In the early 1800s the German scholars Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were told an old, oral fairy tale story by Wilhelm’s future wife, Dortchen Wild. The folktale eventually became the well known story of "Hansel and Gretel," complete with selfish stepmother, bread crumbs left as a trail, a gingerbread house, a cannibalistic witch, and an oven where she meets her fate.
Although the brothers, themselves, made several revisions to "Hansel and Gretel" from their first edition in 1812 to their final edition in 1857, they would probably be surprised, and, perhaps bemused, by the literally hundreds of literary adaptations that have been made from their story. Following are some notable ones.
Hansel and Gretel Novels
Although there are many versions of the story written for children, the first two are recommended for upper high school readers and above, and the last two for younger readers.
- The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy (Penguin, 2003). In Nazi occupied Poland two Jewish children try to find safety in a dense forest. A woman named Magda, considered by her neighboring villagers to be a witch, is determined to save them from a Nazi officer who arrives in the area.
- Kindergarten by Peter Rushforth (Alfred Knopf, 1980)A deeply moving story set in contemporary Great Britain. Three boys are left in the care of their grandmother Lilli after their mother is killed in a terrorist attack. The events force Lilli to confront the horrors from her own past, suffered during the Holocaust.
- The Eye of the Warlock by P.W. Catanese (Aladdin, 2005). This is part of Catanese’s series called Further Adventures -- sequels to well known fairy tales. The two step-sisters of a young man named Rudi are kidnapped by the warlock who was the father of the witch in Hansel and Gretel. In return for their release, Rudi must bring him Hansel.
- The Magic Circle by Donna Napoli (Dutton Books, 1993)A penetrating look at superstition, witchcraft and medieval religion. A woman, devoted to her children and God, is falsely accused of witchcraft and placed under a curse that makes her crave the flesh of children. Hansel and Gretel are woven into the story in a unique way.
Hansel and Gretel Short Stories
The website SurLaLune lists more than 25 recent short stories based on the Hansel and Gretel motif. Among these are the following:
- Garry Kilworth. "The Trial of Hansel and Gretel" from Black Swan, White Raven (Avon, 1997). The title tells it all in this clever spin-off.
- John Crowley. "Lost and Abandoned" also from Black Swan, White Raven, Avon, 1997). Crowley updates the basic story to a contemporary setting.
- Gregory Maguire. "Hamster and Gerbil" from Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales (HarperCollins, 2004). Maguire is known for his iconoclastic versions of fairy tales and this story is no exception.
- Patricia Santos Marcantonio, Patricia Santos. "Hymie and Gabriela" from Red Ridin' in the Hood (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2005). The story is told from a Latino perspective.
- Gahan Wilson. "Hansel and Grettel" from Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears (Avon, 1996). The two siblings in this story are spoiled rich kids.
- Garth Nix. "Hansel's Eyes" from A Wolf at the Door (Simon & Schuster, 2000). A rather gruesome account that takes the original ending one step further.
Hansel and Gretel in PoetrySeveral recent poetry anthologies contain numerous poems either about or variations of Hansel and Gretel. These include:
- The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales. Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, editors (Story Line Press, 2003). Has 19 Hansel and Gretel related poems.
- Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, editor (University Press of New England, 1985). Contains a half dozen poems based on the abandoned siblings.
- Mouth to Mouth; Poems by Twelve Contemporary Mexican Women. Forrest Gander, editor. (Milkweed Editions, 1993). Contains a Hansel and Gretel poem from a Mexican poet.
For other modern interpretations of this classic fairy tale story, see SurLaLune.
Related Articles: Hansel and Gretel , The History of Hansel and Gretel Tales, Hansel and Gretel in the Visual Arts.
