The mother of Hans said: 'Whither away, Hans?' Hans answered: 'ToGretel.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'Oh, I'll behave well. Goodbye, mother.''Goodbye, Hans.' Hans comes to Gretel. 'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day,Hans. What do you bring that is good?' 'I bring nothing, I want to havesomething given me.' Gretel presents Hans with a needle, Hans says:'Goodbye, Gretel.' 'Goodbye, Hans.'

Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the carthome. 'Good evening, mother.' 'Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?''With Gretel.' 'What did you take her?' 'Took nothing; had somethinggiven me.' 'What did Gretel give you?' 'Gave me a needle.' 'Where is theneedle, Hans?' 'Stuck in the hay-cart.' 'That was ill done, Hans. Youshould have stuck the needle in your sleeve.' 'Never mind, I'll dobetter next time.'

'Whither away, Hans?' 'To Gretel, mother.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'Oh,I'll behave well. Goodbye, mother.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hans comes toGretel. 'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day, Hans. What do you bring that isgood?' 'I bring nothing. I want to have something given to me.' Gretelpresents Hans with a knife. 'Goodbye, Gretel.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hanstakes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and goes home. 'Good evening,mother.' 'Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?' 'With Gretel.' Whatdid you take her?' 'Took her nothing, she gave me something.' 'What didGretel give you?' 'Gave me a knife.' 'Where is the knife, Hans?' 'Stuckin my sleeve.' 'That's ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife inyour pocket.' 'Never mind, will do better next time.'

'Whither away, Hans?' 'To Gretel, mother.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'Oh,I'll behave well. Goodbye, mother.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hans comes toGretel. 'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day, Hans. What good thing do youbring?' 'I bring nothing, I want something given me.' Gretel presentsHans with a young goat. 'Goodbye, Gretel.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hans takesthe goat, ties its legs, and puts it in his pocket. When he gets home itis suffocated. 'Good evening, mother.' 'Good evening, Hans. Where haveyou been?' 'With Gretel.' 'What did you take her?' 'Took nothing, shegave me something.' 'What did Gretel give you?' 'She gave me a goat.''Where is the goat, Hans?' 'Put it in my pocket.' 'That was ill done,Hans, you should have put a rope round the goat's neck.' 'Never mind,will do better next time.'

'Whither away, Hans?' 'To Gretel, mother.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'Oh,I'll behave well. Goodbye, mother.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hans comes toGretel. 'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day, Hans. What good thing do youbring?' 'I bring nothing, I want something given me.' Gretel presentsHans with a piece of bacon. 'Goodbye, Gretel.' 'Goodbye, Hans.'

Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away behind him.The dogs come and devour the bacon. When he gets home, he has the ropein his hand, and there is no longer anything hanging on to it. 'Goodevening, mother.' 'Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?' 'WithGretel.' 'What did you take her?' 'I took her nothing, she gave mesomething.' 'What did Gretel give you?' 'Gave me a bit of bacon.' 'Whereis the bacon, Hans?' 'I tied it to a rope, brought it home, dogs tookit.' 'That was ill done, Hans, you should have carried the bacon on yourhead.' 'Never mind, will do better next time.'

'Whither away, Hans?' 'To Gretel, mother.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'I'llbehave well. Goodbye, mother.' 'Goodbye, Hans.' Hans comes to Gretel.'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day, Hans, What good thing do you bring?' 'Ibring nothing, but would have something given.' Gretel presents Hanswith a calf. 'Goodbye, Gretel.' 'Goodbye, Hans.'

Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks his face.'Good evening, mother.' 'Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?' 'WithGretel.' 'What did you take her?' 'I took nothing, but had somethinggiven me.' 'What did Gretel give you?' 'A calf.' 'Where have you thecalf, Hans?' 'I set it on my head and it kicked my face.' 'That wasill done, Hans, you should have led the calf, and put it in the stall.''Never mind, will do better next time.'

'Whither away, Hans?' 'To Gretel, mother.' 'Behave well, Hans.' 'I'llbehave well. Goodbye, mother.' 'Goodbye, Hans.'

Hans comes to Gretel. 'Good day, Gretel.' 'Good day, Hans. What goodthing do you bring?' 'I bring nothing, but would have something given.'Gretel says to Hans: 'I will go with you.'

Hans takes Gretel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack, and bindsher fast. Then Hans goes to his mother. 'Good evening, mother.' 'Goodevening, Hans. Where have you been?' 'With Gretel.' 'What did you takeher?' 'I took her nothing.' 'What did Gretel give you?' 'She gave menothing, she came with me.' 'Where have you left Gretel?' 'I led her bythe rope, tied her to the rack, and scattered some grass for her.' 'Thatwas ill done, Hans, you should have cast friendly eyes on her.' 'Nevermind, will do better.'

Hans went into the stable, cut out all the calves' and sheep's eyes,and threw them in Gretel's face. Then Gretel became angry, tore herselfloose and ran away, and was no longer the bride of Hans.