Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived on the edge of the forest. Whenever she went out, she wore the lovely red riding cloak that her grandmother had given her, so everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One morning, a messenger brought a letter. "Oh dear, said Little Red Riding Hood's mother. "Your grandmother is not feeling well."

"Homemade soup might make her feel better," the little girl suggested. "That's a good idea," her mother said. So they packed a nice basket for Little Red Riding Hood to take to her grandmother.

When the basket of food was ready, the little girl put on her red cloak and kissed her mother goodbye.

"Remember, go straight to Granny's house," said her mother. "Don't wander off the path! The woods are dangerous."

"Don't worry mother," said Little Red Riding Hood. "I won't." But when Little Red Riding Hood noticed some flowers in the woods, she quickly forgot her promise. She picked a few here, and a few there, and soon she had strayed quite far from the path.

Suddenly, a great big wolf appeared beside her.

"Who are you and what are you doing here little girl?" snarled the wolf. hey call me Little Red Riding Hood," she replied, "and I'm on my way to see my Granny, who is not feeling well."

"You had better let me take you back to the path then," the wolf said. "There is a wolf in the neighborhood, you know."

"What does a wolf look like?" asked Little Red Riding Hood.

"Oh, they have very long purple ears," said the wolf. "And where does your dear Granny live?" he asked.

Little Red Riding Hood told him precisely, for she was a polite girl, even if she was not very obedient. Then she continued on the path to Granny's house. The wolf, in the meantime, took a shortcut. The clever wolf sped through the woods all the way to Granny's house. In no time at all, he was standing at her door. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then he knocked ever so gently.

"Who is it?" Granny called from her bed.

"It's Little Red Riding Hood," the wolf replied in a high sweet voice. "Oh, how lovely! Do come in, my dear," said Granny.

So the wolf let himself in. Poor Granny did not have time to say another word before the wolf gobbled her up.

The wolf let out a satisfied burp, and then poked through Granny's wardrobe to find a nightgown that he liked. He added a frilly sleeping cap, and dabbed some of Granny's perfume behind his pointy ears. When he was all dressed, he posed in front of the mirror, and practised Granny's voice. "Oh, how lovely! Do come in!" he croaked, until he was satisfied.

A few minutes later, Little Red Riding Hood knocked on the door. The wolf jumped into bed and pulled the covers over his nose.

"Who is it?" he called in a cackly voice.

"It's me, Little Red Riding Hood."

"Oh, how lovely! Do come in, my dear," squeaked the wolf.

Little Red Riding Hood put her basket on the kitchen table, and gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek. "Poor Granny," she said. "You don't look like yourself at all! I'm going to make you a nice hot lunch."

"That sounds lovely," said the wolf.

"our voice sounds loud and scratchy," said Little Red Riding Hood as she sliced some bread.

"Oh, well. The better to greet you with, my dear," said the wolf.

"This soup might help," said Little Red Riding Hood. "We made your favorite, chicken."

"Thank you, dear," said the wolf.

Then the little girl noticed the lumps in Granny's cap.

"Are your ears bothering you Granny? They are so big!"

"They are a bit swollen. But the better to hear you with, my dear," said the wolf. But as he spoke, the nightgown slipped down from over his nose.

"Oh my!" said Little Red Riding Hood. "What big teeth you have!"

"The better to eat you with, my dear!" growled the wolf.

In a flash, Little Red Riding Hood had joined her granny in the wolf's belly.

The wolf burped again and lay down for a little nap. But he was snoring so loud that he drew the attention of a passing hunter.

"Something seems to be the matter with Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother," the hunter thought to himself.

The hunter knocked on the door but the wolf was sleeping so soundly that he did not wake up. The hunter then pushed open the window. As soon as he saw the wolf asleep in the bed in Granny's clothes, he understood exactly what had happened.

He quickly took aim and fired his musket, killing the wolf in one shot.

"Take that you nasty creature!" he cried.

The hunter wanted to make sure the wolf was dead, so he listened for a heartbeat. Instead, he heard faint voices crying for help. He carefully cut the wolf's belly open. Out stepped Little Red Riding Hood and her Granny, safe and sound.

"Oh, Granny, I was so scared!" said the girl. "I promise I will not wander off the path again!"

The grandmother thanked the hunter and the three of them sat down together to eat the nice lunch that Little Red Riding Hood had brought.

A little later, the hunter escorted Little Red Riding Hood back to her house.

"Oh there you are," said her mother. "How is Granny feeling?"

"Much better now," said Little Red Riding Hood.

The information and images on this page were adapted for on-line use from the book Once Upon a Time...Collection of Favorite Fairy Tales published by Tormont Publications