Little Red Riding Hood

This story is called “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, adapted by Clay Walton-Hadlock, and narrated by Corrie Legge. I have a story to tell you. Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with her mother in a village by a forest. She had a bright red cape with a red hood, which she wore everywhere, and so everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood. One day, her mother said to her, “Your grandmother is not feeling well. I want you to take this bread and butter to her” “Yes mother,” said the little girl. She liked visiting her grandmother, and she had walked there many times before. Little Red Riding Hood hurried along the winding dirt road that led to her grandmother’s house, deep within the woods. She was not afraid of the woods, but she walked fast because she was eager to get there. As she was getting close to her grandmother’s house, a wolf spotted her. “My, she looks delicious.” he thought to himself. He was a wolf. “But why does she walk so fast. So resolute? So focused on the road ahead. But I think with some kind words, I can soften her up like butter.” “Good morning, little girl,” said the wolf, trotting up next to her. “What a lovely red cape!” Now, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother had warned her to be careful about strangers, but this wolf seemed very polite and so she was not afraid. “Why thank you.” She replied. “And what might you have in your basket?” The wolf asked, casually. “Just some bread and butter,” the little girl explained, “I’m taking them to my grandmother, because she’s not feeling well.” “Oh, what a good girl you are.” said the wolf. Little Red smiled a little, and thought proudly to herself, “I am a good girl. And I have a lovely cape!” The wolf asked, “So, where does your grandmother live?” “It’s not much farther. She’s just at the end of this road, in the cottage with the three oak trees out front.” “Oh, I see.” said the wolf, and for a moment he was silent. He thought to himself, “What a foolish young creature! She told me all I needed to know. Her grandmother is home alone, defenseless, and weak. She’ll be an easy meal. Then again, the young ones are usually tastier than the old ones. Maybe I should just eat the little one, right now? Or better yet, if I act quickly, I may be able to eat them both! Yes, that’s what I’ll do. The grandmother for my supper, and the little girl for dessert.” And then he said aloud to Little Red Riding Hood, “Why, look at all these pretty flowers beside the road! Why don’t you pick some for your grandmother. If she’s sick in bed they will help cheer her up.” When she saw the wildflowers, the little girl said, “I’ll bet you’re right! And after all, I don’t really need to rush.” And so she wandered away from the path, deeper into the woods, to look for more wildflowers. And before long she was so absorbed by the task that she did not notice that the wolf had disappeared. Meanwhile, the wolf had run straight to the grandmother’s house, and knocked on her door. “Is that you, Red?” called a voice from inside. The wolf did his best to imitate Little Red Riding Hood. “Yes! It’s me!” he called. “Just let yourself in, dear. I’m too weak to come to the door.” The wolf opened the door, and without another word, he ran straight to the grandmother’s bed, launched himself towards her, and swallowed her whole. When Little Red Riding Hood finally arrived, her breadbasket in one hand and a beautiful bunch of wildflowers in the other, she was surprised to find her grandmother’s front door wide open. She stood in the open doorway. All the curtains were drawn, so it was very dark inside. “Hello? Grandmother?” she called out. “Are you there? You left the front door open…” And from the darkness a voice said, “Yes, I’m here. Why don’t you come in, dear… and shut the door behind you.” Little Red Riding Hood went in and closed the door behind her. As her eyes began to adjust to the dim light, she thought she saw the shape of her grandmother lying on her bed in her nightgown, with her nightcap pulled very low over her face. But something looked strange about her. “Oh Grandmother!” said Red, “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.” “Oh! But, Grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!’ “The better to eat you with, my dear” And with these words, the wolf lunged from the bed, and swallowed Little Red Riding Hood whole. And that might have been the end of the story, but luckily there was someone else in the woods that day. A hunter, who had been passing through, had seen the wolf from a distance, as it went up to the grandmother’s house. He thought it was strange to see a wolf go into a house, but from so far away, he couldn’t be certain of what he had seen. After all, he thought, maybe it was just a very large dog? But then he saw Little Red Riding Hood walk up, and somehow he sensed she was in danger. He decided to investigate, just in case. When he came inside, he found the wolf, still wearing the grandmother’s nightcap, sound asleep. Then he noticed its huge swollen belly, and realized the wolf was sleepy because it had just had a big meal. He saw no sign of the little girl, and immediately he realized what had happened. Out came his hunting knife in a flash! And a moment later, the little girl and her grandmother were freed. Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother thanked the hunter for saving them, and Little Red Riding Hood promised to listen to her mother's advice and be more careful around strangers in the future. The moral of the story has something to do with wolves and predators and other dangerous things still being just as dangerous, even when they’re being polite. Especially when they’re being polite. But, you probably knew that already. After all, you are much more clever than Little Red Riding Hood. Or am I just saying that to soften you up? This has been “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, adapted by Clay Walton-Hadlock, and narrated by Corrie Legge. This has been a LibraryCall adaptation and Recording.