Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with her mother. Everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood. She got this name because she always wore a red cape with a hood.

Little Red Riding Hood was a sweet and kind girl. She loved to help her mother. She also loved to visit her grandmother.

One day, her mother said, "Your grandmother is sick. She lives on the other side of the forest. Please take this basket of food to her."

The basket was full of good things. There were fresh bread, sweet cookies, and warm soup.

"Be careful," said her mother. "Stay on the path. Do not talk to strangers."

"I will be careful, Mother," said Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Riding Hood put on her red cape. She picked up the basket and started walking to the forest.

The forest was big and green. Birds sang in the trees. Flowers grew along the path. Little Red Riding Hood felt happy as she walked.

Soon she met a big wolf on the path. The wolf had sharp teeth and yellow eyes.

"Hello, little girl," said the wolf with a fake smile. "Where are you going?"

Little Red Riding Hood forgot what her mother said. She was too trusting.

"I am going to see my grandmother," she said. "She is sick. I am taking her some food."

"Where does your grandmother live?" asked the wolf.

"She lives in the little house at the end of the forest path," said Little Red Riding Hood.

The wolf smiled. He had a bad plan.

"What a nice girl you are," said the wolf. "Look at all the pretty flowers here. Why don't you pick some for your grandmother?"

Little Red Riding Hood thought this was a good idea. "Yes! Grandmother would love some flowers."

She put down her basket and started picking flowers. She picked red roses and yellow daisies. She picked blue violets too.

While Little Red Riding Hood was busy with the flowers, the wolf ran ahead. He went straight to grandmother's house.

The wolf knocked on the door.

"Who is there?" called grandmother from inside.

The wolf made his voice sound sweet. "It's Little Red Riding Hood, Grandmother. I brought you some food."

"Come in, dear," said grandmother. "The door is open."

The wolf went inside. Poor grandmother was scared when she saw him!

The wolf was very hungry. But he had a plan. He wanted to eat both grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood.

The wolf locked grandmother in the closet. Then he put on her nightgown and her sleeping cap. He got into her bed and pulled the covers up to his chin.

Soon Little Red Riding Hood came to the house. She had a big bunch of flowers in her hand.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in, dear," said the wolf in a high voice like grandmother.

Little Red Riding Hood went inside. The house seemed dark.

"Hello, Grandmother," she said. "I brought you food and flowers."

"Come closer, dear," said the wolf. "Come sit by the bed."

Little Red Riding Hood walked to the bed. Something seemed strange about grandmother.

"Grandmother, what big ears you have," said Little Red Riding Hood.

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

"Grandmother, what big eyes you have," said Little Red Riding Hood.

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

"Grandmother, what big teeth you have," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"The better to eat you with!" said the wolf. He jumped out of bed!

Little Red Riding Hood screamed. She ran around the room. The wolf chased her.

Just then, a woodsman was walking by the house. He heard the screaming.

The woodsman ran inside with his big ax. He saw the wolf chasing Little Red Riding Hood.

"Stop!" shouted the woodsman. He scared the wolf away with his ax.

The wolf ran out of the house and into the forest. He never came back.

The woodsman opened the closet. Grandmother was inside, safe but scared.

"Thank you for saving us," said grandmother.

"Thank you so much," said Little Red Riding Hood.

The three of them sat down together. They shared the food that Little Red Riding Hood had brought. They had bread, cookies, and soup.

Grandmother felt much better after eating. She was happy to see her granddaughter.

"I learned something today," said Little Red Riding Hood. "I should not talk to strangers. I should stay on the path like Mother told me."

"That's right," said the woodsman. "Always listen to your parents. They want to keep you safe."

Little Red Riding Hood hugged her grandmother goodbye. The woodsman walked her home through the forest.

When she got home, Little Red Riding Hood told her mother everything that happened.

"I'm so glad you are safe," said her mother. "What did you learn?"

"I learned to listen to you," said Little Red Riding Hood. "I will never talk to strangers again."

From that day on, Little Red Riding Hood was always careful. She stayed on the path. She did not talk to strangers. And she always listened to her mother.