Literature:Little Red Riding Hood

English

Adapted from the version by the Brothers Grimm.

Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time there lived a little girl. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother loved her still more. For her birthday, the grandmother gave to the girl a little red cap. Form that time on, the girl would wear this cap everywhere she went. So the neighbours would call her like that: "Look, the Little Red Riding Hood is coming!"

One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, "Go, my dear, take this cake and a pot of butter to your grandmother, and see if she is in good health." Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother.. As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf. "Where are you going, Little Red Riding Hood?", asked the wolf. "I am going to my grandmother's, I am bringing her a cake and a pot of butter." "Does she live far off?" "Quite far," answered Little Red Riding Hood; "it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in the village." "Well," said the wolf, "I wanted to visit your grandmother as well. I'll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who will be there first."

The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way. She did not hurry at all, stopping frequently on her way to gather bouquets of little flowers. She had not yet had the time to come as far as the mill before the wolf arrived at the old woman's house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap. "Who's there?" "Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf, "I have brought you a cake and a little pot of butter." The grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten.

He then shut the door and got into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap. "Who's there?" Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, "It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you." The wolf coughed and cried out to her again with a softer voice: "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake on the table and the pot of butter upon the shelf, and come get into bed with me." Little Red Riding Hood got into bed at the wolf's side, and asked, "Grandmother, what big arms you have!"

"All the better to hug you with, my dear."

"Grandmother, what big ears you have!"

"All the better to hear with, my child."

"Grandmother, what big eyes you have!"

"All the better to see with, my child."

"Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!"

"All the better to eat you up with."

And, saying these words, this wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up. Luckily, some woodsmen were passing by the little house carrying their axes upon their shoulders. When the woodsmen heard the noise, they ran into the house and killed the wolf. Then, they cut his belly open, and Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother came out alive and unharmed.