6. Red Ridinghood

“GOOD MORNING, LITTLE GIRL, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”

Once a sweet little girl, named Red Ridinghood, lived with her mother in a house near a wood, and her loving Grandmother lived on the other side of the wood. One day her mother said, “Take Grandmother this basket of fresh eggs, butter, and cakes, for she is ill. Be sure and not leave the main path.” The little girl said, “Yes, mother, I will do just what you say.” Then she took the basket and went skipping and singing happily through the wood, until she saw some beautiful flowers a little distance from the path. “I will gather just a bunch of these lovely flowers for Grandmother,” she said to herself; but she had not gone far when she met a big, gray Wolf, who said, “Good morning, little girl, where are you going?” “To my Grandmother’s,” she said. Then the Wolf ran on before and knocked at Grandmother’s door with his paw, “Thump! Thump!” Grandmother was better and had gone out for a walk. So the Wolf walked in, put on Grandmother’s nightcap, and jumped into her bed. Soon Red Ridinghood came up and knocked at the door. “Who’s there?” said a voice, trying to speak like Grandmother. “It is your little girl,” she said. “Come in, dear,” said the voice. When she entered and looked in the bed, she cried out, “O Grandmother, what big ears you have!” “The better to hear you, dear.” “What big eyes you have!” “The better to see you, dear.” “What big arms you have!” “The better to hug you, dear.” “What big teeth you have, Grandmother!” “The better to eat you!” cried the Wolf, springing up. He was just about to eat her when the door burst open and in rushed some wood-choppers who soon killed the big, gray Wolf. Red Ridinghood ran home to her mother as fast as she could, and said, “Oh, mother dear! it happened because I disobeyed you, and went in that horrid path where I met the Wolf. But I will never, never disobey again!”