The poor woodsman and his daughter

Once upon a time, over the Operence, in a distant kingdom there was a poor woodsman. This woodsman became a widower quite early, as his beautiful and devout wife wife was cut into pieces by a cruel serial killer in the nearby forest. Thus the woodsman was left alone with his only daughter who was very beautiful, smart, hard-working and obedient. Thus they lived together, although in poverty, but in tranquility and love.
One day the woodsman went to the forest to cut down trees. As he was going, he reached a huge tree. The woodsman picked up his ax to cut down the tree, because he was hoping that he would get a lot of money for it in the market. He was about to cut into the tree by his ax when the tree started to speak: “Woodsman, please don’t cut me down, you’ll get a big reward if you spare my life.” – “Ah, - the woodsman said – I was already fooled by three trees this week, I don’t belive you!” And with that he started to cut down the tree. Crimson red blood was streaming from the tree and it was crying tar-tears. “You’ll regret this, woodsman – said the tree with its last breath – you’ll see, horrible things will happen to you.” But the woodsman wasn’t touched by the tree’s words, he cut it down completely. And in the tree’s hollow he found human bones. The woodsman was surprised by that, but he though that regarding the recent years’ crime statistics it wasn’t that odd and surely one of the serial killers had left his victims there. He was about to go home when a hand grabbed him and said: “Be aware, woodsman, the day of your doom is near.” The woodsman got frightened and started to run until he reached his house. At home his daughter was awaiting him with lunch. As she saw the troubled state of her father, she asked: “Father, what has scared you that much?” – “Ah, my daughter – responded the father – I met a speaking tree again, but this time I didn’t believe its endearing words, I cut it down and in its hollow I found bones, one of them grabbed and threatened me, and it was so scary that even now I have goosebumps from fear.” – “Nay, father – said the daughter – don’t care about it, those dogs which bark, don’t bite.” – “Ah, my dear daughter – the father said – somehow I can’t calm down.”
The days went by and the woodsman almost forgot the incident. One day the winter came, the wind was blowing and snow was falling, so much that it was impossible to leave the house. The woodsman and his daughter was about to freeze to death as they were running out of firewood. So they were shaking with cold in the room. All of a sudden they heard someone knocking at the window. “Woodsman... – said a creepy voice – let me in, I have come for you!” – “I won’t let you in – said the woodsman – I don’t even know what kind of a creature you are.” – “Woodsman – said the voice – let me in, or else I’ll come in by myself!” The woodsman became very frightened and he was looking for something which could help him block the window and the entrance, but suddenly the window was broken and a terrifying monster came in which looked like a giant hamster. “Your last hour has come, woodsman – said the monster in a sinister voice – get ready for your doom!” And with that the monster grasped the woodsman with his rotting arm and tore off his head. Blood was streaming and poor girl was just screaming with fright. And the huge beast ripped the poor woodsman into pieces right there, the bones were cracking and breaking and the tendons were torn and blood was pouring. When the monster had finished he looked at the girl with his flashing red eyes and said: “See, that’s what those get who harm the trees.” And the girl fainted from the fear.
The days went by and the girl was grieving her father as she had lost not only a parent, but the breadwinner as well. She didn’t know what to do, she was running out of money, for a while she lived on bread and water and later only on water as the price of the bread had increased. One day when she went to the well to get some water, on the surface of the water a face appeared and said: “Gretel, Gretel, listen to me.” Gretel got scared by the voice and she wanted to run away, but her curiosity made her stay. “Gretel – said the face once again – do you want to bring your father back to life?” – “Of course – responded Gretel – tell me, is it possible?” – “Yes – said the face – but only if you are strong in faith and will.” – “I’m listening – said Gretel – tell me what to do.” – “Now listen closely – said the face – I’ll share with you the big secret. Past the border, on a huge and dreadful mountain lives the monster who took away your father’s life. This monster has captured your father’s soul so that he can’t reach the peaceful realm of the dead. You have to find where he keeps your father’s soul and you have to free it to be able to resurrect him. But to truly bring your father back to life you have to kill someone who is dear to you.” The girl was mortified, because besides her father she had only one person dear to her, her fiancé. And although she dreaded the deed she had to do, her father was more important to her, so she came to decision. She visited her fiancé who lived in neighbouring village and knocked on his door. “Who’s that? – asked Hans, her fiancé – Who is knocking on my door in such time?” – “It’s me, Gretel – responded the girl – let me in quickly, because it’s very cold out here.” Hans opened the door and found a shivering Gretel. “What has brought you here, dear Gretel? – he asked – In such cold weather even the polar bears go into their lair.” – “I’ll go on a long journey – responded Gretel – I’d like to ask you to come with me.” – “It’s a big demand – said Hans – times are hard now, there’s more and more work with our land and I’m the only aid of my parents, but for you I’ll do it.” And with that he went into his room and packed his things, he put some scone and a gourd of wine into his bag and he departed with Gretel. As they kept going, they reached a big and dark forest. In this forest the trees were huge and sinister and it was so dark that it was impossible to see through and a strange song was echoing there which was that:
“Who is walking here in the dark, oh, who, oh, who?
To whom their life is not dear,
Who is waiting for awful doom,
Horrible, bloody doom,
Oh, who wants to die in pain,
to die here, oh, die here?”
But the couple didn’t care about the song, they kept going. As they went deeper in the forest, they saw light coming through the branches. They were glad and they hoped to find some benignant people. They went closer to the light and they saw a group of men who were camping. They sat by a campfire and were stirring something in a large cauldron. One of them said: “Hah, what a big greasy catch we had today!” – “Sure – said another – judges are always meaty” – “Don’t spoil the food again – said a third one – last time the clerk’s leg wasn’t well-cooked!” After hearing this Gretel and Hans got so frightened that they ran away and didn’t stop until they reached a small hut. They were hoping that good people were living in the hut and they knocked on the door. “Who is knocking on my door? – asked a voice from inside – Who is walking here where even ghosts don’t dare to go?” And she opened the door. And a very old woman was standing in the door whose face was distorted by scars. “We’re lost travellers – said Gretel – please, kind dame, give us quarter for the night.” – “Come in, my dear children – said demurely the woman – there’s enough place for three.” Gretel and Hans entered the hut. Fire was burning in the fireplace which gave warmth and the air was filled with the scent of honey-cake. The woman offered them some honey-cake and hot tea and after that everyone went to sleep. In the middle of the night Gretel woke up. As she couldn’t fall back to sleep she started to explore the hut. She opened a door and in the room she found corpses hanging from hooks. Gretel was scared by the sight and was about to run away, but the woman was already behind her back. “You discovered my secret – said the woman – for that you have to die.” – “Please, don’t kill me – Gretel was begging – I promise that I won’t tell it to anyone.” – “Silly girl – said the woman – you should have known that I’m the Blair Witch, who comes into my house won’t leave alive.” And with that she grabbed a hatchet to kill the girl, but Gretel was faster and with one movement she pushed the witch who dropped her weapon. Gretel picked up the hatchet and with angry blows she cut the witch into pieces. After that she woke Hans up and they continued their journey.
They had been going for days, their limbs had almost frozen off when they reached the mountain. And the mountain was dangerous, full of impassable paths and bloodthirsty beasts. Gretel and Hans started to climb the mountain, the way up to the top was so hard that they were almost sweating blood. As they were going upwards, they found a cave. As the nightfall was near, they decided to spend the night there. Right after they had stepped in, they heard a deep growling. They were frightened by the voice, but before they could go out, an ugly monster appeared. It had big flashing eyes and deadly claws and the smell of death was coming from it. “You are doomed – said the beast – because you came in.” Gretel and Hans were terrified, but Hans had enough composure to pull out the hatchet they had taken from the witch’s hut and attacked the monster. After a fierce fight Hans defeated the beast whose ugly body mouldered by the blows of the hatchet like a pumpkin which was left to rot for six weeks. After that Gretel and Hans continued their journey. They had been going for a long time, they were at the end of their energy resources when they finally reached the top of the mountain. And there stood a big fortress surrounded by impenetrable walls and it had a sinister atmosphere. Gretel and Hans recoiled from the sight of the building, but they didn’t give up. They were pondering over how to get in when someone began to speak behind their back. “What are you doing here, wayfarers? – asked a strange goblin – Why are you seeking trouble? Don’t you know that here lives the Evil himself?” – “I want to get back my father.” – said Gretel and she told the goblin her full story. And the goblin felt pity for them and said: “I know a way to get in the fortress. Every night exactly at midnight when it’s the changing of the guard, the charm which protects the fortress gets weakened. That’s when you have to go in. But be careful, if you don’t get in within five minutes, you’re dead. I’ll give you this invisibility cloak to help you.” Gretel and Hans took the cloak and thanked the goblin for his help.
Midnight came and Gretel and Hans were hiding near the gate and were waiting for the right moment. Soon the guards went back so that the change could occupy their place. Gretel and Hans put on the invisibility cloak quickly and started off towards the gate. But Gretel in her hurry tripped over bush’s branch and didn’t get to the gate in time. Gretel was very sad, but then the goblin popped up out of nowhere. “I see you weren’t fast enough – he said – but you get another chance. Here’s this flute. If you start playing on it, it will give such a sweet melody that it will lull everyone who hears it to sleep. Play a song for the guards and when they fall asleep cut off their head and spread their blood over the gate then throw their head into the ditch.” Gretel and Hans took the flute and did what the goblin had said. As they touched the gate with their bloody hands, it was flung open and they went in. They entered the fortress in which the corridors were winding like a labyrinth. Gretel and Hans were helpless at first, because they didn’t know where to go, but there was an intensifying inner calling voice in Gretel which told her the way. As they followed the voice’s instructions they got into a big room in which there was a large pool with blood-red water in it. It wasn’t water but blood and human body parts were floating in it. Gretel found her father’s head. She looked for the other body parts and after she had found them she sewed them together with big care. But she still didn’t know where his father’s soul was. As she was thinking, she heard her father’s voice. “Gretel, Gretel... “ – whispered the voice in Gretel’s ears. “Gretel, let me out – continued the voice – I’m here in the bottle.” And as Gretel looked up, she saw a bottle. She took it down and opened it and her father’s soul was released. “Gretel – the father said – give my life back!” And Gretel knew what she had to do. She pulled out her knife and stabbed his fiancé in the heart who died in no time. And then her father resurrected. “Thank you, my daughter – said the father – And as you were willing to make such a sacrifice for me, I’ll give back your fiancé’s life.” And then Hans resurrected too. All of them became very happy and they were hugging each other and rejoicing. After that they went home, Gretel and Hans got married and they lived happily ever after.