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Illustration for Hansel and Gretel

Russian · Beginner

Гензель и Гретель

Adapted from Hansel and Gretel

By The Brothers Grimm

Two children are lost in the forest and must outwit a witch who lives in a house made of sweets.

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Beginner sample in Russian

Scene 1

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Illustration for the scene “A plan to leave the children”

Scene 1 · Beginner

План избавиться от детей

A plan to leave the children

Russian

У большого леса жил бедный дровосек. У него были двое детей: мальчик Гензель и девочка Гретель. Его жена была их мачехой. Когда в стране начался сильный голод, семье стало нечего есть. Однажды ночью отец долго не мог уснуть.

English translation

A poor woodcutter lived near a large forest. He had two children: a boy named Hansel and a girl named Gretel. His wife was their stepmother. When a severe famine began in the country, the family had nothing to eat. One night, their father lay awake for a long time.

Russian

— Как нам кормить детей? — спросил он жену. — У нас уже не хватает хлеба.

English translation

“How can we feed the children?” he asked his wife. “We no longer have enough bread.”

Russian

Мачеха предложила отвести детей далеко в лес и оставить их там. Она хотела дать им по куску хлеба, развести костёр, а потом уйти. Она думала, что дети не найдут дорогу домой и взрослым хватит еды.

English translation

The stepmother suggested taking the children deep into the forest and leaving them there. She wanted to give them each a piece of bread, light a fire, and then leave. She thought the children would not find their way home and that there would be enough food for the adults.

Russian

Отец сначала отказался. Он боялся, что дикие звери убьют его детей. Но жена говорила, что иначе все четверо умрут от голода. Она долго спорила с ним, и наконец он согласился. Ему было очень жаль Гензеля и Гретель.

English translation

At first, the father refused. He was afraid that wild animals would kill his children. But his wife said that otherwise all four of them would starve. She argued with him for a long time, and finally he agreed. He felt very sorry for Hansel and Gretel.

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