40 Write about Hansel and Gretel or Abandonment

In the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel two children are abandoned in the woods by their parents during tough economic times. The children meet a nice old woman who turns out to be a witch. She wants to eat Hansel but his sister manages to save him. I wrote a song from Hansel's point of view watching his little sister become the hero. Have you ever felt abandoned? Have you ever thought what it would like to live on your own? Have you ever been rescued by your sister?

Oh Hansel words and music by Barry Lane from the album, Lane's Recycled Fairy Tales. (Background vocals by Carol-lee Lane)

My mom and dad were talking

just the other night,

saying we ain't got no food to eat

and things are very tight.

We'll take the kids tomorrow

and leave them in the woods.

They'll find their way through valleys,

and learn to live alone.

"Oh Hansel,"

my sister said to me,

"Oh Hansel,

we're children can't they see."

I went out in the moonlight,

and I gathered up some rocks.

I put them in my pockets,

I put them in my socks.

When we went out the next day,

I dropped them on the way.

"Hi Mom and Dad, we're back home,

You see, we are OK."

"Oh Hansel,"

my sister said to me.

"Oh Hansel,

I'm shaking can't you see."

They took us out the next day,

and they left us there again.

We found a house of gingerbread

low down in a fenn.

An old lady she came out,

and asked us to come in.

She locked me in a prison cage

and grabbed my sister's hand.

"Oh Hansel, "

my sister cried and moaned,

"Oh Hansel,

we'll never get back home."

The next day, the woman,

she gave me food to eat.

Gretel did the dishes,

Gretel cooked the meat.

The woman poked a fork at me

and said she'd do no harm.

Gretel gave a bone to me.

Pretend this is your arm.

"Oh Hansel,"

my sister said to me.

"Oh Hansel, I'm stronger,

wait and see."

Late the next morning,

the woman lit the stove.

Asked Gretel to climb in

and check those fires and coals.

Gretel said I can't see,

you better check yourself.

Gretel slammed the oven door,

the witch she screamed and yelled.

"Oh Hansel,"

my sister said to me.

"Oh Hansel,

I've done it, now we're free"

The house is full of food to eat,

the house is full of jewels,

the house is full of money,

the house is full of tools.

We brought it back to Mom and Dad

and said look what we've got.

They smiled and hugged and kissed us.

"We missed you both a lot."

"Oh Hansel,"

my sister said that night.

"Oh Hansel,

I'm different but I'm all right!"