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The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where

they had never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was

again made, and the mother said: 'Just sit there, you children,

and when you are tired you may sleep a little; we are going into

the forest to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we

will come and fetch you away.' When it was noon, Gretel shared

her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way.

Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the

poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, and

Hansel comforted his little sister and said: 'Just wait, Gretel,

until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread

which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.'

When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for

the many thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and

fields had picked them all up.