Hansel and Gretel is set in medieval Germany. There appears to be some confusion around whether the wicked stepmother is actually the children's biological mother. There is also synergy between the stepmother and the witch—they both die at the same time and could be "related" metaphorically. It was commonplace, back in those darker times, to abandon offspring if there were too many mouths to feed. So a bit strange for our modern understanding, but perfectly acceptable back then! 

And as we all know, stepmothers are always "evil", speaking as one myself.

The Sisters Siren are all about recreating the old favorite stories into something that appeals to our modern young audience by updating the language. But we want the originals—the darkness, the romance, the excitement, and the irreverent fun. No sugarcoated, saccharine-sweet, alternative ends here.