The Tale of Bella's Gingerbread House

When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted. And when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.

In 1812 the Brothers Grimm published the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel, a brother and sister kidnapped by a wicked witch living in a forest in house constructed of cake and sweets.

I was reminded of this fairytale by a Gingerbread House created by my adorable 5 year old second cousin Isabella who proudly presented her creation after dinner tonight.

Tears followed when the cake was accidentally knocked over as my cousin leant on the edge of the table bumping her head on the chair as she slipped. Thankfully no bumps or scrapes on Bella but a demolished house!

Bella's daddy and I set about rebuilding the house and Grandad came to the rescue with special blue icing glue. Auntie Julie and Nanny helped by adding extra sprinkles and the end result was a much more colourful creation!

For me fairytales will be forever enchanting but this evening it was seeing the delight and pride in Isabella's eyes that was truly magical.

And we should all remember the moral of the Hansel and Gretel story; eat too many sweets and a witch might try and gobble you up! Be careful...