Hansel and Gretel

“Hansel and Gretel” is a classic tale about a brother and sister who find themselves lost in a dark forest, only to discover a house made of sweets. But as they soon learn, not everything that looks good is safe! With quick thinking and teamwork, Hansel and Gretel must find their way home before it’s too late.

This article presents two versions of the story: the full tale and a simplified graded reader, perfect for younger English learners just starting their language journey. Along the way, your child will learn new vocabulary and practice their reading comprehension with questions at the end to spark deeper understanding.

Looking for more ways to make learning fun? The Studycat Learn English app is filled with interactive stories, games, and lessons that keep your child engaged and excited about learning.

Let’s leap into the forest and follow Hansel and Gretel as they embark on their daring adventure!

The story of “Hansel and Gretel” (for kids)

Once upon a time, there were two children named Hansel and Gretel who lived with their father, a poor woodcutter, and their wicked stepmother in a small cottage on the edge of a dark forest. Times were tough, and the family didn’t have enough food to eat.

One night, Hansel and Gretel overheard their stepmother whispering to their father. She was telling him that they couldn’t afford to feed the children anymore and that they should leave Hansel and Gretel in the woods so they wouldn’t come back. The father was heartbroken but finally agreed, though he hated the idea.

Hansel and Gretel were scared when they heard the plan, but Hansel, being the clever boy he was, came up with an idea. He sneaked outside and gathered a pocket full of pebbles that shone brightly in the moonlight.

The next morning, their stepmother led them deep into the forest. As they walked, Hansel secretly dropped the shiny pebbles behind them to mark the path back home. When their stepmother left them alone in the forest, Hansel and Gretel waited until dark, and thanks to the moonlight, they were able to follow the pebbles all the way back to their cottage.

But when they returned, their stepmother was furious! She decided to try again, and this time, she locked the door so Hansel couldn’t gather pebbles. Instead, the next morning, Hansel dropped breadcrumbs along the path, hoping to find their way back home again.

Lost in the forest

Unfortunately, birds in the forest ate all the breadcrumbs, leaving Hansel and Gretel completely lost! They wandered through the woods for hours, scared and hungry, until they came upon something amazing—a house made entirely of candy, chocolate, and sweets! Starving and tired, the children couldn’t believe their luck. They ran up to the house and began nibbling on the candy walls.

But just as they were enjoying the delicious treats, an old woman appeared at the door. She seemed kind and invited them inside, saying, “Come in, my dears. You look so hungry and tired. I’ll take care of you.”

The witch’s trap

What Hansel and Gretel didn’t know was that the old woman was really a wicked witch who loved to eat children! She had lured them into her gingerbread house as part of her evil plan. As soon as they were inside, she locked Hansel in a cage and made Gretel her servant.

The witch fed Hansel lots of food to fatten him up because she planned to eat him! But Hansel was smart. Every time the witch came to check if he was ready to be cooked, he would stick out a bone he found in the cage instead of his finger. The witch, who had terrible eyesight, thought he was still too skinny and delayed her plans.

Gretel’s clever trick

One day, the witch got impatient. She decided that even though Hansel wasn’t fat enough, she was going to eat him anyway. She ordered Gretel to heat up the oven, but Gretel had a clever idea of her own.

The witch told Gretel to crawl into the oven to see if it was hot enough, but Gretel pretended she didn’t understand. “How do I get in?” she asked the witch. The witch, annoyed, showed her how to crawl into the oven. As soon as the witch leaned over the oven, Gretel gave her a big shove! The witch fell into the oven, and Gretel slammed the door shut, trapping her inside!

With the witch gone, Gretel rushed to free Hansel from the cage. Together, they explored the witch’s house and found treasures of gold and jewels hidden inside. They filled their pockets and hurried out of the forest, eager to find their way home.

The happy ending

After wandering for a while, Hansel and Gretel finally found a familiar path. They ran all the way back to their cottage, where their father welcomed them with open arms. Their stepmother had left, and now, with the gold and jewels from the witch’s house, they would never be hungry again.

Hansel and Gretel had outsmarted the wicked witch and returned home as heroes. They lived happily ever after, safe and sound.

The moral of “Hansel and Gretel”

Clever thinking and bravery can help you overcome even the scariest situations.

Hansel and Gretel used their smarts to escape the witch and find their way back home. Even when things seemed impossible, they didn’t give up.

Questions about “Hansel and Gretel”

1. What did Hansel use the first time to find his way back home?
2. What happened to the breadcrumbs Hansel dropped?
3. Who lived in the gingerbread house that Hansel and Gretel found?
4. How did Gretel trick the wicked witch?
5. What did Hansel and Gretel bring home from the witch’s house?

Answers

1. Hansel used shiny pebbles to find his way back home the first time.
2. Birds ate all the breadcrumbs, so Hansel and Gretel got lost in the forest.
3. A wicked witch lived in the gingerbread house.
4. Gretel tricked the witch by pretending she didn’t know how to get into the oven, then pushing the witch in.
5. They brought home treasures of gold and jewels from the witch’s house.

Words to learn

• Cottage: A small house, often found in the countryside or woods.
• Pebbles: Small, smooth stones, like the ones Hansel used to mark the path.
• Breadcrumbs: Small pieces of bread, which Hansel used the second time to try and find his way home.
• Witch: A magical woman who uses evil spells, like the one who lived in the candy house.
• Gingerbread house: A house made of candy, chocolate, and sweets, like the one Hansel and Gretel found.
• Bone: A part of the skeleton, which Hansel used to trick the witch into thinking he wasn’t ready to eat.
• Treasures: Valuable items, such as gold and jewels, that Hansel and Gretel found in the witch’s house.

”Hansel and Gretel” for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1)

Once, there were two children named Hansel and Gretel. They lived near a big forest. One day, they got lost in the woods.

They walked and walked until they saw something amazing—a house made of candy!

Hansel and Gretel were hungry, so they ate the candy on the house. But inside the house was a mean witch! She trapped Hansel in a cage and made Gretel do all the work.

The witch wanted to eat Hansel!

But Gretel was smart. She tricked the witch and pushed her into the oven. Then, she freed Hansel.

They found gold and jewels in the house and ran all the way back home to their father.

Fun facts about “Hansel and Gretel”!

Did you know? The gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel might have inspired the tradition of making gingerbread houses at Christmas time! Now, people decorate gingerbread houses with candies, just like the one Hansel and Gretel found in the story.