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They told others different, but the fact remained that they were cowards. Others might have gushed over the brave children. To defeat a witch so frightful! To escape with such cunning! They were heroes to the simple folk of the town they were currently passing through.

Certainly, there were the critics, the doubtful. The ones who sat until morn in the dirty taverns trying to disassemble their story. Talking in disbelief of parents so cruel as to abandon their children to the forces of nature. About the ridiculousness of a house made entirely out of sweetmeats and an evil crone that relished the taste of young flesh above everything else, even above her sweet tantalizing cottage.

Hansel and Grethel had no worries about staying strong under this barrage of questions. They answered each calmly, and as accurately as they could. Hansel infact, seemed to enjoy piecing together their story to the very minute detail for anyone who might be interested. It was as if he was validating his own experiences. The cruelty of their parents, the fascination of the cottage, the malevolent witch. The running, the screaming, the never ending hunger and the threat to their very lives. Describing that came easily to them. For that much atleast, was true.

The difficulty came in speaking with the true believers. The superstitious, yet genuinely caring women that clutched their children hard against themselves at each telling. That looked into the eyes of the sweet, sweet and infinitely brave children with such trust that Grethel found herself revolted against her own self. These people were the ones who took them in; even though they insisted they couldn’t stay long, many times adding them to their brood of already numerous offspring.

These were the times the siblings were the happiest. They were still children, but they carried themselves with such care, they didn’t look out of place gravely discussing matters with adults. But among their own kind, they flourished. They ran with them, played with them. Hansel, who was the envy of the boys, was their natural leader, and they followed him without question. Grethel, in her turn, was gentle with the girls. Telling stories to keep their attention, braiding their hair and making wreaths of flowers for their amusement, though she found it a chore more difficult than her brothers.

There would come a day when Hansel went up to his adoptive mother and asked for permission to hold a picnic of sorts, in the meadows up yonder. The meadows being the scarce patch of green before the forest started. He worded his thoughts carefully, making them convincing yet gently pleading. He talked about how he wanted be rid of his fright of the forest. Saying gently about how it was now a childish fear since the witch was gone for good. He promised to convince the mothers of the other children to send them along, if they were willing. He promised a great many things, each speaking of his desire to change and face childish fears, while at the same time having a bit of childish fun., sprinkling the whole thing with a bit of coy flattery. Grethel, standing outside the door, mouthed every word. She was morose the rest of the day, and refused to speak with anyone.

Many parents did not agree ofcourse, but a great many did. So on the day of the picnic no less than twenty children joined them. For once Hansel and Grethel were quite as they led the way to their destination, but the little ones, experiencing something so completely new, and most importantly, without the supervision of their parents, were ecstatic enough not to notice.

On the winding, rocky paths that lead to the sweet grass, Grethel stopped just once, to look at the scattered line behind her. Her gaze so determined and steadfast, it stopped Hansel in his tracks. He looked at her with a slight worry, but then she noticed his gaze and gave him the sweetest smile. All she said was, “It’s a beautiful day.” And then she ran back to find her closest friends.

Hansel shuddered. He was supposed to be the one who was better at this, the lies, the cheats, the forged smiles. He didn’t know what was happening, was something changing? He couldn’t read his sister anymore, she had suddenly become an unknown equation in a definite plan. But he still had a job to do. Mustering up his most jovial voice, he called out.

“Who wants to go explore the forest?”