Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived in a village near a large forest. She often wore a red hooded cloak that her grandmother had made for her. Because of this, people called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One morning, her mother said,
“Your grandmother has not been feeling well. I want you to take her this basket of bread and goodies.”

As Little Red Riding Hood took the basket, her mother warned,

“Go straight to your grandmother’s house. Stay on the path through the woods, and do not stop along the way.”

So with her basket in hand, Little Red Riding Hood set off into the forest for her grandmother’s house.

---

The path was quiet beneath the trees. As she walked, she heard birds in the branches and saw sunlight shining through the leaves. Suddenly a wolf stepped out onto the path.

Startled Little Red Riding Hood stepped back, but the wolf spoke gently to her,

“Good morning, little girl. Where are you going?”

“I am going to my grandmother’s house. She is sick, so I am bringing her this basket of food.”

“Where does your grandmother live?” he asked.

Little Red Riding Hood pointed ahead.

“She lives in a cottage beyond the forest, near the mill.”

The wolf smiled.

“What a good girl you are,” he said. “But why are you in such a hurry? Look at the flowers growing all around. Your grandmother would be pleased if you brought her some.”

Little Red Riding Hood looked to the side of the path. There were indeed many beautiful flowers in the grass, and she thought it would be nice to bring her grandmother a bouquet. So she stepped off the path and began picking flowers.

---

While Little Red Riding Hood lingered among the flowers, the wolf slipped away and hurried through the forest to the cottage. Before long, he reached Grandmother’s door and knocked.

“Who’s there?” Grandmother called.

The wolf made his voice sound like the girl’s.

“It is Little Red Riding Hood,” he said. “I have brought you something to eat.”

“Oh, how nice! I’ll come over and lift the latch.” Grandmother replied.

When the door opened, the wolf sprang upon the old woman and swallowed her up whole. Then he put on her nightcap, climbed into her bed, pulled the blankets up to his chin, and waited for Little Red Riding Hood.

---

Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood had finished picking flowers and was making her way to Grandmother’s house.

When she arrived, she was surprised to see the door slightly ajar.

“Grandmother?” she called as she stepped inside.

“Come closer,” said a voice from the bed.

Little Red Riding Hood walked toward the bed. The room was dim, and Grandmother looked strange.

She stopped beside her.

“Grandmother,” she said, “what big ears you have!”

“All the better to hear you with, my dear,” said the wolf.

“Grandmother, what big eyes you have.”

“All the better to see you with.”

Little Red Riding Hood hesitated, but she leaned closer still.

“And Grandmother, what a big mouth you have!”

“All the better to eat you with!” cried the wolf.

And with that, the wolf leapt out of bed and gobbled her up.

---

At that moment, a woodsman happened to be passing by the cottage. He heard a sound from inside and realized that something was wrong.

He hurried to the door. Just then, the wolf stepped out of the cottage, wearing Grandmother’s nightcap and spectacles. His belly was large, and the woodsman understood at once what had happened.

The woodsman raised his axe.

With a swift chop he cut open the wolf’s belly, and out came Grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood, alive and well. Or as well as one can be after such an experience.

Despite the harrows of the day they all lived happily ever after.