One morning, the witch lost her patience. "Thin or fat, I don't care anymore!" she snapped. "Tomorrow I will cook the boy. Girl! Light the oven!"

Gretel trembled with fear, but her mind was racing. She had to think of something. She had to be brave — braver than she had ever been in her life. Her brother's life depended on her.

She lit the oven. The fire roared inside. The witch rubbed her bony hands together with excitement.

"Is the oven hot enough?" asked the witch. "Crawl inside and check!"

Gretel's heart was pounding, but she kept her voice calm. She pretended to be stupid. "I don't understand," she said. "How do I get in? The opening is so small. I don't know how to do it."

The witch was annoyed. "Stupid girl! It's perfectly big enough. Look — even I can fit inside!"

The old witch bent down and stuck her head into the oven to show Gretel how easy it was.

That was the moment Gretel had been waiting for. She gathered all her courage, put both hands on the witch's back, and pushed — as hard as she could.

The witch tumbled into the oven. Gretel slammed the iron door shut and bolted it. The witch screamed and banged on the door, but she could not get out.

Gretel ran to the cage and freed Hansel. They held each other tightly, crying with relief.

"You saved me!" said Hansel. "You are the bravest person I know."

Before they left, they explored the witch's house. In every corner, they found chests filled with pearls, diamonds, gold coins, and precious stones. They filled their pockets with as many jewels as they could carry.

Then they walked into the forest. This time, they were not afraid. After several hours, the trees began to look familiar. They saw fields they recognised. They saw the church tower in the distance. They began to run.

Their father was standing at the door of their cottage. When he saw them, he burst into tears and ran towards them with his arms open. He had not had one happy moment since the day they were lost. The stepmother, the children learned, had died while they were away.

Hansel and Gretel emptied their pockets on the kitchen table. The jewels sparkled in the sunlight. There were enough pearls and diamonds and gold coins to last a lifetime.

The family never went hungry again. And Hansel and Gretel — the two children who survived the darkest forest, the sweetest trap, and the cruellest witch — stayed together for the rest of their lives, knowing that the bond between them was stronger than any danger the world could throw at them.