What is the moral of Hansel and Gretel?

What that actually means

This is the only famous fairy tale where the rescue is done entirely by children, and specifically by two children taking turns. Hansel is clever first: he thinks of the pebbles, he keeps his sister calm, he handles the first night in the wood. Then he is caged and completely out of options, and Gretel, who has been frightened and useless for two days, is suddenly the only one who can do anything. She is not braver than him. She is braver *later*, which is a different and more encouraging thing for a child to hear.

What happens in the story

Two children are taken into the wood and left there. The first time, Hansel has filled his pockets with pebbles. The second time he only has bread, and birds eat it. Then they find a house made of gingerbread, and the old woman inside is very pleased to see them.

Questions to ask afterwards

The lesson lands better when a child works it out themselves.

1. Hansel had a plan the first time and not the second. Why did the second plan fail?
2. Gretel is frightened for most of the story and then saves them both. Does being frightened stop you being brave?
3. The witch's house is made of gingerbread. Why do you think it works so well as a trap?
4. Their father goes along with something he knows is wrong. What could he have done instead?
5. The children come home to a house with no food in it. Do you think everything is really fine at the end?