Hansel and Gretel in Indonesian | @IndonesianFairyTales

Summary

The story follows Hansel and Gretel, two siblings who face hardship and hunger due to their stepmother’s cruelty. Abandoned in the forest by their father, they struggle to find their way home. After being misled by the birds and animals who devour their breadcrumb trail, they encounter a strange house made of sweets. The house belongs to a wicked witch who plans to eat them, but the clever siblings manage to outwit her, setting themselves free. In the end, the family reunites, and they learn the value of love, kindness, and cleverness over material wealth.

Takeaways

• 😀 A simple woodcutter lives with his two children and new wife in a forest, but the children face challenges with their stepmother.
• 😀 The stepmother, motivated by hunger, plans to abandon the children in the forest to fend for themselves.
• 😀 The children, Hansel and Gretel, use clever strategies to mark their way back home, first with pebbles and later with pieces of bread.
• 😀 The bread crumbs used to mark their path are eaten by birds, leaving the children lost in the forest without a way to return home.
• 😀 The children stumble upon a strange house made entirely of sweets, which they begin to eat due to their hunger.
• 😀 The house belongs to an old witch who lures the children inside with promises of food, intending to fatten them up for later consumption.
• 😀 The witch imprisons Hansel, intending to cook him, while she makes Gretel do chores.
• 😀 Gretel, however, remembers her mother’s advice to stay calm in tough situations and devises a plan to escape.
• 😀 The children ultimately manage to outsmart the witch, trap her, and free themselves.
• 😀 Upon returning home, their father welcomes them, and the family, though initially struggling, becomes united and learns the value of love and gratitude.
• 😀 The story concludes with the lesson that cleverness, unity, and love can overcome even the darkest of circumstances, bringing true happiness.

Q & A

Why does the stepmother want to get rid of Hansel and Gretel?

The stepmother is hungry and sees an opportunity to remove Hansel and Gretel from the house in order to have more food for herself and her husband.

What method does Hansel use to mark the way back home when they are abandoned in the forest?

Hansel collects shiny pebbles and drops them on the ground, leaving a trail to help him and Gretel find their way back home.

What happens to Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb trail?

The breadcrumb trail is eaten by birds and animals in the forest, rendering it useless for them to find their way back.

How do Hansel and Gretel find the strange house in the forest?

While wandering deeper into the forest, they follow some beautiful birds that lead them to a house made of candy and sweets.

What does the old woman in the candy house offer to Hansel and Gretel?

The old woman invites them in, offering them food and drink, and encourages them to rest. She also says they are welcome to stay.

What is the old woman's true intention when she invites Hansel and Gretel into her house?

The old woman is actually a witch, and her intention is to fatten Hansel and Gretel up before eating them.

How does Gretel manage to escape from the witch?

Gretel tricks the witch by pretending she doesn’t understand how to check the oven. When the witch demonstrates, Gretel pushes her into the oven and locks it, killing her.

What happens to Hansel and Gretel after they escape from the witch?

After escaping the witch, Hansel and Gretel take her treasure and return home to their father, where they are reunited and no longer hungry.

How does the story end for Hansel and Gretel’s family?

The father and the children live together happily, sharing the treasure and food, and they are grateful for each other. The stepmother's wrongdoing is acknowledged and forgiven.

What is the moral of the story?

The story emphasizes the importance of family, clever thinking in difficult situations, and the value of love, kindness, and unity over material wealth.