Hansel and Gretel (Faerie Tale Theatre episode)

Infobox Television episode


Title=Hansel and Gretel
Series=Faerie Tale Theatre
Season=2
Episode=6
Airdate=December 5 1983
Writer=Rod Ash
Mark Curtis
Director=James Frawley
Prev=Little Red Riding Hood
Next=Goldilocks and the Three Bears

"Hansel and Gretel" is the 8th episode of the television anthology "Faerie Tale Theatre". The story is adapted from the Brothers Grimm story Hansel and Gretel and stars then child actors Ricky Schroder and Bridgette Andersen as the title characters. The opening music features a sample of the "evening prayer" music from Engelbert Humperdink's "Hänsel und Gretel".

Plot

In this sombre story, Hansel and Gretel are the children of a poor woodcutter who lives in the forest. The children's stepmother is not fond of them, more so because they have run out of food and will soon starve. One night she sweet-talks her husband into leaving the children in the forest with only a little bit of bread by saying that they can make more children, but tells him that the intent is not to leave them to starve or be eaten by wolves, but in the hope that they will be rescued by people more well-off than they are. Although the woodcutter loves his children, he reluctantly agrees.

Unknown to the adults, Hansel and Gretel were not asleep during the conversation and heard the entire exchange. Once their parents are asleep, Hansel sneaks out of the house and gathers shiny pebbles which he keeps in his pocket. The next day when the woodcutter and his wife bring the children into the forest Hansel leaves the pebbles along the trail, marking the way back to the house. The woodcutter leaves the children in a small clearing, promising to collect them later. Hansel and Gretel wait in the forest as instructed and fall asleep. When they wake up it is night, and Hansel leads his sister back to the house following the shiny pebbles.

Although their stepmother is shocked that they found their way back, she lets them in and the woodcutter sorrowfully welcomes his children back. That night, again, the stepmother incites her husband to leave the children in the wood, insisting that they be left further in so they cannot find their way back. After the adults have fallen asleep, Hansel tries to sneak out again to collect the pebbles, but the door is locked and he cannot get out. The next day when the woodcutter leads the children deep into the forest, Hansel uses crumbs from his share of bread to mark the path back to the house. Once again the children are left in a clearing and fall asleep. When they wake up they are alarmed to see that birds have eaten their breadcrumbs and they cannot find their way back home.

Hansel and Gretel wander lost in the forest, tired and hungry, until they spot an odd little house in a clearing. It turns out to be made of chocolate, candy and marzipan, and the hungry children quickly start eating their fill.

It is then revealed that the owner of the enchanted house is a bent old witch, who quickly locks Hansel in a small cage and forces Gretel to become her servant since her brother is being held prisoner. Days pass in which the witch cooks meals of delicious food and feeds them to Hansel with the intent of fattening him for her to eventually eat. Hansel doesn't eat any of the food and remains thin, but Gretel, who has been eating odd mouthfuls of Hansel's food before burying it out in the wood away from the witch, starts to get plumper.

One day the witch decides she is tired of waiting for Hansel and decides to cook his sister instead. She sets up her magic oven and tries to get Gretel to enter it, but Gretel pushes the witch in and seals the oven. Gretel releases Hansel from his prison and the both of them run away from the witch's house. As they are travelling they spot a bird who leads them back to their home. They are tearfully reunited with their father, who tells them that their stepmother has died and they can live in peace.

Cast

Quotes

* Witch: "Nibble nibble like a mouse, who is nibbling on my house?"

Trivia

* This episode is one of the few Faerie Tale Theatre episodes that were filmed on location and not on sound stages.

ee also

List of Faerie Tale Theatre episodes