A poor woodcutter lives with his wife and son. The old man's wife dies, and he marries a new woman who treats the boy poorly. One day, the old man sends the boy into the forest to pick mushrooms. He instructs him not to stray from the path. However, the boy wanders off and encounters a witch who offers him food. She is actually a wicked stepmother in disguise. The boy eats the food and becomes ill.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Moral Story, Children's Literature