Little red riding hood what big ears you have
‘My, what big eyes you have’
The Brothers Grimm were Jacob and Wilhelm, German born in the later 1700’s, and best known for publishing fairy tales, such as Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretal, Rapunzel, and the Frog Prince.
The Brothers Grimm are sometimes criticized for being, well, grim.
See, children suffer in these fairy tales at the hands of cruel parents and witches and sometimes the teeth of wild animals. Sometimes the children are rescued by fairy godmothers and other assorted providence. Sometimes they escape to freedom by their own wits and resourcefulness. Other times they don’t. Sometimes they die.
Just like in real life. Which is why I dig the Brothers Grimm. Classic fairy tales are so human. So real. And they do more than entertain. Classic fairy tales teach us, young and old alike. They ask us to look at ourselves and our culture.
Which brings me to Little Red Riding Hood. You remember …
Girl wearing a red cloak walks through the forest alone on the way to visit her sick grandmother. She meets a wolf that is hesitant to eat her in public. Decorum, don’t you know. The wolf suggests Red tarry to pick flowers for the visit, and takes advantage of the delay to get to gramma’s house first.
Wolf eats gramma. And then dons her nightgown and cap. Crawls into gramma’s bed. And waits.
You know the drill. Little Red Riding Hood arrives, stares at this wolf wearing nightclothes and all she can think of to say is, “My, what big eyes you have!” And the wolf says, “All the better to see you with.” To which Red says, “What big ears you have!” You guessed it, “All the better to hear you with.”
Then the teeth. Red notices aloud that gramma has really big sharp teeth, to which the wolf replies, “All the better to EAT you with.” And so he does. Eats her. In the original tale, nobody comes to save Little Red Riding Hood. She gets eaten.
And she deserves to get eaten.
The classic ‘take’ on Little Red Riding Hood is as a morality play about the dangers of naiveté.
But, I suggest that Little Red Riding Hood’s problems are far worse than that. Here’s the deeper question: Hey Red! What is it in you that keeps overriding your own senses! Keeps overriding your own experience.
It ain’t your grandmother! Run!
I’m thinking of buying several copies of Little Red Riding Hood, so I can have them on hand to give to patients in therapy. Especially female patients. I can’t explain why, but most therapists (including myself) will tell you they encounter a higher number of women than men who consistently don’t and won’t believe their own eyes, their own ears, and their own felt experience, especially as it regards love relationships with wolves. Er, some men.
I once knew a woman who walked into her own master bedroom to find, in her marital bed, her husband and another woman. Naked. And, two months later, she was still mulling the veracity of the husband’s story that they didn’t have sex and that, while it was “probably inappropriate,” well, he was just trying to comfort the woman who’d had a bad time recently.
A part of the Little Red Riding Hood Syndrome in men and women actually speaks highly of us. Lots of times the phenomenon is fueled by our own inherent goodness. We like giving people the benefit of the doubt. We like extending good faith to people, especially the ones who have pledged to love us and whom we love in return. We value forgiveness. And, when firmly grounded in self-respect and a radical commitment to reality at all cost, these attributes ARE good things.
But sometimes we clutch and grab at these virtues rather than wield them from a place of strength. I’m saying that a part of why we might override obvious reality is because our own virtues have turned against us.
Pride is another part. We don’t want to believe that we have chosen badly. We don’t want to believe that our beloved is shallow, mean, insensitive, or capable of calculated betrayal. It’s embarrassing to extend your heart to someone, then too late discover that this someone is not who they seemed to be.
And, if it serves them, they will discard you. Disdain you. Or even gobble you up.
But what Little Red Riding Hood lacks the most is faith in herself and sufficient self-respect to act on that faith. And I don’t think these things can be taught. They must instead be risked. Or not.
It’s not gramma. It’s a wolf.
“When people show you who they really are, believe them.” (Maya Angelou.)
(Steven Kalas is a therapist, author and Episcopal priest. You can reach him at [email protected])
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The Brothers Grimm, "Little Red Riding Hood" (1812)
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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 today, 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!"
"All the better to hear you with, my child," was the reply.
"But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!" she said.
"All the better to see you with, my dear."
"But, grandmother, what large hands you have!"
"All the better to hug you with."
"Oh! but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!"
"All 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 Red Riding Hood.
In this excerpt, Little Red Riding Hood doesn't realize that the wolf isn't actually her grandmother. He's just pretending to be…so he can eat her.
Picture this: your grandmother suddenly grows gigantic ears, eyes, and teeth. You'd get a little suspicious, right? But Little Red Riding Hood just stands there and comments on the changes, instead of, you know, running away screaming.
That's innocence at its best—er…worst?
Notice the repetition? We can see a lot of repetition in this passage. Repetition, remember, is one of the structuring elements in children's literature. It helps us remember, which is why, to this day, we all remember the line "all the better to eat you with!"
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| Charles Perrault Once upon a time there was a little girl. Her mother loved her without memory, and her grandmother even more. For her granddaughter's birthday, her grandmother gave her a red cap. Since then, the girl went everywhere in it. Neighbors said the same about her: — Here comes Little Red Riding Hood! Once a mother baked a pie and said to her daughter: — Go, Little Red Riding Hood, to your grandmother, bring her a pie and a pot of butter and find out if she is healthy. Little Red Riding Hood got ready and went to her grandmother. She is walking through the forest, and towards her is a gray wolf. — Where are you going. Red Riding Hood? Wolf asks. — I go to my grandmother and bring her a pie and a pot of butter. — Does your grandmother live far away? “Far away,” answers Little Red Riding Hood. - Over there in that village, behind the mill, in the first house from the edge. — All right, — Wolf says, — I also want to visit your grandmother. I'll go down this road, and you go down that one. Let's see which one of us comes first. Wolf said this and ran as fast as he could along the shortest path. And Little Red Riding Hood went along the longest road. She walked slowly, stopping along the way, picking flowers and collecting them in bouquets. Before she had even reached the mill, the Wolf had already galloped up to her grandmother's house and was knocking on the door: Who is there? Grandma asks. - It's me, your granddaughter, Little Red Riding Hood, - the Wolf answers, - I came to visit you, I brought a pie and a pot of butter. Grandmother was sick at the time and was in bed. She thought it was really Little Red Riding Hood and called out: — Pull the string, my child, and the door will open! The wolf pulled the string and the door opened. The wolf rushed at the grandmother and swallowed her at once. He was very hungry because he had not eaten anything for three days. Then he closed the door, lay down on his grandmother's bed and began to wait for Little Red Riding Hood. Soon she came and knocked: - Who's there? Wolf asks. And his voice is rough, hoarse. Little Red Riding Hood was frightened, but then she thought that her grandmother was hoarse from a cold, and answered: — It's me, your granddaughter. I brought you a pie and a pot of butter! The wolf cleared his throat and said more subtly: — Pull the string, my child, the door will open. Little Red Riding Hood pulled the rope-door and opened it. The girl entered the house, and the Wolf hid under the covers and said: - Granddaughter, put the pie on the table, put the pot on the shelf, and lie down next to me! Little Red Riding Hood lay down next to the Wolf and asked: — Grandma, why do you have such big hands? - This is to hug you tighter, my child. — Grandma, why do you have such big ears? — To hear better, my child. — Grandmother, why do you have such big eyes? — To see better, my child. — Grandma, why do you have such big teeth? — And this is to eat you faster, my child! Before Little Red Riding Hood had time to gasp, the Wolf rushed at her and swallowed her. But, fortunately, at that time, woodcutters with axes on their shoulders were passing by the house. They heard a noise, ran into the house and killed the Wolf. And then they cut open his belly, and Little Red Riding Hood came out, and behind her and grandmother - both whole and unharmed. |
| You don't need rules. Just eat better, How to go for a walk. PICTURE 2 There is a knock on the door. WOLF. Who's there? RED RIDING HOOD. It's me, grandmother, Little Red Riding Hood. WOLF. Here comes the dessert... (Changing voice.) Come in, granddaughter. Push the latch and the door will open. Little Red Riding Hood comes in. RED RIDING HOOD. Hello, grandmother. How is your health? WOLF. Bad, granddaughter, bad. RED RIDING HOOD. What a pity. And I brought you flowers and gifts from my mother - milk and pies. WOLF. Thank you, granddaughter. Put the basket on the table and come closer. RED RIDING HOOD. WOLF. So I'm sick, granddaughter. RED RIDING HOOD (removing the basket) . And I saw so many amazing things on the way! Hunters, good Wolf, here are some flowers for you. WOLF. What are you talking about! How interesting. Come closer. I will look at the flowers. RED RIDING HOOD. With pleasure, grandma. Ouch! What big ears you have! WOLF. This is to hear you better. Even closer. RED RIDING HOOD. Ah, grandmother, why do you have such big eyes? WOLF. This is to see you better, granddaughter. RED RIDING HOOD. Why such big hands? WOLF. This is to hug you. Come even closer. RED RIDING HOOD. Why do you need such big teeth, grandma? WOLF. This is to eat you! Lotta and Ludwig dance with their granddaughter and the Wolf. LOTTA (To the audience. Grandmothers like to joke And they say that jokingly. LUDWIG (To the audience.) Who said I was joking? I'll swallow my granddaughter in an instant! LOTTA Oh, granny, don't be ridiculous. You'd better lie still. LUDWIG I don't want to lie down! I want to eat you! LOTTA Right, grandma, enough! I'm not happy with you. LUDWIG Not satisfied? Ha ha ha! Give me your hat... Lotta takes off her hat and gives it to Ludwig. He returns to the wolf. LOTTA. And then the Wolf in one jump was next to Little Red Riding Hood and swallowed her. Lotta takes Little Red Riding Hood away. Flowers scattered. PICTURE 3 LUDWIG. Little Red Riding Hood, of course, will also be saved, but that will be a little later, and now, having eaten, the Wolf lay down and fell asleep. Jakob and Wilhelm appear with the hunters. WILHELM. The wolf fell asleep so soundly that he did not hear the hunters come. The hunters enter the house. HUNTER Y. What's that terrible noise? Who snores like that? HUNTER V. Apchi! The door is open, flowers are scattered on the floor ... Maybe some kind of trouble happened? HUNTER I. Of course! The wolf must have been here! Approach the sleeping Wolf. HUNTER V. You, brother, see wolves everywhere. But something is really wrong here. Ouch! What a weird grandma. The ears are big, the eyes too, and the teeth are just huge! Yes, it's a wolf dressed as a grandmother! Apchi! HUNTER I. Wolf! (Sings.) And here we are at last face to face. And the fool has nowhere to run! My enemy is wearily dozing on the bed. Alas, here pity is out of place and out of place. HUNTER W. Look, here is Little Red Riding Hood's basket. Probably, this rascal ate both the girl and her grandmother. We need to rescue them. Wake the wolf! Hunters shoot into the air. WOLF. Oh! Ay! What happened? Who was shooting? Jumps out of bed. HUNTER Y. We were shooting. HUNTER V. Come on, grey, give Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother! WOLF. Hunters?! HUNTER I. Hunters! HUNTER Q. Admit it, you ate Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother? WOLF. I don't understand what you mean. I don't know any grandmother and I don't know Red Riding Hood either. Ludwig takes off his bonnet and puts it away. HUNTER I. If so, say goodbye to life. We have a short conversation with the wolves! (He throws up his gun.) WOLF. Okay, okay. I'll give it. Just don't shoot! (Changes from paw to paw. HUNTER I. Well, why are you stalling? WOLF. I can't do this... I'm... shy... HUNTER V. Apchi! What is it like? WOLF. And like this. Let me show you the trick! HUNTER I. Yes, do what you want! Just return the girl and her grandmother, but live. Ludwig conducting. Music is playing. The blanket itself slides off the bed and grows next to the Wolf, making a small screen. The music stops. The wolf goes behind the screen. WOLF. And now we have to say the magic words. HUNTER I. What?! WOLF. Do you want your grandmother and granddaughter back or not? HUNTER V. We want. WOLF (peeping out) . Help then! You have to say: "One, two, three!" HUNTER I. What nonsense. HUNTER V. Ready? One two Three! Apchi! The blanket is lowered. There is something with the head of a Wolf and the body of a grandmother. WOLF. Ahh! What have you done to me! Return everything as it was! HUNTER V. I accidentally sneezed... HUNTER Y. You can't do anything right. Wolf, hide behind a blanket. Ludwig gives a sign. Music sounds. The blanket rises. The wolf hides behind a blanket. HUNTER I. Guys, help us. One two Three! Sounder. The wolf comes out from behind the blanket on one side. The blanket falls - there is a grandmother. She steps aside. WOLF. Please… GRANDMA. You are so kind. I don't understand anything... HUNTER V. Now for my granddaughter! WOLF. One more time! The wolf comes behind the blanket. Music. It rises. HUNTER Y. Guys, one more time! One two Three! Sounder. The wolf comes out on one side, Little Red Riding Hood on the other. WOLF. Please. RED RIDING HOOD (turning away) . WOLF. And one last time guys! ALL. One, two, three! The blanket falls. There is no wolf. RED RIDING HOOD. Oh! Lost… Everyone is looking at Ludwig. LUDWIG. Lost. I don't have it. HUNTER I. Lost? (With delight.) Gone! He got away guys! HUNTER B (desperate) . Noooo! GRANDMA. I don't understand anything. Who are all these people? HUNTER I. Excuse me, but we must go in search of the Wolf. Brother, follow me! The blanket is slowly slipping away. RED RIDING HOOD. Oh! What's this? Does the blanket crawl? HUNTER V. It's a Wolf! Catch him! The hunters pounce on the blanket. Under him beats the wolf. The hunters wrap him up in a blanket and slung him over their shoulders. WOLF. Let me go! HUNTER V. Well done, Little Red Riding Hood. 
|
How rough your voice has become, grandma… 
) 
And he began to snore that there is urine. 
) 
Hmm! Deceiver! 
