Hansel And Gretel, As Told By The Witch.

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Most of you recall the tale of Hansel and Gretel, right? Two sad, hungry little kids lost in the forest just happen to wander right to the cottage in the woods. Well, that all may be true. But the rest...

I was sitting at home, bored out of my mind, and lonely too.

Suddenly, in the midst of all my crying, I hear something. At first, I think it's just my phonophobia (fear of sound), pyrophobia (fear of fire), androphobia (fear of wind), ailurophobia (fear of cats), autophobia (fear of being alone), oikophobia (fear of household appliances), caramela phobia (fear of candy) or hylophobia (fear of trees, wood and forests) acting up. But then I hear a giggle. A little snap. Munching.

Kids! Oh, how I have craved the company of human's. To have someone other than myself in this wretched cursed candy house. Years ago, when I was a baby, a witch cursed me to live forever in a cottage made of candy. Thinking she had just made my life a fantasy, she was off, and now I am doomed to never go more than two acres from here. At first, I was happy. I had a husband and a dog. But, my dog died and my husband left. And my mother has fallen ill, and my father can not leave her side. Last I heard from either of them was six years ago.

So when I hear the careless, happy twinkle of children, I immediately get up and greet them. A boy and a girl, both looking about the same age. They startle and turn to me with wide eyes as they hear my gingerbread door open.

"Well hello, dearies. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. My name's Rosaleen. You can call me Rose. What are your names?"

At first, they just look at me, the girl with a piece of gram cracker clutched in her slender fingers, the brother hoarding gumballs and candy corn. Then the boy speaks up.

"We're sorry to intrude, miss. We have been lost in the woods and are just tired and hungry after hours of tedious walking. When we saw this cottage, we just had to take a bite. I'm Hansel, and this is my twin sister, Gretel. We really should be going."

At the mention of the desire to return from where they came from, I quickly scramble for an excuse to get them to stay.

"Nonsense. Come inside, warm up, eat some real food."

They look at each other briefly before Gretel speaks.

"All right. We do admit, we are tired, and this candy isn't doing much to fill me up. I'll come in."

Hansel looks at Gretel, and whether or not he really wants to stay or just doesn't wish to be parted from his sister, he nods and follows us inside.

I lead the way inside. The children follow me. Once inside, I light the wood stove to cook some chicken. They sit happily, looking around at the cursed cottage.

"Here you go little ones," I say, placing a hearty portion of meat on each plate and setting it in front of them. They're eyes widen and they're stomachs growl. Within seconds, they are chowing down.

When they finish, I show them to the guest bedroom and they are out like lights. Poor things must have walked for hours. I wonder how lost they got to be so hungry and tired.

The next morning, they are up and happy, ready to work. They must have a terrible home life to be so happy here. All I did was feed them and let them sleep.

Hansel rolls up his sleeves to do the hard work, chopping wood and hunting for game. Me and Gretel do the easier work, raking the leaves that have fallen with the arrival of autumn, sweeping the dusty floors, sewing new clothing for the twins and doing the laundry. By the end of the day, I am weary and exhausted, but happy all the same. I feel happy. I have accomplished so much today and the kids now want to stay. I go to bed well rested.