Brothers Grimm

Hansel and Gretel

Hänsel und Gretel

During a famine, a poor woodcutter's wife persuades him to leave his two children, Hansel and Gretel, alone in the forest. Hansel finds a way to lead them home the first time. When they are taken even deeper into the woods again, the hungry children find no way back.

B125 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

Close to a great forest lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel.

Nahe bei einem großen Wald wohnte ein armer Holzhacker mit seiner Frau und seinen zwei Kindern. Der Junge hieß Hänsel und das Mädchen Gretel.

He had very little to eat, and once, when a great famine came to the land, he could no longer even get daily bread.

Er hatte sehr wenig zu essen, und einmal, als eine große Hungersnot über das Land kam, konnte er nicht einmal mehr das tägliche Brot beschaffen.

One night he lay in bed thinking about this, tossing and turning with worry. He groaned and said to his wife, "What is to become of us? How can we feed our poor children, when we have nothing left even for ourselves?"

Eines Nachts lag er im Bett und dachte darüber nach, und er wälzte sich vor Sorge hin und her. Er seufzte und sagte zu seiner Frau: „Was soll nur aus uns werden? Wie können wir unsere armen Kinder ernähren, wenn wir nicht einmal für uns selbst etwas übrig haben?“

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

Hansel and Gretel · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 2,811 words · ~25 min · Audio
Hänsel und Gretel · GermanB1 Intermediate · 2,692 words · ~20 min · Audio
Χάνσελ και Γκρέτελ · GreekB1 Intermediate · 2,695 words · ~20 min
Hansel y Gretel · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 2,698 words · ~20 min · Audio
Hansel et Gretel · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 3,190 words · ~25 min · Audio
हैनसेल और ग्रैटेल · HindiB1 Intermediate · 3,066 words · ~25 min
Hansel dan Gretel · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 2,461 words · ~20 min
Hansel e Gretel · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 2,775 words · ~25 min
ヘンゼルとグレーテル · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
헨젤과 그레텔 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 1,858 words · ~15 min
Hans en Grietje · DutchB1 Intermediate · 2,861 words · ~25 min
Jaś i Małgosia · PolishB1 Intermediate · 2,259 words · ~20 min
João e Maria · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 2,731 words · ~25 min
Hansel și Gretel · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 2,695 words · ~20 min
Hansel ve Gretel · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 2,026 words · ~15 min
Hansel và Gretel · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 3,353 words · ~30 min
汉塞尔与格莱特 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read Hansel and Gretel in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 2,811 words: around 5–30 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

Hansel and Gretel

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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