The Little Red Riding Hood Story
Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl who was loved by everyone who saw her, but most of all by her grandmother. One day, her grandmother gave her a little red riding hood, and it suited the girl so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called Little Red Riding Hood.
One day, her mother said to her, “Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing; and when you go into her room, don’t forget to say, ‘Good morning’, and don’t peep into every corner before you do it.”
Little Red Riding Hood promised to obey her mother. The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him.
“Good day, Little Red Riding Hood,” said he.
“Thank you kindly, wolf.”
“Whither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“To my grandmother’s.”
“What have you got in your apron?”
“Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger.”
“Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below; you surely must know it,” replied Little Red Riding Hood.
The wolf thought to himself, “What a tender young creature! What a nice plump mouthful – she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.” So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said, “See, Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here – why do you not look around? I believe, too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry.”
Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought, “Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay; that would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time.” And so she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into the wood.
Meanwhile, the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked at the door.
“Who is there?”
“Little Red Riding Hood,” replied the wolf. “She is bringing cake and wine; open the door.”
“Lift the latch,” called out the grandmother, “I am too weak, and cannot get up.”
The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother’s bed, and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed and drew the curtains.
Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her.
She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to herself: “Oh dear! how uneasy I feel today, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.” She called out: “Good morning,” but received no answer; so she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, and looking very strange.
“Oh! grandmother,” she said, “what big ears you have!”
“The better to hear you with, my child,” was the reply.
“But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!” she said.
“The better to see you with, my dear.”
“But, grandmother, what large hands you have!”
“The better to hug you with.”
“Oh! but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!”
“The better to eat you with,” roared the wolf as he leapt out of the bed and began to chase Little Red Riding Hood.
Almost too late, Little Red Riding Hood realized that the person in the bed was not her grandmother, but a hungry wolf. She ran across the room and through the door, shouting, “Help! Wolf!” as loudly as she could.
A woodsman, who was chopping logs nearby, heard her cry and ran towards the cottage as fast as he could. He arrived just in time to see the wolf chasing Little Red Riding Hood. With quick thinking and swift action, the woodsman grabbed the wolf.
To everyone’s relief, the woodsman made the wolf spit out poor Grandmother, who, though a bit frazzled, was still in one piece. “Oh Grandma, I was so scared!” sobbed Little Red Riding Hood, “I’ll never speak to strangers or dawdle in the forest again.”
“There, there, child. You’ve learned an important lesson. Thank goodness you shouted loud enough for this kind woodsman to hear you!” said her grandmother, comforting her.
The woodsman, determined to ensure the safety of the forest, knocked out the wolf and carried him deep into the forest where he wouldn’t bother people any longer.
Safe now, Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother sat down to have a nice lunch. They chatted for a long time, with Little Red Riding Hood listening intently to her grandmother’s wise words. She knew she had learned an important lesson that day: the importance of being cautious and the power of asking for help when in need.
Moral Lessons of the Story:
- Stranger Danger: The story teaches children the importance of being cautious around strangers. Little Red Riding Hood’s interaction with the wolf serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of talking to or trusting strangers.
- Listening to Elders: The tale emphasizes the importance of listening to parents or guardians. Little Red Riding Hood’s deviation from her mother’s instructions leads her into danger, highlighting the value of obedience and attentiveness.
- Importance of Being Alert and Aware: The story encourages children to be observant and aware of their surroundings, as Little Red Riding Hood fails to notice the signs that something was wrong with her ‘grandmother’.
- Asking for Help: The ending, where the woodsman helps Little Red Riding Hood, teaches the importance of asking for help when in trouble.
Discussion Points and Questions:
Stranger Safety:
- “Why do you think Little Red Riding Hood shouldn’t have talked to the wolf?”
- “What should you do if a stranger tries to talk to you?”
Following Instructions:
- “Why is it important to listen to what your parents or teachers tell you?”
- “Can you think of a time when you followed instructions and it helped you?”
Observation Skills:
- “How did Little Red Riding Hood know that the ‘grandmother’ was actually the wolf?”
- “What are some things you notice when you’re in a new place?”
Courage and Seeking Help:
- “What would you do if you were scared or in trouble like Little Red Riding Hood?”
- “Who are people you can ask for help when you need it?”
Understanding Emotions:
- “How do you think Little Red Riding Hood felt when she saw the wolf?”
- “What makes you feel safe when you’re scared?”