Little Red Riding Hood
As retold by Glenn A. Hascall

Listen to the story

There once was a small village on the edge of a thick forest. One of the smallest cottages was the home to one the prettiest girls in the village. Those who knew her well called her Little Red Riding Hood.

The little girl loved to visit her Grandma and on the day of our story, Little Red Riding Hood was on just such an adventure. Her mummy waved her goodbyes and reminded her daughter, "Grandma is ill. Take her this basket of cakes, but be very careful. Keep to the woodland path and don't stop for any reason."

Little Red Riding Hood was generally an obedient child, so she kissed her mother and ran off saying. "Don't worry, Mummy, I'll run all the way to Grandma's and I won’t stop."

Little Red Riding Hood made her way through the wood, but when she spotted a strawberry patch she forgot all her promises and began to pick strawberries one by one. Each tasted better than the last and they were large, juicy and ripe. And just when she thought she would stop picking the strawberries she found another that was even better than the last.

As she walked further into the woods looking for strawberries she discovered a beautiful yellow butterfly, some daisies and a handsome frog that made her giggle when he jumped.

Meanwhile there was a woodland creature that was watching Little Red Riding Hood. By the time she discovered she had wondered far from the path, a gruff voice said, "It is so alone out here in the woods. Where are you going, my dear girl?"

Unsure of what to say, Little Red Riding Hood replied "I'm taking Grandma some cakes. She lives at the end of the path."

When he heard this, the naughty wolf asked, "Does Grandma live all alone?"

"Yes," replied Little Red Riding Hood nervously.

"Thank you, my dear. You have been a great help. Perhaps we'll meet again," said the wolf who loped away thinking to himself "I'll take care of grandma first, then I‘ll take care of Little Red Riding Hood!"

Well that bad wolf found Grandma’s cottage and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" asked Grandma from her bed.

"Little Red Riding Hood. I've brought you some cakes because you're ill," replied the wolf, trying hard to hide his gruff voice.

"Lift the latch and come in," said Grandma, unaware of the wolf’s deceit. In one bound, the wolf leapt across the room and tied Grandma up and sat her on a chair in the sun room.

It wasn’t long before Little Red Riding Hood knocked on the door. "Can I come in, Grandma?" she asked.

Now, the wolf had tried to dress like Grandma by wearing an old lady's shawl and cap. He tried to sound like Grandma by using a quavering little voice, "Open the latch and come in!” he said.

"What a deep voice you have," said the little girl in surprise.

"The better to greet you with," said the wolf.

"Goodness, what big eyes you have."

"The better to see you with."

"And what big hands you have!" exclaimed Little Red Riding Hood, stepping over to the bed.

"The better to hug you with," said the wolf.

"What a big mouth you have," the little girl murmured in a weak voice.

"The better to eat you with!" growled the wolf, and jumping out of bed. He might have done Little Red Riding Hood harm, but she leapt out of the way and he landed on the floor with a thud. Then he tripped over grandma‘s night shirt and fell on his head.

Little Red Riding Hood raced outside to find a nearby hunter who had been trying to catch this very same wolf because he had recently frightened three pigs who lived down the road.

While the wolf was rubbing the knot on his head the hunter captured him and took him away.

Little Red Riding Hood shared the cakes with Grandma and they each had a lovely cup of tea.

When the afternoon was coming to an end, Little Red Riding Hood walked home feeling safer than she had in a long time. She hugged her grandmother and said, “What an adventure we have had today."

Once home, a wiser Little Red Riding Hood told her mom, "We must always remember to keep to the woodland path and never stop for any reason!"

Her mother agreed.

THE END