Hansel and Gretel's father was a woodcutter who did not earn much money, while their stepmother enjoyed shopping, leaving the family short on funds. The stepmother convinced the father to abandon the children in the forest so there would be two less mouths to feed. Hansel left a trail of breadcrumbs to find their way home, but birds ate the crumbs and they were lost. They came upon a house made of gingerbread and candy, which was home to an old woman who tried to fatten and eat Hansel. Gretel tricked the woman and pushed her into the oven instead. The children escaped with gold and found their way back home to live happily with their father.