by the Grimm
Brothers
Once upon a time
there lived in a certain village a little country
girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen.
Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her
grandmother doted on her still more. This good
woman had a little red riding hood made for her.
It suited the girl so extremely well that
everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood. One day her
mother, having made some cakes, said to her, "Go,
my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing,
for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake,
and this little pot of butter." Little Red Riding
Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother,
who lived in another village. As she was going
through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a
very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not,
because of some woodcutters working nearby in the
forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor
child, who did not know that it was dangerous to
stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, "I am going
to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a
little pot of butter from my mother."
"Does she live
far off?" said the wolf
"Oh I say,"
answered Little Red Riding Hood; "it is beyond
that mill you see there, at the first house in the
village."
"Well," said the
wolf, "and I'll go and see her too. 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,
entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running
after butterflies, and gathering bouquets of
little flowers. It was not long 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,
counterfeiting her voice; "who has brought you a
cake and a little pot of butter sent you by
mother." The good
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 cried
out to her, softening his voice as much as he
could, "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 and the little pot of
butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with
me." Little Red Riding
Hood took off her clothes and got into bed. She
was greatly amazed to see how her grandmother
looked in her nightclothes, and said to her,
"Grandmother, what big arms you have!"
"All the better
to hug you with, my dear."
"Grandmother, what big legs you have!"
"All the better to run with, my child."
"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 wicked wolf fell
upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.
