A Tale Dark and Grimm

Hansel and Gretel exit the mountains into the Lebenwald (“Forest of Life”), a vibrant forest where they feel alive. They meet the talking tree who presides over the wood, who welcomes them and bids them, “[P]lease take no more than you need” (73). Hansel and Gretel build a small house in the wood, resolved to be content. During their first full day in the forest, Hansel is overwhelmed by the urge to hunt, and he kills a rabbit. Gretel reprimands him for taking more than they need, and though Hansel feels guilty, the next day, the same urge prompts him to kill a fawn. The day after, he kills a dove, and after that, he spends most of his time hunting and killing animals, until he begins to grow fur and fangs.

One day, a hunting party led by a duke enters the woods. The duke shoots an arrow through Hansel’s heart and ties him to a pole to bring back to his manor. Griefstricken at the loss of her brother, Gretel leaves the forest. The narrator assures the reader that things will get better, “just not quite yet” (82).