Hermie, son of John Frobish, loves his grandmother, Grossmutter, and her stories. Although John possesses sympathy for his son and his intellectual disability, he cannot stay home and care for him the same way Grossmutter does, telling him stories at night and standing up for him when Lydia, Hermie’s stepmother, abuses him. One night, Grossmutter re-tells him the tale of Hansel and Gretel. They revel in Hansel’s cunning, relating the old witch, “hex”, being shoved into her own fiery oven to Lydia, who is always carrying a lantern after sundown. Lydia interrupts them, ushering Hermie out while carrying her lantern. The next morning, she berates him for not working hard enough. John attempts to calm her and reduce her barrage of chores for Hermie. When she tells him he should stop concerning himself with Hermie and build a new barn, John asks Lydia where they would get the money for such an endeavor. Knowing he can’t defuse the situation, he heads to work. Around midnight, Grossmutter thumps her cane and calls for Hermie, panicked. The boy rushes to her, finding her shrieking about the fire that has erupted in the barn. She says Lydia would kill her with fire, then tells Hermie to release the horses. As he runs to the barn, he sees the horses and cattle have already been led to safety, but also spots Lydia walking near the barn’s shadow.               In summer, Grossmutter begins calling for Hermie more often, causing Lydia to admonish him even more. Grossmutter complains of her poor, weak-willed John having the misfortune of marrying a beautiful, yet monstrous woman like Lydia. She threatens to tell John that Lydia burned down the barn for the insurance money, but Lydia calls her crazy. In November, two workmen on a bridge spot smoke emerging from the Frobish house. They find Grossmutter in her bed, a lamp beneath it to warm the covers. By the time Lydia and Hermie arrive, Grossmutter has died. Hermie brings her a shawl to keep her warm, wondering how she managed to bring the lamp upstairs when her legs are paralyzed. Now without his single source of comfort in the family, Hermie mourns and John is the only well of sympathy he has left. John wonders why Hermie keeps saying to himself “In her own fire!” and tries to silence him with placating words. Lydia says Hermie would be better off dead, but John warns her about the harshness of her words. Later, in winter, Hermie goes out into the night to yank the tails of the barn animals, hoping their squeals will annoy Lydia. However, he hears her calling out for help in the cow-yard. Lying amongst the straw, she tells Hermie the ram has hooked and injured her, then snaps at him to fetch a light and John. Hermie runs off, thrilled at his new plan. He returns with a lamp, then presses its wick to the straw, setting Lydia on fire. At her protest, he explains to her that he brought her Grossmutter’s lamp, then leaves. He has burnt the hex in her own fire, like Hansel.