A summary of Hansel and Gretel

The brothers, Hansel and Gretel lived their stepmother and father in a house near the woods. The family was very poor, so their parents decided to desert their children in the woods. Hansel and Gretel lost their way, and they found a house made of cakes. When they ate the house, one old woman appeared and she invited them into her house. She gave delicious meal, but her true character was an evil witch. She lock up Hansel in a hut and gave foods in order to make him fat. Gretel was was force to work very hard. One day, the witch was going to eat him, but she was cheated by Gretel and killed into the kiln. The brothers robbed her precious stones and came back their home. Hansel and Gretel lived happily with their father.

About Brothers Grimm

The Brothers Grimm, jacob, Wilhelm Grimm were great German scholars.

The main witches' appearances

First, they are an old woman and their legs are weak.

Second, they have red eyes. The reason is one of the belief which is handed down in Europe. Strabismus, bloodshot eyes, and eyes which are different color in right and left had been feared as evil eyes. The belief is their eyes bring about disaster toward others.

Third, they are nearsighted. Some witchs seem to wear glasses because of being nearsighted.

Forth, thier sense of smell is keen like beasts. Their keen sense of smell intimates that they are almost instinctive animals rather than rational human beings.

The witch of Hansel and Gretel

The appearances

According to one book, “She was as wide as a barrel and uglier than a toad.” (The Brothers Grimm, 2005)

According to Ladybird tales, “But Hansel would hold out a bone instead. The witch had such bad eyesight that she always thought it was his finger. She wondered why it grew no fatter.”() This is the scene where the witch sees if Hansel is fat. The quotations show that she is extremely nearsighted.

According to one book, “She couldn’t see very well, but she had a fine sense of smell. She could smell children coming.” (Ladybird tales, )