‘I’ve brought you nothing. What have you got for me?’
Grettel gives him a piece of bacon.
‘Good-bye, Grettel.’
‘Good-bye, Hans.’
Hans takes the bacon, ties a rope round it, and drags it along behind him. The dogs come after him, and eat it up. When he got home he had the rope in his hand, but there was nothing at the end of it.
‘Good evening, Mother.’
‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’
‘To see Grettel, Mother.’
‘What did you take her?’
‘I took nothing. But I brought something away.’