But the father said: "No, no! I could not find it in my heart to leave my darlings to perish. The wild beasts would tear them limb from limb."
"Then," answered the wife, "we must all four die of hunger." She gave her husband no peace until he promised to do as she wished, and at last, very unwillingly, he consented.
Now, the two children had been too hungry to go to sleep that night, and so it happened that they overheard all that their parents were saying. Gretel wept bitterly, but brave little Hansel did his best to comfort her. "Don't be afraid," he said; "I will take care of you."
As soon as his father and stepmother were asleep, he slipped on his coat, and-opening the door softly, went out into the [page 114] garden. The moon was shining brightly, and by its light he could see the little white pebbles that lay scattered in front of the house, shining like little pieces of silver. He stooped and filled his pockets as full as he could, and then went back to Gretel, and once more bidding her be comforted, for God would be sure to watch over them, he jumped into bed, and they both fell fast asleep.
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the stepmother came and wakened the children. "Rise, little lie-a-beds," she said, "and come with us into the wood to gather fuel."
She gave them each a piece of bread for their dinner, and told them to be sure not to eat it too soon, for they would get nothing more.
Gretel carried the bread in her pinafore, because Hansel had his pockets full, and then they all set out upon their way to the wood.
As they trudged along, the father noticed that his little son kept turning back to look at the house. "Take care, my boy," he said, "or you will slip. What are you looking at so earnestly?"
"I am watching my kitten, father: she is sitting on the roof to bid me good-by."
"Silly little lad, that is not your cat," said the stepmother; "it is only the morning sun shining on the chimney."