Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl whom everyone loved the moment they saw her. But the one who loved her most of all was her grandmother, who never knew what more she could give her.

One day, Grandma sewed her a little hood made of red velvet. The girl loved it so much that she never wanted to wear anything else. From then on, everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One morning, her mother said:

“Come here, Little Red Riding Hood. Take this piece of cake and this bottle of wine to your grandmother. She’s not feeling well, and this will make her happy. Go before it gets too hot, stay on the path, and don’t wander off - or you might get lost, and Grandma won’t get her treat. When you arrive, remember to say ‘Good morning’ and don’t go poking your nose around the house.”

“Everything will be just fine,” said Little Red Riding Hood, placing her hand over her heart. Grandma lived in the forest, about half an hour’s walk from the village. As the girl walked through the trees, she met a wolf. She didn’t know what a dangerous creature he was, so she wasn’t afraid of him at all.

“Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood,” said the wolf.

“Good morning,” she replied.

“And where are you going so early?”

“To my grandmother’s house.”

“And what are you carrying under your apron?”

“Cake and wine. We baked the cake yesterday. Grandma is sick, so this will do her good and make her strong again.”

“And where does your grandmother live?”

“In the forest, under three big oak trees, in a cottage surrounded by a hazel hedge. It’s about fifteen minutes from here. I’m sure you know where it is.”

The wolf thought to himself:

What a tender little thing… what a delicious morsel she’ll be - even better than the old woman! I must act cleverly, so I can eat them both.

He walked beside the girl for a while, then said:

“Look at all the beautiful flowers growing around us! Why don’t you stop and take a look? The birds are singing so sweetly. You’re walking as if you were going to school - but the forest is such a joyful place!”

Little Red Riding Hood looked around. Sunbeams were dancing between the leaves, and everywhere she saw beautiful flowers.

Grandma would be so pleased if I brought her a fresh bouquet, she thought. It’s still early - I’ll have plenty of time.

So she stepped off the path and began to pick flowers, one after another. Meanwhile, the wolf ran straight to Grandma’s house.

He knocked at the door.

“Who’s there?” asked Grandma.

“It’s Little Red Riding Hood,” said the wolf. “I’ve brought you cake and wine. Please, open the door.”

“Just lift the latch,” said Grandma. “I’m too weak to get up.”

The wolf stepped inside, said not a word, went straight to the bed, and swallowed poor Grandma in one gulp. Then he put on her clothes and her nightcap, lay down in bed, and drew the curtains.

Little Red Riding Hood was still gathering flowers. When she had so many she could hardly carry them, she remembered her grandmother and set off again.

She was surprised to find the door standing open. She stepped inside and thought:

Oh my! Why does everything feel so strange today? I always love visiting Grandma…

“Good morning!” she called out.

There was no answer.

She walked to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay Grandma, with her nightcap pulled low over her face - but something didn’t look quite right.

“Oh, Grandma, what big eyes you have!”

“The better to see you with, my dear.”

“Oh, Grandma, what big ears you have!”

“The better to hear you with, my dear.”

“But Grandma, what big teeth you have!”

“The better to eat you with!”

The wolf leapt from the bed and swallowed poor Little Red Riding Hood whole. Satisfied at last, he lay back down and began to snore loudly.

Just then, a huntsman happened to be passing by. He thought to himself:

“What a loud snore that old woman has! I’d better see if she’s all right.”

He stepped inside and saw the wolf, fast asleep in Grandma’s bed.

“Aha! So here you are, you scoundrel!” he said. “Better give back what doesn’t belong to you!”

He clapped his hands loudly and stamped his boot on the floor. The wolf was so frightened that he coughed and spat up first Little Red Riding Hood, and then Grandma - both safe and sound!

“Oh, how scared I was!” cried Little Red Riding Hood. “It was so dark and tight in there!”

Grandma hugged her little granddaughter, and the huntsman walked them both safely home.

And from that day on, Little Red Riding Hood always listened to her mother - and she knew that if she stayed on the path, she would never get into trouble again.