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| EVILYN, WICKED WITCH |
"What?" said Hansel and Gretel in unison.
"That old woman you think is being so lovely to you and giving you candy is actually Evilyn, a very wicked witch and another unfortunate relative of our beautiful mother, the Queen of the Forest Fairies," said Annalisa.
"I don't think there's much family resemblance," said Gretel. "This old lady is really, REALLY ugly!"
"But very sweet," said Hansel, cutting in quickly. "She gave us a lovely meal last night and soft beds to sleep on."
"We're going home in a little while, but I wanted to eat as much candy as I could before we left. There's never much to eat at our house," said Gretel, sucking on a raspberry lollipop.
"You're quite a greedy little girl, aren't you?" said Arabella, who was miffed because she had not been offered any candy whatsoever.
"Yes, I am," said Gretel complacently.
"Good morning, dear little children!" said Evilyn, making a sudden and dramatic entrance. "I have been cooking a lovely breakfast for you two," she said with an enormous toothless grin. Then she spied the fairy twins and the smile vanished. "Who are you two?"
"How peevish you are this morning, Great Aunt Evilyn!" said foolhardy Annalisa. "Are you not feeling well, my dear?"
"And WHO are you cooking for breakfast this fine morning? Anyone we know?" said foolish Arabella, batting her long eyelashes.
Evilyn inspected the sisters with narrowed eyes. "Let me guess...you are the naughty progeny of my niece, the Queen of the Forest Fairies."
"Yes, we are!" said the twins in unison.
"They told us you were going to fatten us up and then eat us!!" said Gretel. "Is that true?"
Evilyn shot the twins a look so evil that they should have been frightened to death. But then she turned to Hansel and Gretel and laughed merrily. "Of course, it's not true, Little Ones. Why how ridiculous you little girls are to believe such a tale. I'm guessing that your witty mother came up with that one--she was always so.....so.....creative!"
The sisters looked at one another and then at Hansel and Gretel. Could their mother have been joking? Or trying to scare them so they would not explore the enchanted forest? It WAS an outlandish tale!
"Well, we don't know...maybe she....I suppose Mama could have..."
Evilyn had planted the seed of Doubt and pressed her advantage. "Well, you are certainly pretty little girls. You look just like your mother--such a beautiful little prankster as a child! Always making up the most horrific stories to frighten the other children." Evilyn laughed merrily. "Why don't we all go inside and have a bite to eat. I've cooked the most amazing dishes and it all looks so lovely on the table. The aroma is delightful."
The twins were torn. What should they do?
"Mother expects us home for lunch," said Arabella. "We must fly."
"You don't have to eat if you don't want to, my pretties. Just sit with us until Hansel and Gretel go home. In fact, you can guide them!"
"Well, I want to eat," said Gretel. "And frankly, I believe I'm much prettier than you two girls. Hansel, what do you think?"
Hansel, who was quite taken with the fairy sisters, said, "I think all three of you are just beautiful. Really!"
Evilyn led the children into the candy house. Annalisa and Arabella hovered at the doorway, unsure what to do. But then they smelled bacon and all was lost. They flew inside and gasped at the splendor before them. Stacks of golden pancakes. Dishes of perfect raspberries. Plates of aromatic bacon! Sweet rolls. Strawberries. French toast! They immediately sat down with Hansel and Gretel and dove into the fragrant repast before them. Mama's lunch could never compare to this!
"This is all quite good," said Gretel with her mouth full. She put a sweet roll into the pocket of her apron for later.
Suddenly, the most dreadful noise pierced the beauty of the morning. Was it the screeching of metal? What was happening? Thick iron bars surrounded the little cottage. There was no escape! They were trapped.
Evilyn laughed and the twins began to scream. Hansel ran to the open door and tried to move the bars. Gretel ate another piece of bacon.
"Yes, we are!" said the twins in unison.
"They told us you were going to fatten us up and then eat us!!" said Gretel. "Is that true?"
Evilyn shot the twins a look so evil that they should have been frightened to death. But then she turned to Hansel and Gretel and laughed merrily. "Of course, it's not true, Little Ones. Why how ridiculous you little girls are to believe such a tale. I'm guessing that your witty mother came up with that one--she was always so.....so.....creative!"
The sisters looked at one another and then at Hansel and Gretel. Could their mother have been joking? Or trying to scare them so they would not explore the enchanted forest? It WAS an outlandish tale!
"Well, we don't know...maybe she....I suppose Mama could have..."
Evilyn had planted the seed of Doubt and pressed her advantage. "Well, you are certainly pretty little girls. You look just like your mother--such a beautiful little prankster as a child! Always making up the most horrific stories to frighten the other children." Evilyn laughed merrily. "Why don't we all go inside and have a bite to eat. I've cooked the most amazing dishes and it all looks so lovely on the table. The aroma is delightful."
The twins were torn. What should they do?
"Mother expects us home for lunch," said Arabella. "We must fly."
"You don't have to eat if you don't want to, my pretties. Just sit with us until Hansel and Gretel go home. In fact, you can guide them!"
"Well, I want to eat," said Gretel. "And frankly, I believe I'm much prettier than you two girls. Hansel, what do you think?"
Hansel, who was quite taken with the fairy sisters, said, "I think all three of you are just beautiful. Really!"
Evilyn led the children into the candy house. Annalisa and Arabella hovered at the doorway, unsure what to do. But then they smelled bacon and all was lost. They flew inside and gasped at the splendor before them. Stacks of golden pancakes. Dishes of perfect raspberries. Plates of aromatic bacon! Sweet rolls. Strawberries. French toast! They immediately sat down with Hansel and Gretel and dove into the fragrant repast before them. Mama's lunch could never compare to this!
"This is all quite good," said Gretel with her mouth full. She put a sweet roll into the pocket of her apron for later.
Suddenly, the most dreadful noise pierced the beauty of the morning. Was it the screeching of metal? What was happening? Thick iron bars surrounded the little cottage. There was no escape! They were trapped.
Evilyn laughed and the twins began to scream. Hansel ran to the open door and tried to move the bars. Gretel ate another piece of bacon.
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