Little Red-riding-hood

: Favorite Fairy Tales

Once there was a little village maiden, the prettiest ever seen. Her

mother was foolishly fond of her, and her grandmother likewise. The

old woman made for her a little hood, which became the damsel so well

that ever after she went by the name of Little Red-Riding-Hood. One

day, when her mother was making cakes, she said, "My child, you shall

go and see your grandmother, for I hear she is not well; and you shall

take h
r some of these cakes and a pot of butter."



Little Red-Riding-Hood was delighted to go, though it was a long walk;

but she was a good child, and fond of her kind grandmother. Passing

through a wood, she met a great wolf, who was most eager to eat her

up, but dared not, because of a woodcutter who was busy hard by. So he

only came and asked her politely where she was going. The poor child,

who did not know how dangerous it is to stop and speak to wolves,

replied, "I am going to see my grandmother, and to take her a cake and

a pot of butter, which my mother has sent her."



"Is it very far from hence?" asked the wolf.



"Oh yes; it is just above the mill which you may see up there--the

first house you come to in the village."



"Well," said the wolf, "I will go there also, to inquire after your

excellent grandmother; I will go one way, and you the other, and we

will see who can be there first."



So he ran as fast as ever he could, taking the shortest road, but the

little maiden took the longest; for she stopped to pluck roses in

the wood, to chase butterflies, and gather nosegays of the prettiest

flowers she could find--she was such a happy and innocent little soul.






The wolf was not long in reaching the grandmother's door. He knocked,

Toc--toc, and the grandmother said, "Who is there?"



"It is your child, Little Red-Riding-Hood," replied the wicked beast,

imitating the girl's voice; "I bring you a cake and a pot of butter,

which my mother has sent you."



The grandmother, who was ill in her bed, said, "Very well, my dear,

pull the string and the latch will open." The wolf pulled the

string--the door flew open; he leaped in, fell upon the poor old

woman, and ate her up in less than no time, tough as she was, for he

had not tasted anything for more than three days. Then he carefully

shut the door, and laying himself down snugly in the bed, waited for

Little Red-Riding-Hood, who was not long before she came and knocked,

Toc--toc, at the door.



"Who is there?" said the wolf; and the little maiden, hearing his

gruff voice, felt sure that her poor grandmother must have caught a

bad cold and be very ill indeed.



So she answered, cheerfully, "It is your child, Little

Red-Riding-Hood, who brings you a cake and a pot of butter that my

mother has sent you."



Then the wolf, softening his voice as much as he could, said, "Pull

the string, and the latch will open."



So Little Red-Riding-Hood pulled the string and the door opened. The

wolf, seeing her enter, hid himself as much as he could under the

coverlid of the bed, and said in a whisper, "Put the cake and the pot

of butter on the shelf, and then make haste and come to bed, for it is

very late."



Little Red-Riding-Hood did not think so; but, to please her

grandmother, she undressed herself and began to get ready for bed,

when she was very much astonished to find how different the old woman

looked from ordinary.



"Grandmother, what great arms you have!"



"That is to hug you the better, my dear."



"Grandmother, what great ears you have!"



"That is to hear you the better, my dear."



"Grandmother, what great eyes you have!"



"That is to see you the better, my dear."



"Grandmother, what a great mouth you have!"



"That is to eat you up!" cried the wicked wolf; and immediately he

fell upon poor Little Red-Riding-Hood, and ate her up in a moment.



More

;