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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."
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"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.
Moral: Children,
especially attractive, well bred young ladies, should
never talk to strangers, for if they should do so,
they may well provide dinner for a wolf. I say "wolf,"
but there are various kinds of wolves. There are also
those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming,
complacent, and sweet, who pursue young women at home
and in the streets. And unfortunately, it is these
gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of all.
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