At last the king came home again from his journey, and his first wish was to see his wife and the child. Then his aged mother began to weep and said, "You wicked man, why did you write to me that I was to take those two innocent lives," and she showed him the two letters which the evil one had forged, and then continued, "I did as you bade me, and she showed the tokens, the tongue and eyes." Then the king began to weep for his poor wife and his little son so much more bitterly than she was doing, that the aged mother had compassion on him and said, "be at peace, she still lives, I secretly caused a hind to be killed, and took these tokens from it, but I bound the child to your wife's back and bade her go forth into the wide world, and made her promise never to come back here again, because you were so angry with her." Then spoke the king, "I will go as far as the sky is blue, and will neither eat nor drink until I have found again my dear wife and my child, if in the meantime they have not been killed, or died of hunger."Thereupon the king traveled about for seven long years, and sought her in every cleft of the rocks and in every cave, but he found her not, and thought she had died of want. During the whole time he neither ate nor drank, but God supported him. At length he came into a great forest, and found therein the little house whose sign was, here all dwell free. Then forth came the white maiden, took him by the hand, led him in, and said, "Welcome, lord king," and asked him from whence he came. He answered, "Soon shall I have traveled about for the space of seven years, and I seek my wife and her child, but cannot find them." The angel offered him meat and drink, but he did not take anything, and only wished to rest a little. Then he lay down to sleep, and laid a handkerchief over his face.
Thereupon the angel went into the chamber where the queen sat with her son, whom she usually called Sorrowful, and said to her, go out with your child, your husband has come. So she went to the place where he lay, and the handkerchief fell from his face. Then said she, "Sorrowful, pick up your father's handkerchief, and cover his face again." The child picked it up, and put it over his face again. The king in his sleep heard what passed, and had pleasure in letting the handkerchief fall once more. But the child grew impatient, and said, "Dear mother, how can I cover my father's face when I have no father in this world. I have learnt to say the prayer - Our Father, which art in heaven - you have told me that my father was in heaven, and was the good God, and how can I know a wild man like this. He is not my father." When the king heard that, he got up, and asked who they were. Then said she, "I am your wife, and that is your son, Sorrowful". And he saw her living hands, and said, "My wife had silver hands." She answered, "The good God has caused my natural hands to grow again,"and the angel went into the inner room, and brought the silver hands, and showed them to him. Hereupon he knew for a certainty that it was his dear wife and his dear child, and he kissed them, and was glad, and said, "A heavy stone has fallen from off my heart." Then the angel of God ate with them once again, and after that they went home to the king's aged mother. There were great rejoicings everywhere, and the king and queen were married again, and lived contentedly to their happy end.
The mother of Hans said, whither away, Hans. Hans answered, to Gretel. Behave well, Hans. Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother. Good-bye, Hans. Hans comes to Gretel. Good day, Gretel.
Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is good. I bring nothing, I want to have something given me. Gretel presents Hans with a needle. Hans says, good-bye, Gretel. Good-bye, Hans.
Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the cart home. Good evening, mother. Good evening, Hans. Where have you been. With Gretel. What did you take her. Took her nothing, had something given me. What did Gretel give you. Gave me a needle. Where is the needle, Hans. Stuck it in the hay-cart.
That was ill done, Hans. You should have stuck the needle in your sleeve. Never mind, I'll do better next time.
Whither away, Hans. To Gretel, mother. Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother. Good-bye, Hans. Hans comes to Gretel. Good day, Gretel. Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is good. I bring nothing, I want to have something given to me. Gretel presents Hans with a knife. Good-bye, Gretel.
Good-bye Hans. Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and goes home. Good evening, mother. Good evening, Hans. Where have you been. With Gretel. What did you take her. Took her nothing, she gave me something. What did Gretel give you. Gave me a knife. Where is the knife, Hans. Stuck in my sleeve.
That's ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife in your pocket. Never mind, will do better next time.
Whither away, Hans. To Gretel, mother. Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother. Good-bye, Hans. Hans comes to Gretel. Good day, Gretel. Good day, Hans. What good thing do you bring. I bring nothing, I want something given me.
Gretel presents Hans with a young goat. Good-bye, Gretel.
Good-bye, Hans. Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, and puts it in his pocket. When he gets home it is suffocated. Good evening, mother. Good evening, Hans. Where have you been. With Gretel.
What did you take her. Took nothing, she gave me something. What did Gretel give you. She gave me a goat. Where is the goat, Hans.
Put it in my pocket. That was ill done, Hans, you should have put a rope round the goat's neck. Never mind, will do better next time.
Whither away, Hans, to Gretel, mother. Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well good-bye, mother. Good-bye, Hans. Hans comes to Gretel. Good day, Gretel. Good day, Hans. What good thing do you bring. I bring nothing, I want something given to me. Gretel presents Hans with a piece of bacon. Good-bye, Gretel. Good-bye, Hans.
