"We will go in here," said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I will
eat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not be
sweet?" So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in order
to see how it tasted; while Grethel stepped up to the window and
began to bite it. Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap,
tip-tap, who knocks at my door?" and the children answered, "The
wind, the wind, the child of heaven;" and they went on eating without
interruption. Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he tore
off a great piece; while Grethel broke a large round pane out of the
window, and sat down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, and
a very old woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Grethel
were so much frightened that they let fall what they had in their
hands; but the old woman nodding her head, said, "Ah, you dear
children, what has brought you here? Come in and stop with me, and no
harm shall come to you;" and so saying she took them both by the hand,
and led them into her cottage. A good meal of milk and pancakes, with
sugar, apples and nuts, was spread on the table, and in the back
room were two nice little beds, covered with white, where Hansel and
Grethel laid themselves down, and were happy as could be.
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