Little Red Riding Hood is one of the best known fairy tales collected by the German brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. It tells the story of a young girl who sets out to visit her sick grandmother but encounters a cunning wolf along the way. First published in the Grimm brother’s collection, the tale explores the dangers of deception and the importance of listening to good advice. The Grimm version also includes a hunter who rescues the girl and her grandmother.
The Little Girl with the Red Cap
Once there lived a sweet little girl who was loved by everyone who knew her, especially her grandmother. The old woman loved the child so dearly that she was always looking for ways to make her happy.
One day, the grandmother gave her granddaughter a little cap made of red velvet. It suited the girl so well that she refused to wear anything else. Before long, everyone began calling her Little Red-Cap.
The name stayed with her as she grew older, and her red cap became the most recognisable part of her appearance.
A Journey Through the Forest
One morning, Little Red-Cap’s mother called her and prepared a small parcel for her to carry.
“Come, Little Red-Cap,” she said. “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.”
Her mother also reminded her to walk carefully and stay on the path. She warned the girl not to wander away, because she might fall and break the bottle. Little Red-Cap was to greet her grandmother politely when she arrived rather than exploring the house before speaking to her.
“I will take great care,” the girl promised.
She gave her mother her hand to show that she meant to keep her word, then set off towards her grandmother’s home.
The grandmother lived in the woods, some distance from the village. As Little Red-Cap entered the forest, she met a wolf.
The girl did not know how wicked the animal could be, so she felt no fear.
“Good morning, Little Red-Cap,” said the wolf.
“Thank you, Mr Wolf,” she replied.
“Where are you going so early, Little Red-Cap?”
“To my grandmother’s house.”
“What are you carrying beneath your apron?”
“Cake and wine. We baked yesterday, and the cake will help my sick grandmother grow stronger.”
“Where does your grandmother live?” the wolf asked.
Little Red-Cap explained that the house stood farther into the forest, beneath three large oak trees. She also mentioned the hazel bushes nearby.
The wolf listened carefully and thought to himself that the young girl would make a fine meal. He decided, however, that he must find a way to reach both the child and her grandmother.
For a little while, he walked beside Little Red-Cap. Then he suggested that she look at the beautiful flowers growing around her.
Little Red-Cap looked up and noticed the sunlight shining through the trees. Flowers covered parts of the forest floor, and she thought her grandmother would be pleased to receive a fresh bouquet.
She considered that it was still early and that she had plenty of time to reach the cottage. Forgetting her promise to her mother, she stepped away from the path to gather flowers.
Whenever she picked one, another seemed more beautiful farther away. She continued wandering deeper into the woods, searching for the loveliest flowers she could find.
Explore more stories from our Brothers Grimm Tales collection.
The Wolf Reaches the Grandmother’s Cottage
While Little Red-Cap wandered among the flowers, the wolf hurried straight to the grandmother’s house.
He knocked on the door.
“Who is there?” the grandmother called.
“Little Red-Cap,” the wolf answered, disguising his voice. “I have brought you some cake and wine. Open the door.”
The grandmother was too weak to get out of bed, so she called back, “Lift the latch, and the door will open. I am too weak to get up.”
The wolf lifted the latch, entered the cottage and went directly to the grandmother’s bed. Without another word, he swallowed her.
Afterwards, he put on her clothes, covered his head with her cap and climbed into her bed. He drew the curtains around it and waited for Little Red-Cap to arrive.
Little Red-Cap Enters the Cottage
The girl continued gathering flowers until she had collected as many as she could carry. At last, she remembered her grandmother and returned to the path.
When she reached the cottage, she was surprised to find the door standing open.
She entered the room and felt uneasy. Usually, she was happy to visit her grandmother, but something about the place made her uncomfortable.
“Good morning, Grandmother,” she called.
Nobody answered.
Little Red-Cap approached the bed and drew back the curtains. Her grandmother lay beneath the covers with her cap pulled far down over her face. She looked strangely different.
“Oh, Grandmother, what big ears you have!” the girl exclaimed.
“The better to hear you with, my child,” replied the wolf.
“But, Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”
“The better to see you with, my dear.”
“But, Grandmother, what large hands you have!”
“The better to hug you with.”
“Oh, Grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!”
“The better to eat you with!”
No sooner had the wolf spoken than he sprang from the bed and swallowed Little Red-Cap.
Having satisfied his hunger, he returned to the bed, fell asleep and began snoring loudly.
The Hunter Discovers the Wolf
A hunter happened to pass near the cottage and heard the loud snoring.
“How loudly the old woman snores!” he thought. “I had better see whether something is wrong.”
He entered the cottage and approached the bed. There lay the wolf, fast asleep.
“So I have found you at last, you old rascal,” the hunter said. “I have been looking for you for a long time.”
He raised his gun, but then he stopped. The wolf might have swallowed the grandmother, and the hunter wondered whether there was still a chance to save her.
Instead of shooting, he took a pair of scissors and began cutting open the sleeping wolf’s belly.
As he made the opening, he saw a red cap. A moment later, Little Red-Cap sprang out.
“Oh, how frightened I was!” she cried. “It was so dark inside the wolf!”
Her grandmother also emerged alive, though she had been swallowed whole.
The hunter, Little Red-Cap and her grandmother were all relieved that the two had survived. They then considered how to prevent the wolf from causing harm again.
Little Red-Cap hurried outside and gathered large stones. She brought them back into the cottage, and together they filled the wolf’s belly with the stones.
When the wolf finally awoke, he tried to move. The heavy stones made him fall, and he died.
The danger had passed, and Little Red-Cap was grateful to the hunter for saving her and her grandmother.
Little Red-Cap Learns Her Lesson
Little Red-Cap promised herself that she would never again leave the path when her mother had forbidden it.
She had learned how dangerous it could be to trust appearances and ignore good advice.
In the same story, the Grimm brothers also tell of another occasion when Little Red-Cap visited her grandmother. This time, she remained careful and did not allow the wolf to lead her astray.
When another wolf tried to deceive her, Little Red-Cap and her grandmother acted wisely. They kept the door shut and found a way to deal with the danger without allowing the wolf into the house.
Little Red-Cap’s first journey had taught her an important lesson: she needed to think carefully about what she was told and remember the promises she made.
Explore our complete Historic Folklore & Fairy-Tale Collections archive.
Moral Lesson
Listen to sound advice, remain cautious around strangers, and do not allow curiosity to lead you into danger.
Knowledge Check
1. Why was the girl called Little Red-Cap?
Her grandmother gave her a red velvet cap, which she loved so much that she wore it all the time.
2. What did Little Red-Cap’s mother ask her to take to her grandmother?
She asked her to take a piece of cake and a bottle of wine.
3. How did the wolf persuade Little Red-Cap to leave the path?
He drew her attention to the beautiful flowers growing in the forest.
4. What did the wolf do when he reached the grandmother’s cottage?
He swallowed the grandmother, put on her clothes and cap, and waited in her bed for Little Red-Cap.
5. How did the hunter rescue Little Red-Cap and her grandmother?
He cut open the sleeping wolf’s belly, allowing both of them to escape alive.
6. What lesson did Little Red-Cap learn from her experience?
She learned to follow good advice, stay on the path and be careful about trusting others.
Source
Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, Household Tales, translated by Margaret Hunt, 1884, Tale 26, “Little Red-Cap” (German title: “Rotkäppchen”). The retelling follows the Grimm version, including the hunter’s rescue and the additional encounter with another wolf.
