In a large, dark forest, two children named Hansel and Gretel found themselves lost. The sun began to set, and the shadows of the trees grew long and spooky. Gretel felt a shiver of fear. "I'm scared, Hansel," she whispered.
Hansel, though he was a little scared too, took his sister's hand. "Don't worry," he said, his voice steady. "I'm right here with you. We are a team, and teams are stronger than any scary forest. If we stick together, we can figure this out."
The Candy House
Holding hands tightly, they walked until they saw a strange little house in a clearing. It was made of gingerbread with candy windows and a roof made of cake! They were so hungry, they couldn't resist taking a little nibble.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a very old woman appeared. She seemed kind at first, offering them warm beds and a big meal of pancakes and sweet apples. But Hansel and Gretel soon discovered she was a wicked witch who wanted to eat them!
A Clever Plan
The witch locked Hansel in a cage to fatten him up and made Gretel do all the difficult chores. Gretel was terrified, but she remembered her brother's words: "We are a team." She knew she couldn't give up.
Every day, the witch would tell Hansel to stick his finger out of the cage so she could feel if he was getting plump. But Gretel, thinking cleverly, found a thin chicken bone and whispered to Hansel, "Hold this out instead." The witch, who couldn't see well, was fooled every time. "Still too thin!" she would grumble. This was their first small victory as a team.
Teamwork and Triumph
One day, the witch grew impatient. "I will wait no longer!" she declared. "Gretel, check if the oven is hot enough!"
Gretel knew this was a terrible trap. Her heart pounded, but she looked at Hansel, and he gave her a small, brave nod. She had to be clever for both of them. She pretended not to understand. "How do I do that?" she asked in a small voice. "I don't know how to check an oven."
The grumpy witch stomped over. "Useless child!" she muttered. "I'll do it myself!" She opened the big iron oven door and leaned in to feel the heat.
In that very moment, Hansel, who had been watching from his cage, gave a loud shout, "Gretel, look! A bird is singing on the windowsill!"
The witch turned her head for just a second to see the bird. That was all the time Gretel needed. With all her might, she gave the witch a mighty push, and into the oven she went! Gretel slammed the door shut.
She quickly found the key and unlocked Hansel's cage. They hugged each other tightly. They had done it! By working together—Hansel creating the distraction and Gretel being brave and quick-thinking—they had outsmarted the witch. They found chests of jewels in the house and, using their combined memory of the path, found their way back home.
They learned that even the scariest problems in the world can be solved when you don't give up and, most importantly, when you work together and stick together as a team.
Learning Goals
Moral of the Story: This classic children's story highlights that when you work together as a team, you can solve even the biggest problems. It's a wonderful bedtime story for kids that teaches the value of cooperation, problem-solving skills, and the strength found in sticking together.
Key Vocabulary
- Teamwork: The combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.
- Clever: Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.
- Victory: An act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition.
Discussion Questions
- How did Hansel and Gretel work together as a team to overcome their challenges?
- Why is it important to stick together when you're scared or facing a problem?
- Can you think of a time you worked with someone to solve a problem?