Little Red Riding Hood 

Adapted from the Brothers Grimm story by Kami Woodbury

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 Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had made for her a little red riding-hood; which became the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding-Hood.

 One day her mother, having made a pie, said to her:

 "Go, my dear, and see how thy grandmamma does, for I hear she has been very ill; carry her a pie, 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 woods, she met with big Wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters nearby in the forest. He asked her whither she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and hear a wolf talk, said to him:

 "I am going to see my grandmamma and carry her a pie and a little pot of butter from my mamma."

 "Does she live far off?" said the Wolf.

 "Oh! yes," 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 you go that, and we shall see who will be there soonest."

 The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the nearest way, and the little girl went by that farthest about, diverting herself in gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and smelling such little flowers as she met with. The Wolf was not long before he got to the old woman's house. He knocked at the door--tap, tap.

 "Who's there?"

 "Your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood," replied the Wolf, in as small a voice as he could make; "who has brought you a pie and a little pot of butter sent you by mamma."

The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out:

"Pull the knob, and the latch will go up."

The Wolf pulled the knob, and the door opened, and then presently tied the good woman up and put her in the closet. He then shut the door and went into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding-Hood, who came some time afterward 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 got a cold and was hoarse, answered:

 “'Tis your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood, who has brought you a pie and a little pot of butter mamma sends you."

 The Wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could:

 "Pull the knob, and the latch will go up."

 Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the knob, and the door opened.

 The Wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bed-clothes:

 "Put the pie and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come and see me."

 Little Red Riding-Hood went into the bedroom, where, being greatly amazed to see how her grandmother looked in her night-clothes, she said to her:  

"Grandmamma, what great arms you have got!"

 "That is the better to hug you with, my dear."

 "Grandmamma, what great legs you have got!"

 "That is the better to run with, my child."

 "Grandmamma, what great ears you have got!"

 "That is the better to hear you with, my child."

 "Grandmamma, what great eyes you have got!"

 "It is the better to see you with, my child."

 "Grandmamma, what great teeth you have got!"

 "That is the better to eat you with, my child."

 And, saying these words, the wicked wolf jumped out of bed.  Little Red Riding Hood ran as fast as she could out of the bedroom and out the front door.  The wicked wolf, not used to wearing night clothes, stumbled and fell as he ran after Little Red Riding Hood. 

Little Red Riding Hood cried out for help as she ran away from the house and down the lane toward the woods.  The woodcutters heard her cries and ran as fast as they could to help her.  Fortunately for Little Red Riding Hood, the woodcutters got there just as the wicked wolf was about to fall upon Little Red Riding Hood.  They quickly tied the wolf up and carried him away to the far end of the forest, never to seen again.

 Little Red Riding Hood helped her Grandmother eat the pie and the little pot of butter.