Hansel and Gretel is a famous fairy tale about two siblings, a brother named Hansel and a sister named Gretel. They live with their father, who is a woodcutter, and their mean stepmother. The family is very poor, and there isn’t enough food for everyone.
One day, the stepmother decides to take Hansel and Gretel into the deep woods and leave them there because there isn’t enough food. The children overhear the plan and come up with a clever idea. Hansel leaves a trail of breadcrumbs on the ground so they can find their way back home.
However, when they reach the deep forest, they realize that the birds have eaten the breadcrumbs, and they are lost. They wander until they find a strange house made of delicious things like chocolate and cookies. Hungry and tired, they start eating the house.
But the house belongs to a wicked witch who wants to eat Hansel and Gretel! She invites them in, pretending to be kind, but the children soon discover her evil plan. They outsmart the witch and manage to lock her in her oven.
With the witch defeated, Hansel and Gretel find their way back home using magical stones. When they arrive, their father is overjoyed to see them and apologizes for letting the stepmother’s plan happen. They all live happily ever after.
The story teaches us about bravery, cleverness, and the importance of family. It shows that even in difficult times, we can find a way to overcome challenges with our intelligence and love for each other.
HANSEL AND GRETEL: A TALE OF RESILIENCE
CHARACTERS:
WOODCUTTER
STEPMOTHER
HANSEL
GRETEL
WITCH
SCRIPT:
NARRATOR: Once upon a time, deep within the mystical forest, there lived a humble woodcutter. He resided in a cozy cottage with his beloved children, Hansel and Gretel. However, a dark shadow loomed over their lives in the form of an evil stepmother.
WOODCUTTER: What troubles you?
STEPMOTHER: Now that the children are sleeping, I must reveal something to you.
WOODCUTTER: What is it?
STEPMOTHER: We no longer have enough food to feed the children. Tomorrow morning, we shall take them into the deep woods and leave them there.
WOODCUTTER: I cannot abandon my flesh and blood! How could you suggest such a treacherous act?
STEPMOTHER: Then all four of us will perish.
NARRATOR: The stepmother persisted in her wicked plan until the woodcutter reluctantly agreed. Unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel overheard their conversation.
HANSEL: Fear not, dear sister. I have a plan to find our way back home.
NARRATOR: The next morning, as they ventured into the forest, their stepmother gave each child a piece of bread.
STEPMOTHER: Do not eat this bread until lunchtime; it must sustain you for the day.
HANSEL AND GRETEL: We understand.
NARRATOR: While walking deeper into the woods, Hansel cleverly dropped breadcrumbs along the path, hoping to create a trail back home. When they reached the heart of the forest, their stepmother spoke.
STEPMOTHER: Stay here until we return to fetch you.
NARRATOR: Unbeknownst to the stepmother, night fell upon them.
HANSEL: Come, Gretel! It’s time to find our way home.
GRETEL: I’ll help you locate the breadcrumbs.
HANSEL: Alas, I cannot find them!
GRETEL: The animals must have devoured them! What shall we do now?
HANSEL: We must find a haven.
GRETEL: Look! Over yonder, a cave!
HANSEL: Let us seek refuge there!
NARRATOR: They sought shelter in the cave, enduring hunger for several days until their resolve grew stronger. Finally, they ventured out in search of sustenance. As they journeyed deeper into the forest, a sight caught their eye.
GRETEL: What lies ahead?
HANSEL: A little house!
GRETEL: Let us investigate!
NARRATOR: They approached the peculiar house.
HANSEL: This house is extraordinary, Gretel! Made entirely of chocolate, cookies, and bread!
GRETEL: And it looks delicious!
HANSEL: Never before have I tasted anything like this!
NARRATOR: Suddenly, the door creaked open, revealing a wicked witch.
WITCH: How did you find your way here, little children?
HANSEL: We were lost in the forest.
WITCH: Come inside, my dears.
GRETEL: I am unsure if that is wise.
HANSEL: Fear not; she means us no harm.
WITCH: Certainly not! I am just an old, lonely lady.
HANSEL: You are like our grandmother!
WITCH: Stay here with me. I shall cook for you, for you appear thin and weak.
NARRATOR: Although tempted by the witch’s offer, Hansel sensed an underlying darkness.
GRETEL: What troubles you, brother?
HANSEL: Why does she show such concern when she does not even know us?
GRETEL: And why does she provide us with so much food?
HANSEL: She wants us to grow plump…
GRETEL: To devour us!
HANSEL AND GRETEL: Oh, no!
NARRATOR: Unbeknownst to them, the witch eavesdropped on their conversation.
WITCH: You are astute! Get inside the oven!
HANSEL AND GRETEL: The oven? It’s too small!
WITCH: Not at all! Even I can fit inside… see!
NARRATOR: The siblings, realizing the witch’s true intentions, swiftly pushed her into the oven and closed the door, trapping her inside.
HANSEL: Run, Gretel, run!
NARRATOR: They fled from the witch’s clutches as fast as their legs could carry them. After two days of tireless journeying, they arrived at their old cottage.
HANSEL: We are finally home!
NARRATOR: They knocked on the door, and their father opened it, eyes brimming with tears.
WOODCUTTER: My dear children!
HANSEL AND GRETEL: Father!
FATHER: My wife has passed, and all this time, I have yearned for you.
HANSEL: We missed you!
GRETEL: Though we faced great hardships, we learned to survive on our own.
WOODCUTTER: Please, forgive me!
HANSEL AND GRETEL: We love you, Father!
NARRATOR: As forgiveness filled the room, the family embraced, bound together by the strength of their love and the lessons learned during their extraordinary journey. And so, dear audience, we reach the end of this timeless tale. “Hansel and Gretel: A Tale of Resilience” teaches us the enduring power of family, the strength found within ourselves, and the triumph over adversity.
In a world of darkness and uncertainty, may we remember the unbreakable bonds that unite us and the light that can guide us back home, where love and forgiveness await. Let this story inspire us to be brave in the face of challenges and cherish the precious connections that make life truly meaningful.
As the curtains close, let the spirit of Hansel and Gretel remind us that even in the darkest of forests, a flicker of hope can illuminate our path and lead us to a brighter tomorrow.
THE END
AUTHOR: GRIMM BROTHERS
ADAPTED BY: K I D S I N C O
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