How old is little red riding hood

Fun facts about the real Little Red Riding Hood

One of the great pleasures of Storytime magazine is that we get the opportunity to dive headfirst into stories and explore their origins. This is especially true of fairy tales, and Little Red Riding Hood was no exception.

Little Red Riding Hood from Storytime Issue 9, illustrated by Christelle Galloux.

Back in Storytime Issue 9, we featured the most classically recognised version of Little Red Riding Hood. It had wonderful illustrations by Christelle Galloux. (You can still download our adorable Little Red Riding Hood Mask here.) The story is a family favourite and should be in everyone’s fairy tale collection.

But the version that interested me most when researching the original was written in the 1800s. It’s by a French author called Charles Marelles. In his version, the main character’s red riding hood is replaced by a golden one. Not only that, but the hood has a real purpose in the story – other than looking iconic in illustrations. Even better, the main character has a name and a super-cool granny. There’s no male hero to suddenly swoop in and save them at the last minute. I actually think Little Golden Hood is far better and smarter than the ‘original’. It takes all the best-loved bits – particularly the lines children love to read along with – and improves on the source material.

For these reasons, I was really excited to put Little Golden Hood in our latest issue, Storytime 32. We’re also thrilled with the gorgeous illustrations by Martuka, who previously illustrated Little Mermaid for Storytime Issue 24.

For Little Red Riding Hood lovers, I thought I’d share 5 fun facts I’ve gathered along the way. Enjoy!

Little Golden Hood and the wolf, in Storytime Issue 32, illustrated by Martuka.

5 Fun Facts about Little Red Riding Hood

1. This famous fairy tale existed for hundreds of years and across many cultures before it was recorded as a moral ‘stranger danger’ tale by 17th century French author, Charles Perrault. In his terrifying version, Little Red Riding Hood gets into bed with the wolf before he devours her. She doesn’t escape.

2. The French title of Perrault’s story is Le Petit Chaperon Rouge. A chaperon started life as a hooded cape, but evolved into an elaborate and fashionable hat crafted from sumptuous materials like velvet or silk and was worn mainly by men. By the time of this story it had fallen out of fashion and, in a painting from roughly the same period, it looks a bit like a nun’s wimple.

3. In earlier versions from rural France and Italy, the tale was called The Story of Grandmother. There was no red hood and the wolf was actually a werewolf. In some versions, he was an ogre. The little girl has to choose between paths of pins or needles to reach her granny’s house and, when she gets there, granny has been eaten. It’s a pretty gruesome tale, but with an interesting ending – the little girl escapes using her own wit.

4. Far Eastern folklore has its own version of Little Red Riding Hood called Grand Aunt Tiger or Tiger Grandma, but folklorists are now convinced that the story has its roots in the West and was around as long ago as the first century. Folk tale nerds can find out more here.

5. By the time the Brothers Grimm tackled the tale in the 19th century, the red hood had become a cap and the huntsman who saved the day was introduced, cutting open the wolf and freeing his victims with a pair of scissors. As if that wasn’t enough, Little Red Cap fills the wolf’s tummy with heavy rocks to be certain that he dies. Clearly, revenge is best served in a completely over-the-top way!

If you enjoy reading Storytime’s Little Golden Hood, there are many books out there that put a completely new twist on this classic tale and are worth exploring too. For starters, try Alex T. Smith’s witty and wonderful Little Red and the Hungry Lion, sweet and funny Very Little Red Riding Hood by Teresa Heapy and Sue Heap, and the wonderfully graphic Little Red by Bethan Woollvin.

I’d love to hear what you think of our Little Golden Hood version – could it ever replace the ‘original’ or are we just too attached to that iconic red hood? And how do you feel about new twists on classic fairy tales – love or loathe? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and even Youtube, where we post sneak previews of our new issues. Like a good story, we get around!

See you next time for more story ponderings!

Little Red Riding Hood

This story is featured in Favorite Fairy Tales and Short Stories for Children.
You may want to compare it to The Brothers Grimm version, Little Red-Cap.

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother said to her, "Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing. And when you go into her room, don't forget to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before you do it."

I will take great care, said Little Red Riding Hood to her mother, and gave her hand on it.

The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Little Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him.

"Good-day, Little Red Riding Hood," said he.

"Thank you kindly, wolf."

"Whither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?"

"To my grandmother's."

"What have you got in your apron?"

"Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger."

"Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?"

"A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below. You surely must know it," replied Little Red Riding Hood.

The wolf thought to himself, "What a tender young creature. What a nice plump mouthful, she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both." So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said, "see Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here. Why do you not look round. I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing. You walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry."

Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought, suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay. That would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time. And so she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into the wood.

Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door.

"Who is there?"

"Little Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf. "She is bringing cake and wine. Open the door."

"Lift the latch," called out the grandmother, "I am too weak, and cannot get up."

The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother's bed, and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed and drew the curtains.

Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her.

She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself, oh dear, how uneasy I feel to-day, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.

She called out, "Good morning," but received no answer. So she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, and looking very strange.

"Oh, grandmother," she said, "what big ears you have."

"The better to hear you with, my child," was the reply.

"But, grandmother, what big eyes you have," she said.

"The better to see you with, my dear."

"But, grandmother, what large hands you have."

"The better to hug you with."

"Oh, but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have."

"The better to eat you with."

And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Little Red Riding Hood.

When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, fell asleep and began to snore very loud. The huntsman was just passing the house, and thought to himself, how the old woman is snoring. I must just see if she wants anything.

So he went into the room, and when he came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it. "Do I find you here, you old sinner," said he. "I have long sought you."

Then just as he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach of the sleeping wolf.

When he had made two snips, he saw the Little Red Riding Hood shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying, "Ah, how frightened I have been. How dark it was inside the wolf."

And after that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able to breathe. Little Red Riding Hood, however, quickly fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf's belly, and when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at once, and fell dead.

Then all three were delighted. The huntsman drew off the wolf's skin and went home with it. The grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine which Little Red Riding Hood had brought, and revived, but Little Red Riding Hood thought to herself, as long as I live, I will never by myself leave the path, to run into the wood, when my mother has forbidden me to do so.

It is also related that once when Little Red Riding Hood was again taking cakes to the old grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to entice her from the path. Little Red Riding Hood, however, was on her guard, and went straight forward on her way, and told her grandmother that she had met the wolf, and that he had said good-morning to her, but with such a wicked look in his eyes, that if they had not been on the public road she was certain he would have eaten her up. "Well," said the grandmother, "we will shut the door, that he may not come in."

Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, and cried, "open the door, grandmother, I am Little Red Riding Hood, and am bringing you some cakes."

But they did not speak, or open the door, so the grey-beard stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last jumped on the roof, intending to wait until Little Red Riding Hood went home in the evening, and then to steal after her and devour her in the darkness. But the grandmother saw what was in his thoughts. In front of the house was a great stone trough, so she said to the child, take the pail, Little Red Riding Hood. I made some sausages yesterday, so carry the water in which I boiled them to the trough. Little Red Riding Hood carried until the great trough was quite full. Then the smell of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed and peeped down, and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could no longer keep his footing and began to slip, and slipped down from the roof straight into the great trough, and was drowned. But Little Red Riding Hood went joyously home, and no one ever did anything to harm her again.

You may enjoy reading a "fractured fairy tale" version of this story in rhyme, How Little Red Riding Hood Came to Be Eaten, in our collection of Favorite Fairy Tales.

How old is Little Red Riding Hood?. Who is who in the world of art

How old is Little Red Riding Hood?. Who's Who in the Art World

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Contents

How old is Little Red Riding Hood?

Of course, you remember the story about the girl who went to visit her grandmother and met a wolf on the way? Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood went on her first dangerous campaign . .. in the 15th century. So, it is neither more nor less than 5 centuries old.

Yes, fairy tales about Little Red Riding Hood appeared in the Middle Ages. You know their beginning: it was no different from modern versions. But in the end, the girl managed to free herself by cunning and return home safe and sound. In those days, both dexterity and cunning were highly valued, so the heroine circled the wolf around her finger.

But later, in the 17th century, in the fairy tale of Charles Perrault, this original version was changed. Morality and morals became stricter, the passion for adventure and disobedience were not welcome. Therefore, the French storyteller tells how Little Red Riding Hood, forgetting her mother's instructions, talked with a wolf, that is, with a face unknown to her. For which she was eaten. Thus, the hint-question in Perrault's presentation is: should a girl be so sociable as to enter into a conversation with a stranger? The answer is clear. Moreover, if you are obedient, nothing will happen to you.

Well, in the 19th century, in the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, Little Red Riding Hood became an example of an innocent victim. The terrible edifying end was discarded, and a new character appeared - a brave hunter who saves both grandmother and granddaughter. The idea of obligatory obedience to parents remained, but the idea of hope for a strong patron was added to it - someone who would restore the trampled justice.

In a word, each time interprets the same plot in its own way, sees new problems in it and offers new solutions. However, this does not prevent a cheerful and slightly carefree girl every day for the past five centuries to go to a meeting with a wolf wolf and, ultimately, defeat him with her kindness and spontaneity. After all, good is always stronger than evil, right?

This text is an introductory fragment.

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How old is Little Red Riding Hood?. The world around us

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Contents

How old is Little Red Riding Hood?

Of course, you remember the story about the girl who went to visit her grandmother and met a wolf on the way? Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood went on her first dangerous campaign ... in the 15th century. So, it is neither more nor less than 5 centuries old.

Yes, fairy tales about Little Red Riding Hood appeared in the Middle Ages. You know their beginning: it was no different from modern versions. But in the end, the girl managed to free herself by cunning and return home safe and sound. In general, a fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it. In those days, both dexterity and cunning were highly valued, so the heroine circled the wolf around her finger.

But later, in the 17th century, in the fairy tale of Charles Perrault, this original version was changed. Morality and morals became stricter, adventurism and disobedience were not welcomed. Therefore, the French storyteller tells how Little Red Riding Hood, forgetting her mother's instructions, talked with a wolf, that is, with a face unknown to her. For which she was safely eaten. Thus, the hint-question in Perrault's presentation is: should a girl be so sociable as to enter into a conversation with a stranger? The answer is clear. Moreover, be obedient - adults will reward you.

Charles Perrault (1628–1703)

Well, in the 19th century, in the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, Little Red Riding Hood became an example of an innocent victim. The terrible edifying end was discarded, and a new character appeared - a brave hunter who saves both grandmother and granddaughter. The idea of obedience to parents remained, but the idea of hope for a strong patron was added to it - the one who would restore the trampled justice.

In a word, each time interprets the same plot in its own way, sees new problems in it and offers new solutions. However, this does not prevent a cheerful and slightly carefree girl every day for the past five centuries to go to a meeting with a clumsy wolf and ultimately defeat him with her kindness and spontaneity. After all, good is always stronger than evil, right?

This text is an introductory fragment.