52 Weeks of Fairy Tales Week #9- Little Red Riding Hood

For week #9 of my 52 Weeks of Fairy Tales I have chosen a tale that most are very familiar with- Little Red Red Riding Hood.  This fairy tale was collected by Charles Perrault as well as being included in the Grimm's Tales.

Red Riding Hood is Pictured on the cover of my Tasha Tudor illustrated Fairy Tale Book.

The tale starts off with a young girl, she is called Little Red Riding Hood by all of the village folks because she is always wearing the red cloak that was given to her by her Grandmother who lives in the woods.  One day her Grandmother becomes ill, and Red Riding Hood's mother instructs her to bring her grandmother a basket of foods to help her get well, some fresh baked breads, and fresh produce.  Red Riding Hood's mother gives her daughter a firm warming about not leaving the the path, and to not talk to strangers along the way.  After saying goodbye to her mother, Red Riding Hood starts off though the woods to Grandmother's house.

Along her way through the woods, Red Riding Hood is stopped by a sly wolf.  The wolf asks Red Riding Hood where she is going.  Forgetting her mother's instruction to not talk to strangers along the path, Red Riding Hood tells the wolf that she is on her way to Grandmother's house in the woods to bring her a basket of foods to help her feel better.

The wolf was greedy, and he decided that instead of eating Little Red Riding Hood right there and then, that he would run on ahead to Grandma's house and eat her as well.  The wolf suggested to Red Riding Hood that she stop on the path and pick some lovely flowers for her grandma to help her feel better.  Even though Red Riding Hood was not supposed to leave the path, she decided to just leave the path for a little while to pick some fresh flowers for her grandmother.

 The wolf said goodbye, and bounded on ahead to Grandma's house.

When the wolf got to Grandma's house, he knocked at the door, when the grandma called out to ask who was at her door the Wolf pretended to be Red Riding Hood, so Grandma let him in, and the wolf gobbled her right up.  Quickly the wolf put on one of Grandma's Nightgowns and caps, and jumped into bed to wait for Little Red Riding Hood.  It wasn't long until Red Riding Hood knocked at the door.  The wolf pretending to be grandmother invited Red Riding Hood in.  When she came inside she noticed something very odd about her Grandmother.

Red Riding Hood said " Grandma, what big eyes you have."
Wolf replied " The better to see you with my dear."
Red Riding Hood said " Grandma, what big ears you have!"
Wolf replied " The better to hear you with my dear."
Red Riding Hood said " Grandma what big arms you have"
Wolf said "The better to hug you with my dear."
Red Riding Hood said " Grandma what big teeth you have!"
Wolf growled "The Better To Eat You With My Dear!"

At that, the wolf bounded out of bed and tried to gobble up Red Riding Hood, who let out a terrible scream, as she ran around Grandma's house, trying to escape the wolf.  It was then that a nearby huntsman heard Red Riding Hood's cry for help, and came running into Grandma's Cottage.  With one swing of his ax, the huntsman killed the wolf, and out of the wolf's stomach came Grandma, who was shaken but still alive.  Red Riding Hood and Grandma thanked the huntsman for saving their lives, and they all enjoyed a meal together from the nice basket of goodies that Red Riding Hood's mother had packed.

Never again did Red Riding Hood disobey her mother, and always remembered to stay on the path in the woods, and never talk to strangers.

~

There are many variations to this story, in some versions, the grandma hides in the closet, rather that being eaten.  In some versions both the grandma and red riding hood are eaten, and the huntsman/woodsman comes in to kill the wolf when he hears him snoring after his large meal, he cuts open the wolves stomach, and out pops Red Riding Hood, and then Grandma.  They fill his belly with stones, and stitch it back up.  The wolf then awakens and because his stomach is filled with rocks he collapses and dies- or in other versions, the stones make it so he never eats another living thing again.

Little Red Riding Hood is a very old tale, and as a result has many variations.  Charles Perrault's version, one of the earlier written versions of Red Riding Hood ends the tale with both Grandma and Red Riding Hood being eaten, and no one coming to save them, and is told as a cautionary tale to beware of strangers, insinuating that bad men are like wolves, and one must be aware of their smooth talking and manipulative ways.

My children are in their teen years, and we were able to enjoy reading both the Grimm's version, and the Perrault's version, and then watching the Faerie Tale Theater Episode of Red Riding Hood, and discussing some of the history of this tale.

I enjoyed making a Little Red Riding Hood Doll, and attempted to make a wolf as well, the wolf didn't look much like The Big Bad Wolf, and turned out looking rather like a friendly dog, although I did draw on sharp teeth so that helps a little. :)  I will have to work on my Wolf pattern before the Three Little Pigs.  But I did have fun setting the scenes.

You also might be interested in some of my other 52 Weeks of Fairy Tales Posts like The Ugly Duckling, Rumpelstiltskin and The Bremen Town Musicians.

Here are the Amazon affiliate Links to the books that I use to find patterns that I can use or modify for my doll making.