Once upon a time, in a quiet village surrounded by a deep, enchanted forest, lived a kind young girl named Red Riding Hood. She always wore a bright red cloak, a gift from her grandmother, making her easy to spot in a crowd.
One morning, her mother gave her a basket filled with warm bread, honey, and fresh apples.
“Take this to your grandmother, dear, but remember—stay on the path and don’t talk to strangers!”
Red Riding Hood nodded and set off into the woods. But as she walked, humming a cheerful tune, a pair of glowing yellow eyes watched her from behind a tree.
The Wolf had been waiting.
A Mysterious Encounter
The Wolf, clever and sly, stepped out from the shadows. “Good morning, little girl,” he said smoothly. “Where are you off to on this fine day?”
Red Riding Hood hesitated. “I’m going to visit my grandmother. She lives at the end of this path.”
The Wolf’s ears perked up. “Ah, what a good girl you are! But this path is boring. Why not take the scenic route? The flowers are lovely this time of year.”
Red Riding Hood glanced at the colorful flowers growing deeper in the woods. She hesitated—her mother had warned her—but the flowers were so pretty…
As she wandered off the path, the Wolf smirked and sprinted ahead to Grandmother’s cottage.
The Grandmother’s Disguise
By the time Red Riding Hood reached the cottage, the door was slightly open. Inside, the room was dimly lit.
“Grandmother?” she called.
A strange voice replied, “Come in, dear!”
Red Riding Hood stepped closer. Something felt…off. Her grandmother was lying in bed, covered up to her nose with the quilt. But her ears looked larger, her eyes gleamed strangely, and her hands were clawed.
“Grandmother, what big ears you have!” she whispered.
“All the better to hear you with, my dear.”
“And Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”
“All the better to see you with!”
“And Grandmother…what sharp teeth you have!”
The Wolf threw off the blanket. “All the better to EAT YOU WITH!” he roared, lunging forward.
The Brave Escape
Just as Red Riding Hood screamed, the door burst open!
A huntsman from the village had been passing by and heard the commotion. With a swift swing of his axe, he scared the Wolf away. The frightened beast jumped out the window and disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again.
Red Riding Hood ran to her real grandmother, who had been hiding in a cupboard. They hugged tightly, relieved and safe.
From that day on, Red Riding Hood never strayed from the path again. And as for the Wolf? He learned that not all little girls are so easy to trick!
The End.