Fairy Tale Comprehensions: Hansel and Gretel The story of Hansel and Gretel is believed to have originated in the Baltic states as long ago as the 14th century. This was a time when there were great famines and desperate deeds were carried out, including abandoning children (often in woods) to fend for themselves to allow the parents to have enough food to survive. The version of the tale we are most familiar with was written by the Brothers Grimm and can still be quite scary for children today. We have just published a set of pages telling the story as well as comprehension activities for younger children. Go to English: Comprehension: Fairy Tales