‘Who is nibbling at my little house?’

SWAKOPMUND’S traditional Hexenhaus (witch’s house) has been built again, as sweet and colourful as ever.

The 1,5-metre by 1,5-metre cake house, which appears at Café Anton around this time every year to entice children to “nibble, nibble and gnaw” at the variety of sweets and cookies on it, was the idea of former chef and owner of Café Anton, the late Andre Snyman. He decided 15 years ago that he wanted to do something for the town’s children.The most obvious idea was a fairy-tale house full of sweets.The theme comes from the story ‘Haensel and Gretel’ – two children who were left in the woods by their parents because they were too poor to care for them.The children came upon a little cottage covered in edible delights.While the children are tucking into the sweets, the witch living in the house comes out and catches them – and wants to cook the children.However, her sinister plan fails, and in the end, she is killed.The children are freed and find their way home.In the meantime they become rich, having collected precious stones, and so all can live happily ever after.The story of Swakopmund’s Hexenhaus is not quite so scary.On December 20, children are invited to come and eat the house – free of charge – without fearing that a witch will catch them.He decided 15 years ago that he wanted to do something for the town’s children.The most obvious idea was a fairy-tale house full of sweets.The theme comes from the story ‘Haensel and Gretel’ – two children who were left in the woods by their parents because they were too poor to care for them.The children came upon a little cottage covered in edible delights.While the children are tucking into the sweets, the witch living in the house comes out and catches them – and wants to cook the children.However, her sinister plan fails, and in the end, she is killed.The children are freed and find their way home.In the meantime they become rich, having collected precious stones, and so all can live happily ever after.The story of Swakopmund’s Hexenhaus is not quite so scary.On December 20, children are invited to come and eat the house – free of charge – without fearing that a witch will catch them.