‘A good quarter of an hour further into the wood. Her house stands under three big oak trees, near a hedge of nut trees which you must know,’ said Red Riding Hood.
The Wolf thought: ‘This tender little creature will be a plump morsel; she will be nicer than the old woman. I must be cunning, and snap them both up.’
He walked along with Red Riding Hood for a while, then he said: ‘Look at the pretty flowers, Red Riding Hood. Why don’t you look about you? I don’t believe you even hear the birds sing, you are just as solemn as if you were going to school: everything else is so gay out here in the woods.’
Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunlight dancing through the trees, and all the bright flowers, she thought: ‘I’m sure Grannie would be pleased if I took her a bunch of fresh flowers. It is still quite early, I shall have plenty of time to pick them.’
So she left the path, and wandered off among the trees to pick the flowers. ach time she picked one, she always saw another prettier one further on. So she went deeper and deeper into the forest.
In the meantime the Wolf went straight off to the Grandmother’s cottage, and knocked at the door.
‘Who is there?’
‘Red Riding Hood, bringing you a cake and some wine. Open the door!’
‘Press the latch!’ cried the old woman. ‘I am too weak to get up.’
The Wolf pressed the latch, and the door sprang open. He went straight in and up to the bed without saying a word, and ate up the poor old woman. Then he put on her night-dress and nightcap, got into bed and drew the curtains.
Red Riding Hood ran about picking flowers till she could carry no more, and then she remembered her Grandmother again. She was astonished when she got to the house to find the door open, and when she entered the room everything seemed so strange.
