Hansel goes to investigate the noise, expecting to see his father. Instead, he sees his mother trying to cut down a tree near where Hansel was picking up twigs.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Hansel asked, perplexed.

"Well, I was going to give you some firewood, but I see you want to do it yourself," the woman said. "Let me help you."

The woman swung the ax above her head and let it fall quickly toward Hansel. Birds scattered from the area. The chopping went silent. When the woodcutter returned later, he found the woman by a small fire, clothes soaked in blood.

"What have you done?" the woodcutter asked in shock.

"Hansel found out and tried to attack me, I did what I had to," the woman said. "Now we will leave the sleepy one here and we will be rid of them both."

A literal side-splitting ending. As for Gretel, no fire would warm her. She woke up, she cried, she froze to death.