Brother Grimm's Tales

Little Red-Cap (little Red-Ridding-Hood)

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved

by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her

grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have

given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red

velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear

anything else. So she was always called little red-cap.

One day her mother said to her, come, little red-cap, here

is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your

grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good.

Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk

nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may

fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will

get nothing. And when you go into her room, don't forget

to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before

you do it.

I will take great care, said little red-cap to her mother, and

gave her hand on it.

The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the

village, and just as little red-cap entered the wood, a wolf

met her. Red-cap did not know what a wicked creature he was,

and was not at all afraid of him.

"Good-day, little red-cap," said he.

"Thank you kindly, wolf."

"Wither away so early, little red-cap?"

"To my grandmother's."

"What have you got in your apron?"

"Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick

grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger."

"Where does your grandmother live, little red-cap?"

"A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house

stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just

below. You surely must know it," replied little red-cap.

The wolf thought to himself, what a tender young creature. What a

nice plump mouthful, she will be better to eat than the old

woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both. So he walked

for a short time by the side of little red-cap, and then he

said, "see little red-cap, how pretty the flowers are about here.

Why do you not look round. I believe, too, that you do not

hear how sweetly the little birds are singing. You walk gravely

along as if you were going to school, while everything else out

here in the wood is merry."

Little red-cap raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams

dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers