back so white. The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back and told his sister to sit by him. No, replied Gretel, that will be too heavy for the little duck. She will take us across, one after the other. The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar to them and at length they saw from afar their father's house. Then they began to run, rushed into the parlor and threw themselves round their father's neck. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the forest. The woman, however, was dead. Gretel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to them then all anxiety was at an end and they lived together in perfect happiness my tale is done there runs a mouse whosoever catches it may make himself a big fur cap out of it Cinderella The wife of a rich man fell sick, and when she felt that her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, Always be a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and watch over you. soon afterwards she shut her eyes and died and was buried in the garden and the little girl went every day to her grave and wept and was always good and kind to all about her and the snow spread a beautiful white covering over the grave but by the time the sun had melted it away again her father had married another wife This new wife had two daughters of her own. They were fair in face, but foul at heart. And it was now a sorry time for the poor little girl. What does the good-for-nothing want in the parlour, said they. And they took away her fine clothes, and gave her an old frock to put on, and laughed at her, and turned her into the kitchen. Then she was forced to do hard work, to rise early before daylight to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. She had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by the hearth among the ashes, and they called her Cinderella. It happened once that her father was going to the fair and asked his wife's daughters what he should bring to them. Fine clothes, said the first. Pearls and diamonds, said the second. Now, child, said he to his own daughter, what will you have? The first sprig, dear father, that rubs against your hat on your way home, said she. Then he bought for the two first the fine clothes and pearls and diamonds they'd asked for, and on his way home, as he rode through a green cop, a sprig of hazel brushed against him. so he broke it off and when he got home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it and went to her mother's grave and planted it there and cried so much that it was watered with her tears and there it grew and became a fine tree and soon a little bird came and built its nest upon the tree and talked with her and watched over her and brought her whatever she wished for. Now it happened that the king of the land held a feast which was to last three days, and out of those who came to it his son was to choose a bride for himself, and Cinderella's two sisters were asked to come. So they called Cinderella and said, Now comb our hair, brush our shoes, and tie our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the king's feast. And then she did as she was told. for when all was done, she could not help crying, for she thought to herself she would have liked to go to the dance too. And at last she begged her mother very hard to let her go. You, Cinderella, said she, you who have nothing to wear, no clothes at all, and who can't even dance, you want to go to the ball? And when she kept on begging to get rid of her, she said at last, "'I will throw this basin full of peas into the ash heap, if you have picked them all out in two hours time shall go to the feast too she threw the into the ashes but the little maiden ran out the back door into the garden and cried out Hither, thither, through the sky, turtle doves and linets fly. Blackbird thrush and chaffants gay, hither, thither, haste away. One and all, come, help me quick. hasty hasty pick pick pick then first came two white doves and next two turtle doves and after them all the little birds under heaven came and the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work pick pick pick and then the others began to pick, pick, pick and picked out all the good grain and put it into a dish and left the ashes. At the end of one hour the work was done and all flew out again at the windows. Then she brought the dish to her mother but the mother said, No, no, indeed you have no clothes and cannot dance, you shall not go. and when Cinderella begged very hard to go she said if you can in one hour's time pick two of these dishes of peas out of the ashes you shall go too so she shook two dishes of peas into the ashes but the little maiden went out into the garden at the back of the house and called as before and all the birds came flying and in half an hour's time all was done and out they flew again and then Cinderella took the dishes to her mother rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball but her mother said it is all of no use you cannot go you have no clothes and cannot dance and you would only put us to shame and off she went with her two daughters to the feast now when all were gone and nobody left at home Cinderella went sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel tree and cried out, Shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me. Then her friend, the bird, flew out of the tree and brought a gold and silver dress for her and slippers of spangled silk. And she put them on and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not know her. She looked so fine and beautiful in her rich clothes. The king's son soon came up to her and took her by the hand and danced with her and no one else, and he never left her hand. But when anyone else came to ask her to dance, he said, This lady is dancing with me. Thus they danced till the late hour of the night, and then she wanted to go home. And the king's son said, I shall go and take care of you to your home, for he wanted to see where the beautiful maid lived. But she slipped away from him unawares and ran off towards home, and the prince followed her. Then she jumped up into the pigeon house and shut the door. So he waited till her father came home and told him that the unknown maiden who'd been at the feast had hidden herself in the pigeon house. But when they had broken open the door, they found no one within. And as they came back into the house, Cinderella lay, as she always did, in her dirty frock by the ashes. For she had run as quickly as she could through the pigeon house and onto the hazel tree, and had there taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them beneath the tree, that the bird might carry them away. And she had seated herself amid the ashes again in her little old frock. The next day, when the feast was again held and her father, mother and sisters were gone, Cinderella went to the hazel tree and all happened as the evening before. The king's son, who was waiting for her, took her by the hand and danced with her. And when anyone asked her to dance, he said as before, this lady is dancing with me. When night came, she wanted to go home, and the king's son went with her. But she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father's house. In this garden stood a fine, large pear tree, and Cinderella jumped up into it without being seen. The king's son waited till her father came home and said to him, The unknown lady has slipped away, and I think she must have sprung into the pear tree. the father ordered an axe to be brought and they cut down the tree but found no one upon it and when they came back into the kitchen there lay cinderella in the ashes as usual for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel tree and then put on her old little frock The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she went again into the garden and said, Shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me. Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold. And the king's son danced with her alone, and when anyone else asked her to dance, he said, this lady is my partner. Now when night came she wanted to go home and the king's son would go with her but she managed to slip away from him though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs. So the prince took the shoe and went the next day to the king his father and said I will take for my wife the lady that this golden shoe fits. Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear this, for they had beautiful feet and had no doubt that they could wear the golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. But her big toe could not get into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small for her. Then the mother said, never mind, cut it off. When you are queen, you will not care about toes. You will not want to go on foot. So the silly girl cut her big toe off and squeezed the shoe on and went to the king's son. Then he took her for his bride and rode away with her. But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel tree that Cinderella had planted, and there sat a little dove on the branch singing, Back again, back again, look to the shoe. The shoe is too small and not made for you. Prince, prince, look again for thy bride, for she's not the true one that sits by thy side. Then the prince looked at her foot and saw by the blood that streamed from it what a trick she had played him. So he brought the false bride back to her home and said, This is not the right bride. Let the other sister try and put on the slipper. Then she went into the room and got her foot into the shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came and took her to the king's son, and he rode away with her. But when they came to the hazel tree, the little dove sat there still and sang as before. Then the king's son looked down and saw that the blood streamed from the shoe, so he brought her back again also. this is not the true bride said he to the father have you no other daughters then cinderella came and she took her clumsy shoe off and put on the golden slipper and it fitted as if it had been made for her and when he drew near and looked at her face the prince knew her and said this as the right bride. Then he took Cinderella on his horse and rode away, and when they came to the hazel tree, the white dove sang, Prince, Prince, take home thy bride, for she is the true one that sits by thy side. Good night.