A Story to Share: Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood walked along the wooded path, on the way to Grandma's house.  She was enjoying the cool breeze and the bird song.  Every word of caution her parents had given her about not talking to strangers before she left the house had drifted from her mind like the leaves that drifted to the ground.

She did not see the wolf until he stood before her at the edge of a small clearing.  He smiled and she stopped.  "Where are you headed, Little Red Riding Hood?"

"I'm going to my Grandma's with a basket of treats.  She's taken ill and is in her bed," Little Red Riding Hood replied.

"That's too bad!" the wolf replied.  "I'd like to see if I can be a comfort to your Grandma.  Can you tell me the way to her house?" he asked.

"Through the woods, across the creek and over the hill," she replied.  "I have to go now, before the rolls get cold."  She skipped away.  The wolf disappeared into the woods.  He knew a short cut to Grandma's house.

 The wolf knocked at Grandma's door.  "Who is it?"  called Grandma from her bed.

"It's me, Grandma, Little Red Riding Hood!" the wolf called back, disguising his voice.

"Come in dear!" Grandma said.  The wolf crept in.  Grandma didn't even know what happened when he pounced upon her and gobbled her up.

Quickly he dressed in one of Grandma's robes and tied one of her handkerchiefs around his shaggy head.  Then he leapt into her bed and snuggled into the covers to wait for the little girl.

In no time, she arrived and knocked at the door.  The wolf again disguised his voice, "Who is it?"

"It's Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma!  I have treats for you!" the girl called back.

"Come in!" said the wolf.  Red Riding Hood came in and entered her grandmother's room.  She sat her basket down and approached the bed.  Her eyes grew wide as she gazed at the person lying there.

"What big ears you have, Grandma," the girl said, bewildered.

"The better to hear you with my dear," replied the wolf.

"Grandma, what big eyes you have," said Red Riding Hood, becoming more alarmed.

"The better to see you with my dear," replied the wolf.

Red Riding Hood gulped and said, her heart in her throat, "What big teeth you have, Grandma!"

The wolf smiled.  "The better to eat you with, my dear!" He threw off the covers and gown and the girl let out a shriek that sent the birds of the meadow flying.  The wolf gathered himself up to pounce on her, his full focus upon his intended victim.  But just as he rose from the bed, something came down from above his head and he fell to the floor with a thud.  Blood oozed from his head.  He was dead.

Red Riding Hood looked up in shock to see a tall man standing over the body of the wolf.  "Who are you?" she whimpered 

"I am a wood cutter.  I saw you walking in the woods and when I saw that you stopped to talk to the wolf, I decided to follow you because I was afraid for you.  I know the nature of wolves and I had a feeling you might be in danger", he replied, putting his hand on her shoulder and walking her quickly to the door.  "We need to get you home, to your mother and father, where you will be safe."