Once upon a time, in a small village on the edge of a dense forest, there lived a sweet girl known to everyone as Little Red Riding Hood. She was called this because of the beautiful red cloak with a hood that her grandmother had made for her. One day, her mother asked her to take a basket of goodies to her grandmother, who lived on the other side of the forest. “Remember,” her mother said, “stay on the path and don’t talk to strangers.”
Little Red Riding Hood promised to obey and set off through the forest. As she walked along the path, she gathered wildflowers and enjoyed the chirping of the birds. However, she didn’t notice the stealthy, cunning wolf who was watching her from behind a tree.
The wolf approached Little Red Riding Hood and asked, “Where are you going, little girl?”
“I’m going to my grandmother’s house to bring her some treats,” she replied innocently.
The wolf, being a crafty creature, thought to himself, “This little girl would make a delicious snack, but the old woman would be even better. I must be clever about this.” He smiled at Little Red Riding Hood and said, “What a good girl you are! Why don’t you pick some more flowers for your grandmother? She would love that.”
Little Red Riding Hood thought it was a wonderful idea and wandered off the path to gather more flowers. Meanwhile, the wolf dashed off to Grandmother’s house. When he arrived, he knocked on the door.
“Who’s there?” called Grandmother from her bed.
“It’s me, Little Red Riding Hood,” the wolf replied, disguising his voice. “I’ve brought you some goodies.”
“Come in, dear,” said Grandmother, not suspecting anything. As soon as the wolf entered, he pounced on Grandmother and locked her in the wardrobe. He then put on her nightgown and cap, and slipped into her bed, pulling the covers up to his chin.
Soon after, Little Red Riding Hood arrived, her basket full of goodies and flowers. She knocked on the door, and the wolf, imitating Grandmother’s voice, called out, “Come in, dear.”
Little Red Riding Hood entered the cottage and went to the bedside. She noticed something odd about her grandmother. “Oh, Grandmother, what big ears you have!”
“All the better to hear you with, my dear,” replied the wolf.
“And Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”
“All the better to see you with, my dear,” the wolf said.
“And Grandmother, what big hands you have!”
“All the better to hug you with, my dear,” the wolf continued.
“But Grandmother, what big teeth you have!” Little Red Riding Hood exclaimed.
“All the better to eat you with!” roared the wolf, and he leaped out of the bed.
Just as the wolf was about to pounce on Little Red Riding Hood, a woodsman who was passing by heard her screams. He burst into the cottage and with his axe, chased the wolf away. The wolf fled into the forest, never to be seen again.
The woodsman freed Grandmother from the wardrobe, and both she and Little Red Riding Hood thanked him profusely. They all sat down together to enjoy the goodies from the basket, happy and safe.
From that day on, Little Red Riding Hood always remembered her mother’s advice and never strayed from the path again.
