Hank and Gertie. Eric A. Kimmel

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      Hank

      &

      Gertie

      A Pioneer Hansel & Gretel Story

      Written by Eric A. Kimmel

      Illustrated by Mara Penny

      Hank and Gertie came west in a covered wagon. One dry, dusty day the wagon train stopped by a stream.

      “We’ll have lunch here and water the animals,” the wagon master said.

      Hank wanted to go exploring. Gertie wanted to pick wildflowers.“Don’t get lost,” their Ma said. “We can’t stop to look for you.”

      “We won’t!” said Hank. “I’ll break off pieces of biscuit as we go.

      We’ll make a trail to follow back when we’re done.”

      “Are you sure you can find our way back?” Gertie asked Hank as they followed the twists and turns of the stream into a canyon.

      “Sure, I’m sure!” Hank said, crumbling the biscuit. “Just follow the crumbs.”

      But when they turned around, there were no crumbs.Birds had eaten them. Now they truly were lost.

      Hank and Gertie wandered through the canyon until they came upon a cabin. The black logs reminded Hank of something, so he tore off a piece

      “It’s not wood!” Hank said, chewing. “Taste it.”

      “Licorice!” Gertie exclaimed.

      “And these shingles...” Hank broke a chunk off and popped it in his mouth. “They’re rock candy!”

      “It’s a candy cabin!” Gertie hollered. She broke some off for herself.Suddenly they heard a voice:

      up my shack?

      frontand back.

      Nibble,

      nibble

      ,

      Who’s thateating

      There stood the scariest woman Hank and Gertie ever saw. She had a face like old rawhide. Her clothes were odds and ends left behind on the trail:

      a ten-gallon hat

      a calico frock

      a buckskin jacket

      moccasins

      skin like old rawhide

      Hank and Gertie were too scared to run. Where could they run to?“Let us go,” Hank pleaded. “We have to get back to Ma and the wagon train.”

      “Sorry,” said Gertie. “We didn’t mean to eat your cabin, Miss...”

      “Call me Aunt Caroline. And it’s too late for sorry. Anyway, your wagon train is long gone. You’ll be staying with me awhile. What do you say to that?”

      “I don’t like it at all,” said Gertie.

      “Can we have more candy?”

      asked Hank.