"Don't be an old crosspatch," she said. "If you'll stop complaining, I'll tell you a secret. But you must smile first!"
Haensel smiled.
She went on:
"Do you see that jug over there on the table? Well—it's full of milk. Somebody left it here. And if you're good, Mother will stew rice in it when she comes home."
Haensel had heard such stories before.
"Don't believe it," said he. "It's too good to be true."
Nevertheless he went to see. And when his eyes assured him that what was in the jug really looked like milk, he was overcome with the temptation to find out whether it tasted like milk, also. First he gave a sly glance at Gretel and then down went his forefinger into the jug!
"Haensel! aren't you ashamed, you greedy boy? Out with your finger!" For Gretel had caught him in the act.
"Get back to your work in a hurry, for you know if Mother comes before we've finished, there'll be trouble."
Haensel, however, was not inclined toward work that afternoon. In fact, he was in a very rebellious mood, altogether.