The original story of Hansel and Gretel, collected and published by the Brothers Grimm, dealt with cannibalism, child murder, and witchcraft, reflecting the dark and violent realities of medieval Germany. The Brothers Grimm collected folk tales to preserve German literature for future generations and intended their audience to be fellow scholars rather than children. The story of Hansel and Gretel was sourced from a woman named Dortchen Field, who later became Wilhelm's wife, and the Grims made several alterations to the story over the years, including making it more Christian.

The story follows a family in Germany who runs out of food, and the mother convinces the father to abandon their children in the forest, where they find a home made out of bread and cake. The old woman who invites them in turns out to be a witch who lures in children to eat them. Hansel and Gretel eventually escape after killing the witch and return home, but their mother has died in their absence. Child abandonment and cannibalism reflect the realities of medieval Germany, where food was easier to get than ever, and people started having more children, leading to a population explosion.