nce  upon o time

 there was a sweet and kind little girl who lived with her mother in a small village near the forest. Everyone loved her, and especially her grandmother, who one day gave her a beautiful red cloak with a hood that she had sewn herself.

The girl loved it so much that she wore it every day. Because of this, everyone started calling her Little Red Riding Hood.

One day, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother said to her:

—My dear, your grandmother is ill and lives alone in a cottage on the other side of the forest. I want you to take this basket of food to her: bread, butter, fruit, and a jar of honey. But please, do not stray from the path, don’t talk to strangers, and go straight to her house.

—Yes, mother —the girl answered cheerfully—. I’ll be very careful.

She took the basket, put on her red cloak, and set off happily into the forest.

 The wolf in the forest

As she was walking through the forest, Little Red Riding Hood met a big, gray, cunning wolf. Since the girl had never spoken to a wolf before and didn’t know how dangerous he could be, she wasn’t afraid at all.

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The wolf thought, “What a delicious meal! But why settle for one when I can have both? I’ll eat the grandmother first… and then the girl!”

—Good morning, little girl! —said the wolf with a fake smile—. Where are you going so early?

—Good morning, Mr. Wolf. I’m going to my grandmother’s house. She’s sick and I’m bringing her this basket of food. She lives at the end of this path, in a small cottage under the big trees.

Very cunningly, he said:

—What a kind granddaughter you are. Why don’t you pick some pretty flowers for your grandmother? They’ll surely cheer her up.

Little Red Riding Hood thought it was a great idea and stepped off the path to pick flowers, not realizing the wolf was already rushing down a shortcut to the grandmother’s house.

The wolf got there first, knocked on the door, and heard a voice from inside:

—Who is it?

—It’s me, Little Red Riding Hood. I brought you some food —the wolf replied, imitating the girl’s voice.

—Come in, my dear, the door is open —answered the grandmother. The wolf went in with a big leap and swallowed the grandmother whole. Then he put on her nightgown, her cap, and glasses, and got into bed, waiting for the girl to arrive.