"Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother does, for I hear she has been
very ill; carry her a custard and this little pot of butter."
Little Red Riding-hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother's,
who lived in another village.
As she was going through the wood, she met Gaffer Wolf, who had a very
great mind to eat her up; but he dared not, because of some fagot-makers
hard by in the forest. He asked her whither she was going. The poor
child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and hear a wolf
talk, said to him:--
"I am going to see my grandmother, and carry her a custard and a little
pot of butter from my mamma."
"Does she live far off?" said the Wolf.
"Oh, yes," answered Little Red Riding-hood; "it is beyond that mill you
see there, the first house you come to in the village."
"Well," said the Wolf, "and I'll go and see her, too. I'll go this way,
and you go that, and we shall see who will be there first."
The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the shortest way, and
the little girl went by the longest way, amusing herself by gathering
nuts, running after butterflies, and making nosegays of such little
flowers as she met with. The Wolf was not long before he reached the old
woman's house. He knocked at the door--tap, tap, tap.
"Who's there?" called the grandmother.
"Your grandchild, Little Red Riding-hood," replied the Wolf, imitating
her voice, "who has brought a custard and a little pot of butter sent to
you by mamma."
The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill,
cried out:--
"Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."
The Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. He fell upon the good
woman and ate her up in no time, for he had not eaten anything for more
than three days. He then shut the door, went into the grandmother's
bed, and waited for Little Red Riding-hood, who came sometime afterward
and knocked at the door--tap, tap, tap.
"Who's there?" called the Wolf.
Little Red Riding-hood, hearing the big voice of the Wolf, was at first
afraid; but thinking her grandmother had a cold, answered:--
"'Tis your grandchild, Little Red Riding-hood, who has brought you a
custard and a little pot of butter sent to you by mamma."