Once upon a time, at the edge of a lovely green forest, there was a cozy little house where a mother goat and her seven little kids lived. The mother goat loved her kids dearly and took great care of them. Each kid was unique, with soft, fluffy fur and bright eyes that sparkled with curiosity.
One day, as the sun rose high in the sky, the mother goat gathered her little ones around her. She had an important message to share.
“My dear little kids,” she said gently, “I have to go into the forest to find some food. You must stay inside and keep the door locked. Remember, there’s a sly wolf who lives nearby. He’s always looking for an opportunity to sneak in and gobble up little goats like you.”
The seven kids looked up at their mother with wide, worried eyes.
“How will we know if it’s you at the door, Mama?” the eldest kid asked nervously.
The mother goat smiled warmly. “The wolf may try to trick you, but he has a rough, scratchy voice. Mine is soft and sweet. Also, his paws are dark and rough, but mine are white and gentle. You will know it’s me by my voice and my white paws.”
The kids nodded, memorizing every word. “Don’t worry, Mama!” they chimed in unison. “We’ll be careful!”
With one last kiss on each kid’s head, the mother goat left the house and trotted off into the forest. The seven little goats locked the door behind her and settled down to wait.
A short while later, there was a knock at the door.
“Tap, tap, tap!”
“Who is it?” the seven little goats called out, their voices trembling slightly.
“It’s me, your dear mother,” a voice replied from outside. But the voice was low and raspy, not at all like their mother’s sweet, gentle tone.
The eldest kid stepped forward and spoke firmly. “You’re not our mother! Her voice is soft and sweet, not rough and gruff like yours. Go away!”
The wolf, for it was indeed him, growled in frustration. He knew he had to change his voice if he wanted to trick the little goats. So, he ran to a nearby shop, where he bought a large piece of chalk. He ate the chalk, hoping it would make his voice sound lighter and softer.
When he felt ready, the wolf returned to the little house and knocked again.
“Tap, tap, tap!”
“Who is it?” the little goats called out.
“It’s me, your dear mother,” the wolf said, this time in a much sweeter voice.
The kids hesitated. The voice sounded more like their mother’s, but they were still wary.
“Show us your paw through the window!” the eldest kid demanded.
The wolf, eager to get inside, held up his dark, rough paw to the window. When the kids saw it, they gasped.
“You’re not our mother!” they cried out. “Her paws are soft and white, not dark and rough like yours. Go away, you wicked wolf!”
The wolf’s temper flared, but he managed to calm himself. He ran off to a nearby mill and dipped his paws into a bag of white flour. Now his paws looked soft and white, just like the mother goat’s.
The wolf hurried back to the little house and knocked once more.
“Tap, tap, tap!”
“Who is it?” the kids asked, feeling anxious.
“It’s me, your dear mother,” the wolf replied in his sweetest voice. “Look, I’ll show you my paw.”
This time, when the wolf held up his flour-covered paw, it looked just like their mother’s. The kids whispered among themselves, unsure of what to do.
“It really does look like Mama’s paw,” one of them said.
“Yes, and her voice sounds so sweet now,” another added.
Finally, believing that it really was their mother, the youngest kid unlocked the door.
The moment the door swung open, the wicked wolf burst into the house! The kids screamed and scattered in all directions, trying to hide. One hid under the table, another jumped into the oven, and a few more hid behind the curtains. The youngest kid, trembling with fear, crawled inside the big grandfather clock.
The wolf searched the house, finding each kid one by one. He gobbled them up as fast as he could, licking his lips with satisfaction. But try as he might, he couldn’t find the youngest kid. After searching and searching, the wolf finally gave up and left the house, his belly full and round.
When the mother goat returned home, she was horrified to find the door wide open and the house in disarray.
“My little ones!” she cried out, her heart breaking. “Where are you?”
A soft voice answered from inside the grandfather clock. “Mama, I’m here!” the youngest kid sobbed. “The wolf came and ate my brothers and sisters. I’m the only one left!”
Tears filled the mother goat’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. “Don’t worry, my dear. We’ll get your brothers and sisters back.”
The mother goat led the youngest kid outside, and they followed the wolf’s tracks all the way to a shady spot under a big tree, where the wolf lay snoring loudly, his belly bulging from his meal.
The mother goat quietly picked up a pair of scissors, some needle, and thread that she had brought from home. With great care, she snipped open the wolf’s belly. Out sprang the six little goats, alive and unharmed! They were overjoyed to see their mother and hugged her tightly.
“Hurry!” the mother goat whispered. “Gather some heavy stones.”
The kids quickly fetched the stones and placed them inside the wolf’s belly. Then, the mother goat sewed him back up as carefully as she could. When they were done, the mother goat and her seven kids hid behind a bush and waited.
After a while, the wolf woke up feeling thirsty. He got up and lumbered over to the nearby well to drink. But when he bent down, the weight of the stones in his belly threw him off balance. With a loud splash, the wolf fell into the well and disappeared under the water!
The seven little goats cheered and hugged their mother, safe and sound once more.
“From now on, we’ll always be careful and never open the door to strangers,” the kids promised.
The mother goat smiled and hugged her little ones tightly. “That’s right, my dears. Always remember to trust your instincts and be careful.”
And so, the mother goat and her seven little kids lived happily and peacefully in their little house by the forest, always watching out for one another and staying safe.