Clever Gretel
The Roast Chicken Temptation: A Clever Kitchen Adventure
Did you know? In the earliest versions of the Grimm fairy tales, Gretel's story was actually a funny little tale warning people that "greed brings trouble." But over two hundred years of retelling, this character became the quick-thinking kitchen hero many children love best! She has no magic—just one mouth and one empty plate—and she still keeps her master and the guests spinning in circles. This book shows you: when the smell of roast chicken fills the whole house, how does a clever cook use her wits to get out of trouble!
Once upon a time there was a young cook named Gretel. Her round face always wore a smile, her apron was covered with all kinds of spices, and her hair was neatly wrapped in a flowered cloth. Gretel was a wonderful cook. She loved good food, and she loved a little sip of wine too. One day her master said to her, "Gretel, we have important guests coming tonight. Go and roast a nice fat chicken and treat them well." Gretel clapped her hands happily: "No problem! Leave it to me!" She skipped into the kitchen, ready to show off her skills.
Gretel put the fat chicken on a long roasting spit and set it over the crackling fire. The flames licked the chicken skin and made a sizzling sound. Golden chicken fat dripped down, and the smell spread everywhere. As she turned the spit, she couldn't help but drool. "Wow, this smells so tempting!" She took a deep breath, and her stomach began to rumble. The chicken grew crisp and golden, and the savory smell filled the whole kitchen.
The agreed time passed, and the guest still had not come. Gretel began to worry: "If the chicken roasts too long, it won't taste good." She stared at the roast chicken and licked her lips. "Why don't I taste just a tiny bite first, to see how it is?" She picked up a small knife, cut off a little piece of chicken, and put it in her mouth. "Mmm—this is really delicious!" She nodded with satisfaction, but her eyes stayed fixed on the roast chicken.
One small bite turned into one big bite, and Gretel couldn't help cutting another piece. "Just one more little bit," she thought, but her hand would not stop. She tore off a chicken leg and began eating in big bites. By the time she came to her senses, the chicken leg was already gone. "Oh dear, what do I do now?" She wiped her mouth, but the smell was so tempting that she comforted herself: "Maybe the guest isn't coming after all. I might as well finish the chicken."
Greta ate faster and faster, comforting herself as she went: "Maybe the guest isn't coming after all. It would be a shame to waste it, so I might as well take care of it myself." Bite after bite, she polished off the whole chicken until only an empty plate was left. She patted her round belly and gave a satisfied burp. "Now what? What am I going to tell my master when he asks?" She tilted her head and started to think hard.
Just then, the guest finally arrived. Greta nervously wiped her mouth, and a clever idea popped into her head. She lowered her voice and said to the guest: "Run! My master says he's going to cut off your ears!" The guest turned pale and his knees went weak. "What? Cut off my ears?" he stammered. Greta put on a worried face: "That's right, he'll be back any minute. You'd better run!"
The guest was so scared that he turned and ran, almost losing his coat. Greta pretended to chase after him, shouting loudly: "Stop! Don't run!" But really, she breathed a sigh of relief, and her footsteps slowed down. The guest rushed out the door without looking back and disappeared at the end of the alley. Greta patted her chest and said to herself: "That takes care of that." She walked slowly back to the kitchen to clean up the mess.
When her master came back, he found the roast chicken gone and questioned Greta: "Where's the chicken? I can smell it!" Greta said with an innocent face: "The guest grabbed the chicken and ran off with it! He ran so fast I couldn't catch him!" Her master frowned: "Is that so?" Greta nodded hard: "Yes! He must have been starving. He grabbed the chicken and ran out the door the moment he came in."
The host angrily scolded the guest for being rude: "That ill-mannered fellow! Don't let me catch him here again!" Griet nodded along beside him: "Exactly! That was really too much." She secretly laughed inside, but kept a very angry face. The host added: "Never mind, let's just eat something simple tonight." Griet quickly said: "I'll get it ready—right away!" She had successfully pinned the blame for her sneaky nibbling on the guest who had run off.
The story ends with Griet humming as if nothing had happened, getting ready to cook the next dish. As she chopped the vegetables, she thought: "Next time I roast a chicken, I must remember to roast an extra one." A smile appeared on her round face again, the smell of spices still on her apron, as if nothing had ever happened. This humorous ending about gluttony and cleverness makes you smile without even realizing it.
