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Scary Fairy Tales. A1 / Страшные сказки

© Мартиросян А. В., словарь, адаптация, упражнения, 2025

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2025

Hansel and Gretel

A poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children lived next to a great forest. The boy's name was Hansel and the girl's name was Gretel. The woodcutter had little to eat, and once, when a great hunger came to the land, he could no longer feed his family.

One evening he was lying in bed and thinking about his problems. Then he said to his wife, “What will happen to us? How can we feed our children when we have nothing to eat?”

“Man, do you know what?” answered the woman. “Tomorrow morning we will take the children into the woods, make a fire for them, and give each of them a little piece of bread, then leave them and go to our work. They will not find their way home, and we will not have to feed them anymore.”

“No, woman,” said the man. “I will not do that. How could I leave my own children alone in the woods? Wild animals would kill them.”

“Oh, you fool,” she said, “then all four of us will die from hunger.” And she scolded him until he agreed.

“But I do feel sorry for the poor children,” said the man.

The two children could not sleep because of their hunger, and they heard the conversation between the stepmother and the father.

Gretel cried and said to Hansel, “It is over for us!”

“Be calm, Gretel,” said Hansel, “and don't worry. I know what to do.”

When the adults were sleeping, he got up, put on his jacket and went outside. The moon was shining brightly, and the white little stones in front of the house were sparkling like silver coins. Hansel filled all of his jacket pockets with them.

Then he went back into the house and said, “Don't worry, Gretel. Sleep well. God will not leave us.” Then he went back to bed.

Early in the morning the woman came and woke the two children. “Get up, you lazy children. We are going into the forest to gather wood.” Then she gave each one a little piece of bread, saying, “Here is something for you. Don't eat it soon, for you'll not get any more.”

Gretel put the bread under her apron, because Hansel's pockets were full of stones. Then all together they went into the woods. When they were still not far from home, Hansel began stopping again and again and looking back toward the house.

The father said, “Hansel, why are you stopping and looking back? Be careful, and don't forget your legs.”

“Oh, father,” said Hansel, “I am looking at my white cat that is sitting on the roof and wants to say good-bye to me.”

The woman said, “You fool, that isn't your cat. That's the morning sun shining on the roof.”

However, Hansel was not looking at his cat. He was throwing the shiny little stones from his pocket on the road.

When they arrived in the middle of the woods, the father said, “You children gather some wood, and I will make a fire so you won't freeze.”

Hansel and Gretel gathered together a lot of sticks.

When the fire was burning well, the woman said, “Lie down by the fire and rest. We will go into the forest to cut wood. When we are finished, we will come back and get you.”

Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire. When noon came each one ate his little piece of bread. They sat there a long time. They were tired, so they closed their eyes, and fell asleep.

When they finally awoke, it was dark at night. Gretel began to cry and said, “How will we get out of woods?”

Hansel calmed her, “Wait a little until the moon comes up, and then we'll find the way.”

When full moon came up, Hansel took his little sister by the hand and followed the little stones that sparkled like new coins, showing them the way. They walked throughout the entire night, and early in the morning they arrived at the father's house.

They knocked on the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said, “You nasty children, why did you sleep so long in the woods? We thought that you did not want to come back.”

But the father was happy when he saw his children once more. He did not want to leave them alone.

Not long after there was once again great hunger everywhere. One evening the children heard that mother said to the father, “We have nothing to eat. We have only a half loaf of bread, and then the song will be over. We must get ridof the children. We will take them deeper into the woods, so they will not be able to come back. Or we will all die.”

The man was very sad, and he thought, “It would be better to share the last bit with the children.”

But the woman would not listen to him, scolded him, and criticized him. Who says A must also say B, and because he gave up the first time, he had to do so the second time too.

The children were still awake. They heard the conversation. When the adults were sleeping, Hansel got up and wanted again to gather little stones, but this time the door was locked, and Hansel could not go out. But he calmed his little sister and said, “Don't cry, Gretel. Sleep well. God will help us.”

Early the next morning the woman came and got the children from their beds. They received their little pieces of bread, even less than the last time. On the way to the woods, Hansel crumbled his piece in his pocket, then often stood still, and threw crumbs onto the ground.

“Hansel, why are you always stopping and looking around?” said his father. “Keep walking.”

“I can see my pigeon sitting on the roof. It wants to say good-bye to me.”

“Fool,” said the woman, “that isn't your pigeon. That's the morning sun shining on the roof.”

But little by little Hansel dropped all the crumbs onto the path. The woman took them very deep into the woods, so they could not come back.

Once again, the parents made a large fire, and the mother said, “Sit here, children. If you get tired you can sleep a little. We are going into the forest to cut wood. We will come and get you in the evening when we are finished.”

When it was noon Gretel shared her bread with Hansel, who had nothing to eat, because crumbs of his piece now were lying along the road. Then they fell asleep, and evening passed, but no one came to get the poor children.

It was dark at night when they awoke, and Hansel calmed Gretel and said, “Wait, when the moon comes up I will be able to see the crumbs of bread that I left on the road, and they will show us the way back home.”

When the moon appeared they got up, but they could not find any crumbs. The crumbs were eaten by the many thousands of birds that flew about in the woods and in the fields.

Hansel said to Gretel, “We will find our way,” but they did not find it.

They walked through the entire night and the next day from morning until evening, but they did not find their way out of the woods. They ate only a few small berries that were growing on the ground. They were terribly hungry.

And because they were so tired that their legs would no longer carry them, they lay down under a tree and fell asleep. They were walking in the woods for three days.

They started walking again, but managed only to go deeper and deeper into the woods. If help did not come soon, they would die. At noon they saw a little snow-white bird sitting on a branch. It sang so beautifully that they stopped to listen. When it was finished it flew in front of them. They followed it until they came to a little house. The bird sat on the roof, and when they came closer, they saw that the whole little house was built from bread with a roof made of cake, and the windows were made of clear sugar.

“Let's have a good meal,” said Hansel. “I'll eat a piece of the roof, and Gretel, you eat from the window. That will be sweet.”

Hansel reached up and broke off a little of the roof to see how it tasted, while Gretel stood next to the window glasses and was nibbling at them. Then a gentle voice called out from inside:

Nibble, nibble, little mouse,
Who is nibbling at my house?

The children answered:

The wind, the wind,
The heavenly child.

They continued to eat. Hansel, who very much liked the taste of the roof, tore down another large piece, and Gretel pulled out an entire round window glass. Suddenly the door opened, and an old woman went out. Hansel and Gretel were so frightened that they dropped what they were holding in their hands.

But the old woman shook her head and said, “Oh, you dear children, who brought you here? Just come in and stay with me. No harm will come to you.”

She took them by the hand and led them into her house. Then she served them a good meal:milk and pancakes with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards she made two nice beds for them. Hansel and Gretel went to bed, thinking they were in heaven. But the old woman pretended to be friendly. She was an evil witch who was waiting there for children. She built her house of bread in order to trap them. If she caught one, she would kill him, cook him, and eat him.

Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far, but they have a sense of smell like animals, and know when humans are nearby.

When Hansel and Gretel came near to her, she thought, “Now I have them. They will not get away from me again.”

Early the next morning, before they awoke, she got up, went to their beds, and looked at the two of them lying there so peacefully, with their full red cheeks. “They will be a good dinner,” she spoke to herself. Then she grabbed Hansel and carried him to a little stall, where she locked him behind a cage door. He cried as loudly as he could, but no one came to help him.

Then she shook Gretel and cried, “Get up! Bring water and cook something good for your brother. He is locked outside in the stall. When he will be fat enough, I am going to eat him.”

Gretel began to cry, but it did not help. She had to do what the witch wanted. Now Hansel was given the best things to eat every day, but Gretel received nothing but eggshells.

Every morning the old woman went out to the stall and shouted, “Hansel, stick out your finger, so I can feel if you are fat yet.”

But Hansel stuck out a little bone, and the old woman, who had bad eyesight and could not see the bone, thought it was Hansel's finger, and she wondered why he didn't get fat.

After four weeks Hansel was still thin, and she decided not to wait any longer. “Hey, Gretel!” she shouted to the girl, “Hurry up and bring some water. Whether Hansel is fat or thin, tomorrow I am going to kill him and boil him.”

Oh, how the poor little sister cried as she was forced to carry the water, and how the tears streamed down her cheeks! “Dear God, please help us,” she cried. “It would be better if we were torn apart by wild animals. Then we would have died together.”

“Save your crying,” said the old woman. “It doesn't help you at all.”

The next morning Gretel had to get up early, hang up the pot with water, and make a fire.

“First we are going to bake,” said the old woman. “I have already made a fire in the oven and mixed the dough.”

She pushed poor Gretel outside to the oven, from which fire was breaking. “Climb in,” said the witch, “and see if it is hot enough to put the bread in yet.” She wanted to close the oven, when Gretel was inside, bake her, and eat her as well. But Gretel saw what she had in mind, so she said, “I don't know how to do that. How can I get inside?”

“Fool,” said the old woman. The opening is big enough. See, I myself could get in.” And she stuck her head into the oven.

Then Gretel gave her a kick, causing her to fall in. Then she closed the iron door and secured it with a bar. The old woman began to scream. But Gretel ran away, and the evil witch burned up. Gretel ran straight to Hansel, unlocked his stall, and cried, “Hansel, we are saved. The old witch is dead.”

Then Hansel jumped out, like a bird from its cage when someone opens its door. How happy they were! They threw their arms around each other's necks, jumped with joy, and kissed one another. Because they now had nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house. In every corner were chests of pearls and precious stones.

“These are better than little stones,” said Hansel, filling his pockets.

Gretel said, “I will take some home with me as well,” and she filled her apron full.

“But now we must leave,” said Hansel, “and get out of these witch-woods.”

After walking a few hours they arrived at a large lake. “We cannot get across,” said Hansel. “I cannot see a bridge.”

“There are no boats here,” answered Gretel, “but there is a white duck swimming. If I ask it, it will help us across.”

Then she called out:

Duckling, duckling,
Here stand Gretel and Hansel.
Neither a path nor a bridge,
Take us onto your white back.

The duckling came up to them, and Hansel climbed onto it, then asked his little sister to sit down next to him.

“No,” answered Gretel. “That would be too heavy for the duckling. It should take us across one at a time.”

That is what the good animal did. When they were safely on the other side, they walked on a little while, and the woods became more familiar to them. Finally, they saw the father's house in the distance. They began to run, ran inside, and threw their arms around the father's neck.

All this time the man was very unhappy and missed his children so much. However, the woman died.

Gretel shook out her apron, throwing pearls and precious stones around the room, and Hansel added to them by throwing all the stones from his pockets.

Now all their problems were at an end, and they lived happily together.

Glossary

woodcutter [wʊdkʌtǝ] – n дровосек

scold [sk(ǝ)ʊɪd] – v ругать; бранить

stepmother ['stepmaðǝ] – n мачеха; приемная мать

ɡather ['ɡæðǝ] – v собирать; собираться; набирать

apron ['eɪpr(ǝ)n] – n фартук; передник

noon [nu:n] – n полдень; обед

awake (awoke, awoken) [ǝ'weɪk] – v проснуться; просыпаться; бодрствовать

nasty [nɑ:stɪ] – adj гадкий; мерзкий

ɡet (ɡot, ɡot) rid of [ɡet rɪd ɒv] – v избавиться

receive [rɪ'si:v] – v получить

crumb [krʌmb] – n крошка; кроха; мякиш

piɡeon ['pɪʤɪn] – n голубь

manaɡe ['mænɪʤ] – v суметь; смочь

reach [ri:ʧ] – v достигать; дотянуться

nibble [nɪbl] – v грызть

pull out [pʊl 'aʊt] – v вытаскивать; вытягивать

friɡhtened [fraɪtnd] – adv испуганный

heaven ['hev(ǝ)n] – n небеса; рай

pretend [prɪ'tend] – v претворяться

trap [træp] – v заманивать; ловить n ловушка; западня

catch (cauɡht, cauɡht) [kæʧ] – v поймать; схватить

stall [stɔ:l] – n стойло

pot [pɒt] – n котел; котелок

oven [ʌvn] – n печь; духовка

douɡh [dǝʊ] – n тесто

bar [bɑ:] – n прут; стержень; v запирать; препятствовать

pearl [pɜ:l] – n жемчуг

Blue Beard

There was once a man who was very rich. But this man had a blue beard, so all the women and girls thought that he was scary and ugly and didn't want to marry him.

One of his neighbors was a noble lady, who had two beautiful daughters. He wanted to marry one of them and let the lady decide which of the two would become his wife. But the daughters did not agree. They were afraid of a man with a blue beard. He also seemed suspicious to them. He was already married several times. But nobody knew what happened to his previous wives.

Blue Beard decided to impress them. He took them, with their mother and some other young people, to one of his country houses. They stayed there a whole week.

The time was filled with parties, hunting, fishing, dancing, and joy. Nobody went to bed, but all were gathering together and joking with each other all night long. In short, everything was so good that the youngest daughter began to think that the man's beard was not so very blue after all, and that he was a very polite gentleman.

When they returned home, they got married. A month later, Blue Beard told his wife that he had to take a journey to the country for six weeks at least, about a case of great importance. He did not want her to feel lonely and told her to invite her friends over.

“Here,” said he, “are the keys to the two great closets, where I have my best clothes. These are to my silver and gold dishes. These open my chests with money, both gold and silver; these my chests of jewels. And this is the master key to all my rooms. But as for this little one here, it is the key to the little room at the end of the great hall on the ground floor. Open them all, go into each and every one of them. But I strongly prohibit you to open that little room. And, if you open it, you will feel my anger.”

She promised to do exactly as he wanted. Then he gave her a hug and went on his journey.

Her neighbors and good friends immediately came to visit the lady. They wanted to see her rich furniture and the beautiful house, but were afraid to come while her husband was there. His blue beard scared them. They ran through all the rooms, and closets, which were all so fine and rich that it seemed to them that each next one was better than the previous one.

After that, they went up into the two great rooms with the best and richest furniture. They could not praise enough the number and beauty of the beds, couches, tables, and mirrors.

All the time they praised the happiness of their friend. But she could not relax looking at all these rich things, because she wanted to open the little room on the ground floor. She wanted to open the prohibited room and went down to the little room.

When she came to the door, she stopped for some time, thinking about her husband's words. She asked herself what might happen to her if she opens it. But the temptation was so strong that she could not fight it. She then took the little key, and opened the door. At first, she could not see anything, because the windows were shut. After some moments she saw that the floor was all covered with blood, and the bodies of several dead women were lying along the walls. (These were all the Blue Beard's previous wives, who were killed by him, one after another.) She thought she would die from fear, and the key fell out of her hand.

When she came to, she picked up the key, locked the door, and went upstairs into her room to calm down. But she was too scared. Then she noticed that the key to the little room was stained with blood. She tried two or three times to clean it but nothing worked. The blood still remained, because the key was magical and she could never make it quite clean.

Blue Beard returned home the same evening. He said that surprisingly he finished his task quickly. His wife did everything to show him that she was extremely happy about it.

The next morning, he asked her for the keys. She gave him the keys back.

“What!” said he, “where is the key to my little room?”

“I think,” said she, “I left it upstairs upon the table.”

“Bring it to me now,” said Blue Beard.

Finally, she was forced to bring him the key. Blue Beard looked at it, and said to his wife, “Why is there blood on the key?”

“I do not know,” cried the poor woman.

“You do not know!” replied Blue Beard. “I know. You went into the little room, did you not? Very well, madam; you shall go back, and take your place among the ladies you saw there.”

When she heard this, she fell on her knees and begged for forgiveness, and promised that she would always do as he tells. But Blue Beard had a heart harder than any rock!

“You must die, madam,” said he, “now.”

“Since I must die,” answered she (looking upon him with her eyes full of tears), “give me some time to say my prayers.”

“I give you,” replied Blue Beard, “ten minutes, but not one moment more.”

When she was alone, she called out to her sister, and said to her, “Sister Anne” (for that was her name), “go up, I beg you, to the top of the tower, and look if my brothers are coming. They promised me to come today, and if you see them, give them a sign to hurry up.”

Her sister Anne went up to the top of the tower, and the poor wife cried out from time to time, “Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone?”

And sister Anne said, “I see only a cloud of dust in the sun, and the green grass.”

Blue Beard screamed as loud as he could to his wife, “Come down right now, or I shall come up to you.”

“One moment longer, please,” said his wife; and then she cried out very softly, “Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?”

And sister Anne answered, “I see nothing but a cloud of dust in the sun, and the green grass.”

“Come down quickly,” cried Blue Beard, “or I will come up to you.”

“I am coming,” answered his wife; and then she cried, “Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone coming?”

“I see,” replied sister Anne, “a great cloud of dust coming to us.”

“Are they my brothers?”

“No, my dear sister, that's just sheep.”

“Will you not come down?” cried Blue Beard.

“One moment longer,” said his wife, and then she cried out, “Anne, sister Anne, do you see nobody coming?”

“I see,” said she, “two horsemen, but they are still in a great distance.”

“Oh thank you,” replied the poor wife joyfully. “They are my brothers. I will make them a sign, as well as I can for them to hurry up.”

Then Blue Beard cried so loud that he made the whole house tremble. The sad wife came down, and fell on her knees, all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders.

“This means nothing,” said Blue Beard. “You must die!” Then, he prepared to cut her head off. The poor lady, looked at him with dying eyes and asked him for one little moment.

“No, no,” said he, “prepare to die,” and was just ready to strike.

At this moment someone knocked at the gate and Blue Beard stopped. The gate was opened, and two horsemen entered. They ran directly to Blue Beard with their swords out. He knew that his wife's brothers were soldiers; so he ran away to save himself. But the two brothers ran after him and killed him with their swords. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength enough to rise and welcome her brothers.

After his death his wife became very rich. She used one part of her money to marry her sister Anne to a young gentleman who loved her for a long time. Another part she gave to her brothers, and the rest she used to marry herself to a very nice gentleman, who made her forget the hard time with Blue Beard.

Glossary

noble ['nǝʊb(ǝ)l] – adj знатный; благородный

suspicious [sǝ'spɪʃǝs] – adj подозрительный

previous ['pri:vɪǝs] – adj предыдущий

closet ['klɒzɪt] – n шкаф

chest [ʧest] – n сундук

jewel ['ɪʤu:ǝl] – n драгоценность

prohibit [prǝ'hɪbɪt] – v запрещать

anɡer ['æŋɡǝ(r)] – n гнев, недовольство

promise ['prɒmɪs] – n обещание; v обещать, обязаться

praise [preɪz] – v хвалить; превозносить

temptation [temp'teɪʃǝn] – n соблазн; искушение

come to [kʌm tu:] – v прийти в себя

stain [steɪn] – n пятно; v пятнать; марать

remain [rɪ'meɪn] – v оставаться; сохраняться

beɡ [beɡ] – v молить, умолять

tremble ['tremb(ǝ)l] – v дрожать

soldier ['sǝʊldʒǝ(r)] – n солдат

The Death of the Little Hen

One time the little hen and the little rooster went to Nut Mountain. They agreed that they would share all the nuts. Now the little hen found a large, large nut, but she said nothing about it, because she wanted to eat it by herself. However, the nut was so big that she could not swallow it down. She got scared and cried out, “Little Rooster, please, run as fast as you can to the well

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