Hansel and Gretel or The Sugar House, Movable Book by Lothar Meggendorfer
The famed Lothar Meggendorfer is one of the inventors of so-called pop-up books, picture books with illustrations coming with a trick: part of the page can be moved and the picture changed, which creates dynamics. Such movable books were very popular at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
Most experts consider Lothar Meggendorfer as the top inventor of such playbooks whose skills and imagination are still not surpassed. He created over one hundred picture books and over forty board games. All of them are valuable collectibles, which can, depending on condition, cost several thousand dollars per piece.
We'll present his take on a classic fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, by the Grimm Brothers. The title is a bit misleading, so we need to know the subtitle as well: The Sugar House. Some people may already be familiar with the same story under a different title: The Gingerbread House, as it's presented in a collection (another collectible) titled Nice Fairy Tales. Essentially, it's the same story as Hansel and Gretel but way softer than the Grimms' classic.
Let's summarize it. Two kids are lost in the woods (not taken and abandoned by their parents). They find a gingerbread house where a bear lives (not a witch). They escape (there is no imprisonment and killing), and the ducks help them. When the danger is over, the kids enjoy the sweet house with the ducks (parents are not even mentioned).
Meggendorfer's version was published by J. F. Schreiber, Stuttgart, in 1887.
Here are the illustrations, each in two versions, depending on the movement of the tabs at the bottom of the pages.
Hansel and Gretel are lost. They are hungry.
Hansel tries to console Gretel. He is sure they will find some food soon.
Indeed! Hansel and Gretel find a strange-looking house made of gingerbread. Immediately, they start eating.
They don't care about the owner of the house, who wants to know who nibbles his home.
The owner comes out. It's a bear. A huge and dangerous bear.
The bear is angry. He wants to eat the kids.
The bear looks like a robber. Suddenly, his house doesn't look so tasty anymore. It's time to escape!
Hansel and Gretel run to the brook. Luckily, a flock of ducks helps them by sitting in a line so the kids can run across their backs.
The bear is close. He intends to cross the brook, too.
But the ducks move, and the bear drops into the water.
He is not a skillful swimmer.
Water takes him away. Danger is over!
Hansel and Gretel can safely return to the sugar house. They invite the ducks, as well.
It's time for celebration!
If you enjoyed the story but can still use a reminder of the 'original' Hansel and Gretel, here is a set of Charles Robinson's illustrations, mostly in black and white (in Art Nouveau style), and a complete set of six postcards in color by Otto Kubel. That should be enough, huh?
Don't forget to tell your friends!