Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl who was loved by everyone. Her grandmother gave her a red velvet hood to wear, and she wore it so often that everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One day, her mother said, "Your grandmother is ill. Take her this basket of bread and cake, and be sure to stay on the path through the woods."

"I will, Mother," said Little Red Riding Hood, and off she went.

But the woods were full of wildflowers and butterflies, and before long, a wolf appeared on the path. He was a sly creature with soft fur and a smooth voice.

"Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood. Where are you going on this fine day?"

"To my grandmother's house," she said. "She lives in the cottage under the three big oak trees."

"How lovely," said the wolf, and an idea formed in his wicked mind. "Why don't you pick some of these beautiful flowers for her? I'm sure she would love them."

While Little Red Riding Hood wandered among the flowers, the wolf ran ahead to Grandmother's cottage. He knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" called Grandmother.

"It's Little Red Riding Hood," said the wolf in a high, sweet voice. "I've brought you bread and cake."

"Lift the latch and come in, dear," said Grandmother.

The wolf burst in, and before Grandmother could say another word, he gobbled her up. Then he put on her nightgown and her nightcap, climbed into her bed, and pulled the covers up to his chin.

When Little Red Riding Hood arrived, she found the door open. She walked in and went to the bedside. Something looked strange about Grandmother today.

"Grandmother, what big eyes you have!"

"All the better to see you with, my dear."

"Grandmother, what big ears you have!"

"All the better to hear you with, my dear."

"Grandmother, what big teeth you have!"

"All the better to EAT you with!"

The wolf leaped out of bed and swallowed Little Red Riding Hood whole, just as he had swallowed her grandmother. Then, with his belly full, he lay back down on the bed and fell fast asleep, snoring loudly.

A woodcutter was passing by the cottage. He heard the terrible snoring and thought, "That doesn't sound like the old woman." He looked through the window and saw the wolf.

The woodcutter crept inside with his axe. He saw how fat the wolf's belly was, and he thought there might still be a chance. Very carefully, he cut the wolf open.

Out popped Little Red Riding Hood. "Oh, how dark it was in there!" she cried. And then out came Grandmother, shaken but alive.

They filled the wolf's belly with heavy stones. When he woke and tried to run away, the stones weighed him down, and he fell and was never seen again.

Little Red Riding Hood hugged her grandmother tight. "I promise I'll always stay on the path," she said.

And she always did.