There was once a little girl who loved to wear a red velvet cloak. No matter where she went,
she always had her red hooded cloak on.
It was because of this cloak that people came to know this girl as Little Red Riding Hood.
Little Red Riding hood's cloak was a gift from her grandmother, whom she loved dearly.
Little Red Riding Hood lived with her mother in a small cottage in the village.
One day, Little Red's mother asked her to take
a basket of bread and a bottle of wine to her grandmother, who lived in a cabin in the woods.
"Little Red Riding Hood, take these to your grandmother." Said her mother, who handed
her the basket of bread and the bottle of wine. "Your grandmother is sick, and these will make
her feel better." Her mother continued, as she put on Little Red Riding Hood's velvet red cloak.
"You must make haste and leave before sunrise. Make sure that you don't talk to strangers on
the way through the woods and don't stray from the path leading to your grandmother's cottage."
Little Red Riding Hood nodded. "You can count on me, mother.
I'll make sure these will reach my grandmother, and I'll be back home just in time for supper."
Little Red Riding Hood set out early in the morning before the rooster could crow and way
before the sun's rays could peek through the sky. With her red hooded cloak and
with a basket of bread and a bottle of wine in tow, she merrily made her way into the woods.
As she entered the forest, she remembered her mother's words
and stayed on the path to her grandmother's cottage.
Now, Little Red Riding Hood had been on this path many times before, and although the forest was
dark, she had no fear of getting lost. She knew this forest like she knew the back of her hand.
Little Red Riding Hood was halfway through the forest
when she encountered the slyest creature in the woods, the Wolf.
With all his cunning, the sneaky Wolf greeted Little Red Riding Hood with a good morning.
"What do you have there in your basket, little girl?" asked the wolf as he circled
Little Red Riding Hood and tried to peek inside the basket she was carrying.
Little Red Riding Hood had never before met the wolf, and she had
no idea what kind of creature the wolf was. "Oh, good day, Sir," said Little Red Riding Hood,
"It's some bread and a bottle of wine for my grandmother.
She is sick, and I am in a hurry to see her." "Where does your grandmother live?"
"She lives alone in a cabin in these woods. If you follow this path, it leads straight to her house."
The wolf seemed like a harmless, curious creature,
so Little Red Riding Hood was not afraid. She thought he was a good companion in the dark woods,
and it was getting pretty lonely walking the path alone.
The wolf looked at the basket of bread and the bottle of wine and felt very hungry. He hadn't
eaten for days and would do anything for some food. Some bread and wine would be okay to fill
his tummy for now, but he was thinking about what a fine meal Little Red Riding Hood would make.
"Oh, I see." Said the wolf, "Why don't you take your time and look around the forest? See how
much fun it is in this forest before you go to your grandmother's! I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Oh! But I must hurry, I promised mother to be back
before supper," replied Little Red Riding Hood.
"See those flowers?" said the wolf, pointing to a bed of roses in full bloom.
"I'm sure your grandmother will love those. Why don't you pick some for her?"
Little Red Riding Hood saw the flowers and thought about how they would make a
lovely gift for her grandmother. She went about and picked a rose, then another,
and some more until she filled the basket to the brim. She did not notice that as she picked the
flowers, she was wandering further and further away from the path to her grandmother's house.
And while Little Red Riding Hood went about picking flowers for her grandmother,
the big bad wolf made his way to the grandmother's cottage. As soon as he reached the cabin,
he knocked on the door three times. Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Who is it?" called out the grandmother from the bedroom.
"It's me, Little Red Riding Hood. Please open the door. I've brought you some bread and some wine,
grandmother." Said the wolf, trying to sound like Little Red Riding Hood.
"Oh, please come in, child. I am sick and cannot get up, just help yourself in."
The wolf came storming in and pounced upon the grandmother. Because she was old and weak to
fight back, the grandmother was snatched up from her bed by the wolf, and he hid her in the closet.
He put on her clothes as he crawled back into her bed and waited for Little Red Riding Hood.
His tummy was rumbling now as he waited for Little Red Riding Hood to come through the door.
It was almost sunrise when Little Red Riding Hood noticed that she had strayed far from
the path to her grandmother's cottage. Pleased with the flowers she had collected,
she made her way back to the trail and continued her journey towards her grandmother's cottage.
"Oh, grandmother surely will be pleased!" She said to herself,
and she hurried to her grandmother's house.
When she arrived at her grandmother's cottage, she was surprised to find the door unlatched
and wide open. Slowly, she went inside the house and made her way to her grandmother's room.
"Hello? Grandmother? It's me, Little Red Riding Hood." She called out from the entrance.
There was no reply. Little Red Riding Hood entered the house
and found her grandmother on the bed with her nightcap drawn down, covering her face.
Little Red Riding Hood did not know that this was the wolf in her grandmother's clothes!
Relieved to find that her grandmother was okay,
she approached the bed. But something told Little Red Riding Hood that something was
definitely wrong. "Oh,
grandmother, what big ears you have!" Exclaimed Little Red Riding Hood as she came closer.
"The better to hear you with, my child," replied the wolf, trying to sound like the grandmother.
"And what big eyes you have!" "The better to see you with, my child."
"And what big hands you have!" "The better to hug you with my child."
The wolf laid out his giant paws to hug Little Red Riding Hood.
"And what big, horrible teeth you have!" said Little Red Riding Hood
as she stared at the wolf's sharp fangs. "The better to eat you with!" the wolf
exclaimed as he reached out of bed towards Little Red Riding Hood.
Little Red Riding Hood tried to run outside the house, but the wolf was swift and robust.
The wolf caught up with Little Red Riding Hood, and he grabbed her by the cloak. Little
Red Riding Hood tried to free herself from the wolf's grip, but alas, the wolf was too strong.
At that moment, a huntsman happened to pass by the cottage.
Upon hearing the commotion, he came storming in and saved Little Red Riding Hood from the wolf.
He drove the big bad wolf away, and as soon as he did, the grandmother popped out of the closet
and hugged Little Red Riding Hood tightly. Little Red Riding hood gave her grandmother
the flowers she had picked, and afterwards, she, her grandmother,
and the huntsman shared the bread and wine that she had brought all the way from the village.
That evening, Little Red Riding Hood returned home to her mother as she had promised,
in time for supper and without a scratch. The wolf had vanished, never to be seen again.
And now, every time Little Red Riding hood sets out to visit her grandmother,
she’s quite careful who she stops and to talk to--especially if they are a stranger.
Now, it’s time for you to sleep, and drift off into dreamland. I wish you only beautiful walks,
with loyal friends, and the comfort of your nice warm blanket to protect you.
Good night, and I’ll tell you another story tomorrow