Red riding hood tale

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.

The story of Little Red Riding Hood

[en español]

by Leanne Guenther

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a village near the forest. Whenever she went out, the little girl wore a red riding cloak, so everyone in the village called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One morning, Little Red Riding Hood asked her mother if she could go to visit her grandmother as it had been awhile since they'd seen each other.

"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 was ready, the little girl put on her red cloak and kissed her mother goodbye.

"Remember, go straight to Grandma's house," her mother cautioned. "Don't dawdle along the way and please don't talk to strangers! The woods are dangerous."

"Don't worry, mommy," said Little Red Riding Hood, "I'll be careful."

But when Little Red Riding Hood noticed some lovely flowers in the woods, she forgot her promise to her mother. She picked a few, watched the butterflies flit about for awhile, listened to the frogs croaking and then picked a few more.

Little Red Riding Hood was enjoying the warm summer day so much, that she didn't notice a dark shadow approaching out of the forest behind her...

Suddenly, the wolf appeared beside her.

"What are you doing out here, little girl?" the wolf asked in a voice as friendly as he could muster.

"I'm on my way to see my Grandma who lives through the forest, near the brook," Little Red Riding Hood replied.

Then she realized how late she was and quickly excused herself, rushing down the path to her Grandma's house.

The wolf, in the meantime, took a shortcut...

The wolf, a little out of breath from running, arrived at Grandma's and knocked lightly at the door.

"Oh thank goodness dear! Come in, come in! I was worried sick that something had happened to you in the forest," said Grandma thinking that the knock was her granddaughter.

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 for good measure, dabbed some of Granny's perfume behind his pointy ears.

A few minutes later, 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," croaked the wolf.

When Little Red Riding Hood entered the little cottage, she could scarcely recognize her Grandmother.

"Grandmother! Your voice sounds so odd. Is something the matter?" she asked.

"Oh, I just have touch of a cold," squeaked the wolf adding a cough at the end to prove the point.

"But Grandmother! What big ears you have," said Little Red Riding Hood as she edged closer to the bed.

"The better to hear you with, my dear," replied the wolf.

"But Grandmother! What big eyes you have," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"The better to see you with, my dear," replied the wolf.

"But Grandmother! What big teeth you have," said Little Red Riding Hood her voice quivering slightly.

"The better to eat you with, my dear," roared the wolf and he leapt out of the bed and began to chase the little girl.

Almost too late, Little Red Riding Hood realized that the person in the bed was not her Grandmother, but a hungry wolf.

She ran across the room and through the door, shouting, "Help! Wolf!" as loudly as she could.

A woodsman who was chopping logs nearby heard her cry and ran towards the cottage as fast as he could.

He grabbed the wolf and made him spit out the poor Grandmother who was a bit frazzled by the whole experience, but still in one piece."Oh Grandma, I was so scared!" sobbed Little Red Riding Hood, "I'll never speak to strangers or dawdle in the forest again."

"There, there, child. You've learned an important lesson. Thank goodness you shouted loud enough for this kind woodsman to hear you!"

The woodsman knocked out the wolf and carried him deep into the forest where he wouldn't bother people any longer.

Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother had a nice lunch and a long chat.

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Little Red Riding Hood - Charles Perrault, read online

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 this 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 gathered and went to her grandmother.

She is walking through the forest, and towards her is a gray wolf.

— Where are you going, Little 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. nine0003

The 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: knock-knock!

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. nine0003

And my 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:
Knock Knock!

Who is 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:

— Grandmother, why do you have such big hands?

- This is to hug you tighter, my child.

— Grandmother, 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. nine0003

— Grandma, why do you have such big teeth?

— And this is to eat you as soon as possible, 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.

Fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood - Charles Perrault. Read online. nine0001

A short story about a trusting girl and a cunning gray wolf. Disobeying her mother, the girl turns off the road and talks to a stranger - a gray wolf ...

– Go, Little Red Riding Hood, to your grandmother, bring her a pie and a pot of butter and find out if she is healthy. nine0003

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. Little 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, - says the Wolf, - 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. nine0003

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:
Knock-knock!

– Who is there? Grandma asks.

- It's me, your granddaughter, Little Red Riding Hood, - answers the Wolf, - I came to visit you, I brought a pie and a pot of butter. nine0003

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 - the door opened.

Soon she came and knocked:
Knock knock! nine0003

– Who is there? Wolf asks. And his voice is rough, hoarse.