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Scene 1 · Beginner
Der Plan, die Kinder auszusetzen
A plan to leave the children
German
Am Rand eines großen Waldes lebte ein armer Holzfäller mit seiner Frau und seinen zwei Kindern. Der Junge hieß Hänsel, das Mädchen Gretel. Die Frau war ihre Stiefmutter. Als es im ganzen Land nicht genug Essen gab, konnte der Vater kaum noch Brot für die Familie besorgen.
English translation
At the edge of a large forest lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel, and the girl was called Gretel. The woman was their stepmother. When there wasn’t enough food in the whole country, their father could barely get enough bread for the family.
German
Eines Nachts lag er wach und fragte seine Frau: „Wie sollen wir unsere Kinder ernähren? Wir haben selbst nichts mehr zu essen.“
English translation
One night, he lay awake and asked his wife, “How are we going to feed our children? We don’t have anything to eat ourselves anymore.”
German
Die Frau wollte die Kinder am nächsten Morgen tief in den Wald bringen. Dort sollten sie ein Feuer und ein Stück Brot bekommen. Dann wollten die Erwachsenen fortgehen und die Kinder allein lassen. Die Frau hoffte, dass sie den Weg nach Hause nicht finden würden.
English translation
The woman wanted to take the children deep into the forest the next morning. They were to get a fire and a piece of bread there. Then the adults planned to leave and let the children fend for themselves. The woman hoped they wouldn’t find their way home.
German
„Nein“, sagte der Vater. „Ich kann meine Kinder nicht allein im Wald lassen. Dort gibt es wilde Tiere.“
English translation
“No,” said their father. “I can’t leave my children alone in the forest. There are wild animals there.”
German
Doch die Frau hörte nicht auf. Sie sagte, sonst würden alle vier vor Hunger sterben. Schließlich gab der Vater nach, obwohl ihm die Kinder sehr leidtaten.
English translation
But the woman wouldn’t give up. She said all four of them would die of hunger otherwise. At last, their father gave in, even though he felt very sorry for the children.
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