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'If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should

at any rate have died together.' 'Just keep your noise to

yourself,' said the old woman, 'it won't help you at all.'

Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the

cauldron with the water, and light the fire. 'We will bake

first,' said the old woman, 'I have already heated the oven, and

kneaded the dough.' She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from

which flames of fire were already darting. 'Creep in,' said the

witch, 'and see if it is properly heated, so that we can put the

bread in.' And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the

oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. But

Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said: 'I do not know how I

am to do it; how do I get in?' 'Silly goose,' said the old woman.

'The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!' and she

crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her

a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and

fastened the bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but

Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to

death.