Hansel and Gretel

Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter 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?’

Di dekat sebuah hutan besar tinggallah seorang penebang kayu yang miskin bersama istrinya dan kedua anaknya. Anak laki-lakinya bernama Hansel dan anak perempuannya bernama Gretel. Ia hanya punya sedikit untuk dimakan dan dipotong-potong, dan pada suatu ketika ketika paceklik besar melanda negeri itu, ia bahkan tak lagi bisa mendapatkan roti sehari-hari. Ketika ia memikirkan hal ini pada malam hari di ranjangnya, dan berguling-guling gelisah, ia mengerang dan berkata kepada istrinya: "Apa yang akan terjadi pada kita? Bagaimana kita bisa memberi makan anak-anak kita yang malang, kalau kita sendiri tak punya apa-apa lagi?"

‘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.’

"Begini, suamiku," jawab perempuan itu, "besok pagi-pagi sekali kita akan membawa anak-anak itu ke dalam hutan, ke bagian yang paling lebat; di sana kita akan menyalakan api untuk mereka, dan memberi mereka masing-masing sepotong roti lagi, lalu kita akan pergi bekerja dan meninggalkan mereka sendirian. Mereka tak akan bisa menemukan jalan pulang lagi, dan kita akan terbebas dari mereka." "Tidak, istriku," kata lelaki itu, "aku tak akan melakukan itu; bagaimana mungkin aku sanggup meninggalkan anak-anakku sendirian di dalam hutan?—binatang-binatang buas akan segera datang dan mencabik-cabik mereka."

‘O, you fool!’ said she, ‘then 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.

"Oh, dasar bodoh!" kata perempuan itu, "kalau begitu kita berempat akan mati kelaparan, kau boleh saja mulai menyerut papan untuk peti mati kita," dan ia tak membiarkannya tenang sampai lelaki itu menyetujuinya. "Tapi aku tetap sangat kasihan pada anak-anak yang malang itu," kata lelaki itu.

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.

Kedua anak itu juga tak bisa tidur karena lapar, dan telah mendengar apa yang dikatakan ibu tiri mereka kepada ayah mereka. Gretel menangis tersedu-sedu, dan berkata kepada Hansel: "Sekarang tamatlah riwayat kita." "Diamlah, Gretel," kata Hansel, "jangan bersedih, aku akan segera mencari cara untuk menolong kita." Dan ketika kedua orang tua itu sudah tertidur, ia bangkit, mengenakan mantel kecilnya, membuka pintu di bawah, dan menyelinap keluar.

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.

Bulan bersinar terang, dan batu-batu kerikil putih yang berserakan di depan rumah berkilauan seperti keping-keping perak sungguhan. Hansel membungkuk dan menjejalkan kantong kecil mantelnya dengan sebanyak mungkin batu yang bisa ia masukkan. Kemudian ia kembali dan berkata kepada Gretel: "Tenanglah, adik kecilku sayang, dan tidurlah dengan tenang, Tuhan tak akan meninggalkan kita," dan ia berbaring lagi di ranjangnya.

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.

Ketika hari mulai terang, tetapi sebelum matahari terbit, perempuan itu datang dan membangunkan kedua anak itu, sambil berkata: "Bangun, kalian pemalas! Kita akan pergi ke hutan untuk mengambil kayu." Ia memberi masing-masing sepotong kecil roti, dan berkata: "Ini untuk makan siang kalian, tapi jangan dimakan sebelum waktunya, sebab kalian tak akan dapat apa-apa lagi." Gretel membawa roti itu di balik celemeknya, sebagaimana Hansel membawa batu-batu kerikil di kantongnya. Kemudian mereka semua berangkat bersama menuju hutan.

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.’

Ketika mereka telah berjalan sebentar, Hansel berhenti dan menoleh ke belakang memandangi rumah itu, dan melakukannya berulang-ulang. Ayahnya berkata: "Hansel, apa yang kau lihat di sana dan kenapa kau tertinggal di belakang? Perhatikan langkahmu, dan jangan lupa menggunakan kakimu."

‘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.

"Ah, ayah," kata Hansel, "aku sedang melihat kucing putih kecilku, yang sedang duduk di atas atap, dan ingin mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepadaku." Istrinya berkata: "Bodoh, itu bukan kucing kecilmu, itu matahari pagi yang bersinar di atas cerobong-cerobong asap." Namun Hansel sebenarnya tak sedang melihat ke belakang ke arah kucing itu, melainkan terus-menerus melemparkan sebutir batu kerikil putih dari kantongnya ke jalan.

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.’

Ketika mereka telah tiba di tengah hutan, ayahnya berkata: "Nah, anak-anak, tumpuklah beberapa kayu, dan aku akan menyalakan api supaya kalian tidak kedinginan." Hansel dan Gretel mengumpulkan ranting-ranting kering bersama-sama, setinggi bukit kecil. Ranting-ranting itu dinyalakan, dan ketika nyala apinya sudah membesar, perempuan itu berkata: "Nah, anak-anak, berbaringlah di dekat api dan beristirahatlah, kami akan pergi ke dalam hutan untuk memotong kayu. Setelah selesai, kami akan kembali dan menjemput kalian."

Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and 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.

Hansel dan Gretel duduk di dekat api, dan ketika tengah hari tiba, mereka masing-masing memakan sepotong kecil roti, dan ketika mereka mendengar suara pukulan kapak kayu, mereka mengira ayah mereka ada di dekat sana. Namun itu bukanlah kapak, melainkan sebuah dahan yang telah diikatkan ayahnya pada sebatang pohon kering yang tertiup angin bolak-balik.

And 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.

Dan karena mereka telah duduk begitu lama, mata mereka menutup karena kelelahan, dan mereka pun tertidur pulas. Ketika akhirnya mereka terbangun, hari sudah gelap malam. Gretel mulai menangis dan berkata: "Bagaimana caranya kita bisa keluar dari hutan sekarang?" Tapi Hansel menghiburnya dan berkata: "Tunggu sebentar saja, sampai bulan terbit, lalu kita akan segera menemukan jalannya." Dan ketika bulan purnama telah terbit, Hansel menggandeng adik kecilnya, dan mengikuti batu-batu kerikil yang berkilauan seperti keping-keping perak yang baru dicetak, dan itu menunjukkan jalan kepada mereka.

They walked the whole night long, and by 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.

Mereka berjalan sepanjang malam, dan menjelang fajar tiba lagi di rumah ayah mereka. Mereka mengetuk pintu, dan ketika perempuan itu membukanya dan melihat bahwa itu adalah Hansel dan Gretel, ia berkata: "Anak-anak nakal, mengapa kalian tidur begitu lama di hutan?—kami kira kalian tak akan pernah kembali!" Ayah mereka, sebaliknya, bersukacita, sebab hatinya begitu pedih meninggalkan mereka sendirian.

Not long afterwards, there was once more 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 farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no other means of saving ourselves!’

Tak lama kemudian, paceklik besar kembali melanda seluruh negeri, dan anak-anak itu mendengar ibu mereka berkata pada malam hari kepada ayah mereka: "Semua makanan sudah habis lagi, kita hanya punya setengah roti tersisa, dan itulah akhirnya. Anak-anak itu harus pergi, kita akan membawa mereka lebih jauh lagi ke dalam hutan, supaya mereka tak bisa menemukan jalan keluar lagi; tak ada cara lain untuk menyelamatkan diri kita!"

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 B, likewise, and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also.

Hati lelaki itu berat, dan ia berpikir: "Alangkah lebih baiknya jika kau berbagi suapan terakhir itu dengan anak-anakmu." Perempuan itu, bagaimanapun, tak mau mendengarkan apa pun yang ia katakan, melainkan memarahi dan mencelanya. Barangsiapa yang sudah mengatakan A harus mengatakan B juga, dan karena ia telah menyerah pada kali pertama, ia harus melakukannya lagi pada kali kedua.

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.’

Namun anak-anak itu masih terjaga dan telah mendengar percakapan itu. Ketika kedua orang tua itu tertidur, Hansel kembali bangkit, dan ingin keluar untuk memungut batu-batu kerikil seperti yang telah ia lakukan sebelumnya, tetapi perempuan itu telah mengunci pintu, dan Hansel tak bisa keluar. Meskipun begitu, ia menghibur adik kecilnya, dan berkata: "Jangan menangis, Gretel, tidurlah dengan tenang, Tuhan yang baik akan menolong kita."

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.

Pagi-pagi sekali perempuan itu datang, dan membangunkan anak-anak dari ranjang mereka. Mereka diberi sepotong roti, tapi kali ini lebih kecil lagi dari sebelumnya. Dalam perjalanan menuju hutan Hansel meremas-remukkan rotinya di dalam kantongnya, dan sering berhenti sejenak dan melempar sepotong kecil ke tanah.

‘Hansel, why do you stop and look round?’ said the father, ‘go on.’ ‘I am looking back 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.

"Hansel, mengapa kau berhenti dan menoleh ke belakang?" kata ayahnya, "terus jalan." "Aku sedang melihat ke belakang ke arah merpati kecilku yang sedang duduk di atap, dan ingin mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepadaku," jawab Hansel. "Bodoh!" kata perempuan itu, "itu bukan merpati kecilmu, itu matahari pagi yang bersinar di atas cerobong asap." Namun Hansel, sedikit demi sedikit, melempar semua remah-remah rotinya di sepanjang jalan.

The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where 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.’

Perempuan itu membawa anak-anak itu lebih jauh lagi masuk ke dalam hutan, ke tempat yang belum pernah mereka datangi seumur hidup mereka. Kemudian api besar dinyalakan lagi, dan ibu mereka berkata: "Duduklah saja di sini, anak-anak, dan kalau kalian lelah kalian boleh tidur sebentar; kami akan pergi ke dalam hutan untuk memotong kayu, dan pada malam hari ketika kami selesai, kami akan datang dan menjemput kalian."

When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor children. They did not awake 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 have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.’

Ketika tengah hari tiba, Gretel membagi rotinya dengan Hansel, yang telah menaburkan rotinya di sepanjang jalan. Kemudian mereka pun tertidur dan malam pun berlalu, tapi tak seorang pun datang untuk anak-anak yang malang itu. Mereka tak terbangun sampai hari sudah gelap malam, dan Hansel menghibur adik kecilnya dan berkata: "Tunggu saja, Gretel, sampai bulan terbit, lalu kita akan melihat remah-remah roti yang telah kutaburkan, remah-remah itu akan menunjukkan jalan pulang kita."

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, for 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.

Ketika bulan terbit mereka pun berangkat, tetapi mereka tak menemukan satu remah pun, sebab ribuan burung yang beterbangan di hutan dan ladang telah memakan semuanya. Hansel berkata kepada Gretel: "Kita akan segera menemukan jalannya," tapi mereka tak menemukannya. Mereka berjalan sepanjang malam dan sepanjang hari berikutnya juga dari pagi sampai malam, tapi mereka tak bisa keluar dari hutan itu, dan mereka sangat lapar, sebab mereka tak punya apa pun untuk dimakan kecuali dua atau tiga buah beri, yang tumbuh di tanah. Dan karena mereka begitu lelah sehingga kaki mereka tak sanggup lagi berjalan, mereka berbaring di bawah sebatang pohon dan tertidur.

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.

Kini sudah tiga pagi sejak mereka meninggalkan rumah ayah mereka. Mereka mulai berjalan lagi, tapi mereka selalu semakin masuk ke dalam hutan, dan jika bantuan tak segera datang, mereka pasti akan mati kelaparan dan kelelahan.

When it was mid-day, 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.

Ketika tengah hari tiba, mereka melihat seekor burung putih bersih seperti salju sedang bertengger di sebuah dahan, yang berkicau begitu merdu sehingga mereka berhenti dan mendengarkannya. Dan ketika nyanyiannya selesai, burung itu mengembangkan sayapnya dan terbang pergi di depan mereka, dan mereka mengikutinya sampai mereka tiba di sebuah rumah kecil, di mana burung itu hinggap di atapnya; dan ketika mereka mendekati rumah kecil itu, mereka melihat bahwa rumah itu dibangun dari roti dan ditutupi dengan kue-kue, tetapi jendela-jendelanya terbuat dari gula bening.

‘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 parlour:

"Kita akan mulai dari sana," kata Hansel, "dan menikmati hidangan yang enak. Aku akan memakan sedikit atapnya, dan kau, Gretel, bisa memakan sedikit jendelanya, rasanya pasti manis." Hansel meraih ke atas, dan mematahkan sedikit atap itu untuk mencoba rasanya, dan Gretel bersandar di jendela dan menggigit-gigit kacanya. Kemudian sebuah suara lembut berseru dari ruang tamu:

‘Nibble, nibble, gnaw, Who is nibbling at my little house?’

"Kunyah, kunyah, gerogot, Siapa yang menggerogoti rumah kecilku?"

The children answered:

Anak-anak itu menjawab:

‘The wind, the wind, The heaven-born wind,’

"Angin, angin, Angin yang berasal dari langit,"

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 whole of one round window-pane, 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.

dan terus makan tanpa menghiraukan hal itu. Hansel, yang menyukai rasa atap itu, merobek sebagian besar dari padanya, dan Gretel mendorong keluar seluruh satu kaca jendela bundar, duduk, dan menikmatinya. Tiba-tiba pintu terbuka, dan seorang perempuan tua yang setua bukit-bukit, yang bertopang pada tongkat kruk, merangkak keluar. Hansel dan Gretel begitu ketakutan sehingga mereka menjatuhkan apa yang ada di tangan mereka.

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.

Perempuan tua itu, bagaimanapun, mengangguk-anggukkan kepalanya, dan berkata: "Oh, anak-anak sayang, siapa yang membawa kalian ke sini? Ayo masuklah, dan tinggallah bersamaku. Tak akan ada yang mencelakai kalian." Ia menggandeng tangan mereka berdua, dan membawa mereka masuk ke dalam rumah kecilnya. Kemudian makanan yang enak disajikan di hadapan mereka, susu dan panekuk, dengan gula, apel, dan kenari. Setelah itu dua ranjang kecil yang indah ditutupi dengan seprai putih bersih, dan Hansel serta Gretel berbaring di dalamnya, dan mengira mereka sedang berada di surga.

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 neighbourhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly: ‘I have them, they shall not escape me again!’

Perempuan tua itu hanya berpura-pura begitu baik hati; sebenarnya ia adalah seorang penyihir jahat, yang mengintai anak-anak, dan hanya membangun rumah kecil dari roti itu untuk memikat mereka datang ke sana. Ketika seorang anak jatuh ke dalam kekuasaannya, ia membunuhnya, memasak dan memakannya, dan itu adalah hari perayaan baginya. Para penyihir memiliki mata merah, dan tak bisa melihat jauh, tetapi mereka punya penciuman yang tajam seperti binatang, dan menyadari ketika manusia mendekat. Ketika Hansel dan Gretel datang ke wilayahnya, ia tertawa dengan penuh kedengkian, dan berkata mengejek: "Aku sudah menangkap mereka, mereka tak akan lolos lagi dariku!"

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 will be a dainty mouthful!’ Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little stable, and locked him in behind a grated door. Scream as he might, it would not help him.

Pagi-pagi sekali sebelum anak-anak itu terbangun, ia sudah bangun, dan ketika ia melihat mereka berdua sedang tidur dan terlihat begitu manis, dengan pipi mereka yang gembil dan kemerahan ia bergumam pada dirinya sendiri: "Itu akan jadi santapan yang lezat!" Kemudian ia menangkap Hansel dengan tangannya yang keriput, membawanya ke sebuah kandang kecil, dan menguncinya di balik pintu berjeruji. Betapapun ia berteriak, itu tak akan menolongnya.

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.

Kemudian ia pergi menemui Gretel, mengguncangnya sampai terbangun, dan berseru: "Bangun, pemalas, ambil sedikit air, dan masaklah sesuatu yang enak untuk kakakmu, ia ada di kandang di luar, dan harus digemukkan. Ketika ia sudah gemuk, akan kumakan dia." Gretel mulai menangis tersedu-sedu, tetapi semuanya sia-sia, sebab ia terpaksa melakukan apa yang diperintahkan penyihir jahat itu.

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, and 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.

Dan kini makanan terbaik dimasak untuk Hansel yang malang, tapi Gretel tak mendapat apa-apa selain kulit kepiting. Setiap pagi perempuan itu merangkak ke kandang kecil, dan berseru: "Hansel, julurkan jarimu supaya aku bisa merasakan apakah kau akan segera gemuk." Namun Hansel menjulurkan sebatang tulang kecil kepadanya, dan perempuan tua itu, yang matanya buram, tak bisa melihatnya, dan mengira itu jari Hansel, dan heran mengapa tak ada cara untuk menggemukkannya. Ketika empat minggu telah berlalu, dan Hansel masih tetap kurus, ia dilanda ketidaksabaran dan tak mau menunggu lebih lama lagi.

‘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.’

"Nah, Gretel," serunya kepada gadis itu, "bergegaslah, dan bawakan sedikit air. Biarpun Hansel gemuk atau kurus, besok akan kubunuh dia, dan kumasak dia." Ah, betapa adik kecil yang malang itu meratap ketika ia harus mengambil air, dan betapa air matanya mengalir di pipinya! "Tuhan yang baik, tolonglah kami," serunya. "Andai saja binatang buas di hutan telah memangsa kami, setidaknya kami akan mati bersama." "Simpan saja keributanmu untuk dirimu sendiri," kata perempuan tua itu, "itu tak akan membantumu sama sekali."

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 have 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.

Pagi-pagi sekali, Gretel harus keluar dan menggantungkan kuali berisi air, dan menyalakan api. "Kita akan memanggang roti dulu," kata perempuan tua itu, "aku sudah memanaskan tungkunya, dan menguleni adonannya." Ia mendorong Gretel yang malang keluar menuju tungku, yang dari sana nyala api sudah berkobar-kobar. "Merayaplah masuk," kata penyihir itu, "dan lihat apakah panasnya sudah cukup, supaya kita bisa memasukkan rotinya." Dan begitu Gretel masuk ke dalam, ia berniat menutup tungku itu dan membiarkannya terpanggang di dalamnya, lalu ia juga akan memakannya.

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.

Tetapi Gretel melihat apa yang ada dalam pikirannya, dan berkata: "Aku tak tahu bagaimana caranya melakukan itu; bagaimana aku masuk ke dalamnya?" "Angsa bodoh," kata perempuan tua itu. "Pintunya cukup besar; lihat saja, aku sendiri bisa masuk ke dalamnya!" dan ia merangkak naik dan menjulurkan kepalanya ke dalam tungku. Kemudian Gretel mendorongnya sehingga masuk jauh ke dalamnya, dan menutup pintu besinya, dan mengunci palangnya. Oh! kemudian ia mulai melolong dengan sangat mengerikan, tetapi Gretel lari pergi dan penyihir yang durhaka itu terbakar hingga mati dengan menyedihkan.

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 is opened. How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other!

Gretel, bagaimanapun, berlari secepat kilat menuju Hansel, membuka kandang kecilnya, dan berseru: "Hansel, kita selamat! Penyihir tua itu sudah mati!" Kemudian Hansel melompat keluar seperti burung dari sangkarnya ketika pintunya dibuka. Betapa mereka bersukacita dan saling berpelukan, dan menari-nari serta saling mencium!

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.’

Dan karena mereka tak perlu lagi takut kepadanya, mereka masuk ke dalam rumah penyihir itu, dan di setiap sudut berdiri peti-peti penuh mutiara dan permata. "Ini jauh lebih baik daripada batu-batu kerikil!" kata Hansel, dan menjejalkan ke dalam kantongnya apa pun yang bisa masuk, dan Gretel berkata: "Aku juga akan membawa sesuatu pulang," dan mengisi celemeknya penuh-penuh. "Tapi sekarang kita harus segera pergi," kata Hansel, "supaya kita bisa keluar dari hutan penyihir ini."

When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of water. ‘We 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:

Ketika mereka telah berjalan selama dua jam, mereka tiba di sebuah hamparan air yang luas. "Kita tak bisa menyeberang," kata Hansel, "aku tak melihat jembatan kecil, atau jembatan apa pun." "Dan juga tak ada perahu penyeberangan," jawab Gretel, "tapi ada seekor bebek putih sedang berenang di sana: jika aku memintanya, ia akan membantu kita menyeberang." Kemudian ia berseru:

‘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.’

"Bebek kecil, bebek kecil, tampakkah olehmu, Hansel dan Gretel sedang menunggumu? Tak ada jembatan kecil, atau jembatan yang tampak, Bawalah kami menyeberang di punggungmu yang putih bersih."

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 shall 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.

Bebek itu datang menghampiri mereka, dan Hansel duduk di punggungnya, dan menyuruh adiknya duduk di sampingnya. "Tidak," jawab Gretel, "itu akan terlalu berat untuk bebek kecil itu; biarkan ia membawa kita menyeberang, satu per satu." Bebek kecil yang baik itu pun melakukannya, dan ketika mereka telah aman menyeberang dan berjalan sebentar, hutan itu tampak semakin lama semakin dikenal oleh mereka, dan akhirnya mereka melihat dari kejauhan rumah ayah mereka.

Then they began to run, rushed into the parlour, 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.

Kemudian mereka mulai berlari, bergegas masuk ke ruang tamu, dan melemparkan diri mereka memeluk leher ayah mereka. Lelaki itu tak pernah merasakan satu jam pun kebahagiaan sejak ia meninggalkan anak-anaknya di hutan; sedangkan perempuan itu telah meninggal. Gretel mengosongkan celemeknya sampai mutiara dan batu-batu berharga berserakan di seluruh ruangan, dan Hansel melemparkan segenggam demi segenggam dari kantongnya untuk menambahkannya. Kemudian semua kecemasan pun berakhir, dan mereka hidup bersama dalam kebahagiaan yang sempurna. Kisahku selesai, ada seekor tikus berlari di sana; siapa pun yang menangkapnya, boleh membuat dirinya sebuah topi bulu besar darinya.