DOCUMENT RESUME ED 132 576 CS 203 096
AUTHOR Bavrogenes, Nancy A.; Cummins, Joan S. TITLE What Ever Happened to Little Red Riding Hood? A Study of a Nursery Tale and Its Language. PUB DATB 76 NOTE 17p. BDRS PRICE MF-$0.83 HC-$1.67 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Childrens Literature; *Language Usage; Linguistics; *Literary History; *Literature; Readability; Sentence Structure; *Vocabulary IDENTIFIERS *Little Red Riding Hood ABSTRACT The first section of this study traces the history of the story o "Little Red Riding Hood," from its possible primitive origins, through its first publication in 1697, up to its current status. The second section analyzes the language of an interesting 1856 version of the-tale and compares it with more modern versions. Table I indicates levels of reading difficulty for editions of the story.according to Pry's readability technique. Table II presents a linguistic analysis of 16 of the 27 versions of the folktale. This analysis reveals that, from 1697 to 1974, sentences have become shorter, the use of complex and complex-compound sentences has decreased, and simple sentences have become_more usual._Noreover, it suggests that_the level of literary sophistication7-evidenced by use of subplots, interior monologue, multiple morals, and imagery--has declined since the 1856 version. It further suggests that children be exposed to more and different kinds of literature during their formative years. (LL)
*************************************** ********************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC-makes every effor to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects.the-guality * of the microfiche and hardcopy'reproductions ERIC-makes--available * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the_original document. Reproductions *- * -supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made, from theoriginal. ********************************************************************* t DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. Epucamem WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCuMENT HAS REEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSAR ice REPRE- SENT OFFIcAL NATIoNAL INSTITuTE OF WHAT EVIKR ITAPMED LNG HOOD? EOUCATiON POSITION OP POLICY
A Stu4yof a NUrsery Tale and Its Language
Mincy A. 1vrogeriu, Reading and English teacher, West High School, Aurora, Illinois.
Address: 613 Home Stret, St. Charles, Illinois 60174
---46-an S. 5th grade teacher, MUnhall School, St. Charls, Illinois
Abstracts
This is study of the tale "Little Red Riding Hood."
first s tion of the story, from its possible prini
origins, through its first publication in 1697, to its continuing popularity
today. The second section analyses the language of an interest_ 1856
version of the tale and compares it with mere modern versions. Ely look-
ing at the kinds of words used, the length of sentences and words1 the
kinds and complexity of sentences, and literary sophietiesstion, iho
study Mhoes how a decline has taken place in the use of th Etglikh language
and offers ideas on a possible remedy. 'NAT EVER HAFFEWED LTTTLE RED RIDING HOOD?
A Study of a Nursery Tale and Its Langtge
The accompanying version of "Little Red Riding Hoodwas published by
McLoughlin Brothers in New York City in 1856 as part of "Aunt Mary's Series,*
At that tim the cost of the McLoughlin Brothers various editions of this
famous old nursery tale ranged from 6 cents plain to 12 cente colored.This
particular edition.is interesting for two reason'sFirst, because of its story
and, second, because af its language.The purpose of this artIcle is to in-
vest gate th we two aspects of the 1856 "Red Riding Hood" in order to shed
light on elements both past and present in children's literature.
Part Is Th Folk Tale
Charles Perrault. The story of Little Red Riding Hood was first published
is in 1697 by Charles Perrault in his Histoires ou Contes du temPspass;;;
smcs. Moralitoze However, within the last twenty five years an original manu-
script containing five of Perrault's tales (inoludin "Red Riding Hood") has
eons to light dated 1695.1This masa daluxe dedication copy intended for
Madamoieelle glisabeth Charlotte d!OOlans, niec of Louis XIV, and ie nom
the Pierpoist Morgan Library in NOW 'fork Citys Beare the end of 1697 Perraultge
telee.-*Red Riding Hood Sleeping Beauty nnue Beard 'Pose in
"Cinderella among othrshad teas rrint.'! in Rolland and Prano.
The existence of the etory befor Perrault is
have attempted to find its origin in primitive mylhologY as early man's attempt to explain natural phen memo Thus Red Riding Hood becomes dawn suallowe4 --1 -ce the sun)represented
**Thie oop Iiosn.dby Mr. * as a gift to his =that ben he for publication permission.
'41 Red Riding Rood.4
by the wolf, or She is described as Spring, crowned with flowers, thocannot 2 main in the belly of the wolf or 'inter. Furthermore' the story is linked
to th o ancient " -_low" legends like Cronus diegorging his ',allow d children
in Gr olagy, ar Jonah being swallowed by the *hale in the Old Testament
Other scholars have attempted to find evidence of the folk ori n of the
story in Perrault's language.The wordehaperon," for instance, in the French
title Le Petit Chaperon Rouge" is defined in sem'snteenth century dictionaries
very old type of tat worn the Middle Ages.4 Also, the name TMMoihor
Goose" has been co_ected-with early folkloreor even history. Thin familiar
term vas mdc famous by Perrault in his 1697 edition, the frontispiece of Which
showed thres children and an old woman in front of the fire with a plaque on
the yell reading "Contes de ma mere 1 Oye." It has been euggesied that in
French medieval villages an old woman kept track of the geese and, as a stock
teller of tales, could be call d "ma slire l'Oy "5 The name Mother Goose in
French hes also been traced ba k to the mother of Charlemagn Brtha, "Queen
Goosefoot," orto Bertha min) of Robert 11, king of France in the llth century, called Bertha Goosefoot.7Finally, comparative folkloriste, by matching Per-
tilt' version with folk versions dating after him ean find elements thick he redowed as being "in bad taste, puerile, or too primitives8for instance, the girl being invited to eat her grandmother's flesh or her question about the hairy body of the wolf.
Sevente th tienturv.;. Ail such theories, however, have by no means been proven. in fact, it is clear that the story of Little Red Riding Hood has n circula ed midday where folktalee are learned orally; practically all versions are ba ed upon Perrault or the brothers Grimm. Inded, there are scholars who
So so far as to belieVe that Perrault invented this
It ie also clear that fairy _ 'court of Louis
verity years before Perrault's publications Madame =de Svigni° to Red Riding Hood-3 her daughter, written in 1676, m fairy t they amuse the ladies vith at Versailles."' This vas the Age of Recision'_he Neo-Classioal Age, when bucolics and eclogues, on mlassical models, and thus stories of peasants were 12 in fashion. There would then be two levels of the tale:the literal one for
children and the symbolic for adult', wherein the wolf in bed educes the girl.
At least Perrault has A "MOrtaitet the end of his story warning young ladies about gentle wolves1 a rational effort by Perrault, it hae been suggested, to excuse adult enjoyment of puerile matter.13
After, Pejrault. Since Perrault's publication of his folk tales, they bawl been translated into English, German, Russian, Swedish, Chinese, and Japanese14 and become thorouglay familiar to children everywhere.The first translation of Perrault into Engliih vas made by Robert Samber in 1729 and appeared in
London; before ths end of the eighteenth century thie tranelation had been re-
Printed many times in En- d. The first American editionamber s t- nslation,
ed by Peter Edss in Haverhill, 1g.chusitie1 in 179416, o
Rivington in New York in 1795.17
al Brothers Gr. The brothers Grimm col d a peasant version of Red
Riding Hood9 having some German traditions but based en Perrault's printed tale, and printed it as Rotkappchenin their collection of 1812.1 Their ending, ebb* presumably save frva German folklore, is different frms Perrault: either
Red Riding Hood alone or with her grandmother is resoued , either before or after being swallowed by the wolf.19
Centurc.During the nineteenth century, !operate tales of
Perrftult1 and esatimes of Orimmi wsre produded as Chapbooks "oherip books "
000ting only a pen4Y (in Engiand) or a few centsin Americo); it 111.1 through these oditions-that the storios booms so populer.20Our 1856 version or "Lit
Rod Riding Hired," costing only a tow e.nti9 would obviously fit in at_thispo -- _ a period of rapid-growth in the-children kr=trado in botti_Engiand an
- Red Riding Hood.-4
the firwt Hans Christian Andersen tales in English and the first book of Lear
non sen appeared in the 1840's, "Red Riding Hood" vas published in the Home
Treasury Series in 1843, and the Peter Parley bookowere varY P
By this tim, there were many variances in the tale.Par instance, Red
Riding Hood may oarry in her basket 'tardy butter, cakes egge , dainties,
bread, cookiae, meat, vine y combination of thes22 And the endings
re manys the volf drowne in hat sausage 'eater; or he is slit open and filled
with stones; or he is burned in the throat by Red Riding Hood' cs;p;or he
tears the entrails and brains oat of the girl and her grandmother;or after
the wolf is killed, Rod Riding Hood, her mother, grandmother, and wood nymphs
all join in zinging the Varseillaise. 23
The 1856 jersion.Our 1856 version has some unusual variac.szvhile
the wolf is devouring grandmotherf Red Riding Hood has some adventures herself.
She me ts a. mem, a little tom-tit, and "an aged crone gathering vatercresses."
At the end fter having relayed a secret message to the green huntesan from
the old woman, the girl is saved by this huntsman who has been warned by the
sp and tomr-tit. Also, by this time the "old crone" has turned into a beautifnl young fairy vho vill alvays protect Little Rad Riding Hood because the has bean
so kind to the wasp1 tom-tit wateraresn lady. The only indication of the origin of this version has been found in one book,24 vherein the veep, a little birdand an old dame looking for crosses appear in a version included in the sectionFrance." The fairy element and moral are not in this version,however.
It may be of additional interest to note that both the gasp and vatercress26 are conception symbolsthat is, in some folk literature they cause conception if eaten.
-..tifulkat-itim.in the vide inf f Little Red
Riding Hiod can be seen in nays. :A FroUdien interOretetion of the
th girl's adV_ Oediial eago-in thedevelopment oftilt-, Red Riding Hood-5
child, the huntsman being the strong father figure.27The psychoanalyst Erich
Fromm goes even further, "the wolf is really displaying pregmancy-envy when he
fills his elly (womb) with the girl and her grandmother,and is punished when
Little Red Riding Hood EtOWStønes, the symbol of sterility, in his insides.
This is presented as a tale ofwomen who hate men and sex. On a less exalted
plane, a modern version of the tale is entitled"Little Eaack Riding Hood" and
her basket contains soul food; Shewears a red Pants suit, and at the end every
one is saved, including the wolf, who is taken to the citysoo milers he's 29 &mired of three meals a day. Indeed, this charming folkiale ins had a long
nd hardy lifel
Fart IIsThe Iangge
ofxtdi.I.Another interesting feature of this 1856 version of "Little
Red Riding Hood" is the high leVel of its Language.Of course it exhibits "old-
fashioned" terms no longer in uses "prithee," "quoth," "grandam," "posy," "be-
thought,"Goody," and "espied."But it also uses words which are still accepted
in standard English at a rather sophisticated level infentine," "vora_ y,
"eloquent "demur _it" "knoll "stagnant," "trudged," "nostril," "decrepit-
"fervently," and rtal." Such words would nevtr be found on any kind of a list
of common words, such as the Dals-Chall list of 3000 "familiar" words known by
at le%st 8C of fourth-grade students."
Lengtk of Septenoesea.Dap The language of our xhibits
sophistication and depth on several other levels as wells Ou measure of mach
depth is the length:of sentencs and vordspas indicated by a readability tech
nique.Fry's procedure and graph provide * grade level for reading material
based on sentence and word length 31 Tabl I gives grade:levels accordin
rrY's graph for tw seven editions of "Little-Red Ri "pulled a
,random from l _elves in order to obtains. chronologioal sampling,
-each maws 1 it of aPpretely one_hundred_words_eackwere averaged
,ordertoobtain one scorei,_.,From 1001 on all versions produced a-soore _ o
_ Red Riding Hood6
TABLE It LOY ending Difficulty for Editions of "Little Red Riding Hood" According to Fry's Readability Technique
-blicationGrade Le Grade
1697 (Perrault) Ith no date tad 7th esrly anh century 1729 (Satber) 7th 1913 4th
1820 Oth 1925 7th
1854 8th 1928 7th
1866 7th 1932 5th
187- 9thww 1936 4th
1875 7th 1944 6th
1890 7th 1957 6th
1895 6th 1962 6th
1895 7th 1967 6th
1901 9thie* 1967 7th
1907 6th 1968 5th
1907 6th 1974 4th
1856 s
*VI'he.e ecoree must be conei.deredappro mate since the averagenumber eentances per 100 word is so low that the point falls off ths graph.
between 4th and 7th grades, with a mean score of 5.7.The only scores hi
than 7th grade were in versions before 1902, and our 1856 story tands at the
top at 9th. grade.The wean score before 1907 is 706. KAnglelud CogplexityaSentences. Although sentence length correlates highly with sentence Complezity.32 a long sentence is not necesearily complex
in thought. A string of short kernel sentencs-a long compound entence
will consist of structures available to immature languageusers.But mature
speakers and writrs will use subordinate °lawless,noun modifiersi verbalsi and more oomplicated complex senteneeS.3.3 Table II presentsa linguistio Red Riding Hood7
TABLE Iis Sentence Complexity AM/ No. of No. of Average Percentages of total numberof No. of No. of words sentencessentence sentenoew mdje ._ , No. of sub. Date sampled length Complex'Compound-Compl Comp. Simpletivesverbmlsclauses in wrds complex & comp- pound pound- . ,i
1697 517 31 16.7 8% 36% 58 14 21
1729 524 20 26.2 45 5 10% 58 18 36
820 506 18 28.1 58% 6% 77 23 27
7- 544 14 35.9 2 65 2 68 10 18
1875 501 26 19.3 46% 1 65% 4 % 65 19 21
1890 517 31 16.7 55% 44 45 9 23
1895 501 22 23.1 23% 73% 1 51 14 26
1913 504 33 15.3 1.5% 27% 5 1 44 8 19
1928 504 36 14.0 63% 31 82 18 33
1932 515 29 17.8 21% 59% 4 2 62 9 21
1936 501 32 15.7 9% 59% 13% 28% 59 B 23
1957 526 34 15.5 9% 58% 6% 44% 63 15 20
1967 529 35 15.1 6% 43% 9% 49% 58 14 20
1968 515 44 11.7 41% 7% % zg 58% 49 9 25
1974 518 43 12.0 26% Tg 33% 9% 5 60 8 20
L856 507 19 26.7 98% 5% 95 5% 0 64 9 33
. _...... -
ie of sixteen of the twenty 0Yen Vs :_ons of our tolkt.ale.Theme sixteen
versions were selected at random, again to provide a chronological eampling.
In all MOOS the first Approximately five hundred worde were used, variations
depending on where a sentence stopped.Besides averag sentence length
.qualities measured were kinds of sentenoo -omplex, compoundcomplex, a combi-
nation of these two kinds, compound, and simple number of adjective's:number Red Riding Hood-6
of ver -le plea, ge- and number of subordinate
clause's.
Same clear çatt.rne emerge: f 1697 to 1974 sentences ve become
shorter, the use of complex and complex-vompound sentences irne lessened, and
simple sentences have becomemore ueual.There also meems to be a trend toward
fewer verbal, and for subo-d1xte clauses.Our particular 1656 version stands
out emphatically in complex or compoundamp ex sentences (95%), in average
sentence length (26.7 words), in number of subordimste clauses and adjectives
used, and in the complete lack of simple sentences.Considsr, for instance,
the degree of language eophistioat on needed to understanda sentence like this
one at the climax of our story:
"The better to eat you up," exelaimed the wolf, Silo vas jUst about to make a spring at the poor little girl, 'hen a wasp, who had followed her into the cottage, stung the wolf in his nostril, and made him awes, aloud, vhich SAvo this signal to a towitit perched on a branch near the open case- mentp.lho called out "Tweat--tweat," shieh earned the green huntsman, vho accordingly let fly his arrow' that struok the wolf right through the ear and killed him on the spot.
Not only is this a very long sentence--e_ -eight verde--but t ie a sentence
wherein idea is piled upon idea Within the eight stibordinate elauees are at
leaet eleven chronological events:the wasp flieinto the cottage, the tom-tit
perches on a branch, the w lf cries out, the woir is about to spring on the girl,
the sae stings the wolf, the volf sneezes 'the,enee__ signals the tom-tit, the
tom-tit Galls out, the huntentn shoote an arrow, the arrow hits the ear, the
wolf dies.
bitararTagghiglislami In addition to quality of words, length of
sentences and of words, and complexit- of sentences and thus of thought, a
broader dimension enters into language soPhietications 7-1the whole is
put together.In this Mee our 1656 ver ion Xhibits a ry- -sophistication shich consists of the uge of sOpl ts, intertor monologue, multftle and imagery 34 11111; the wolf is at grandmo Red Riding Hood-9
sp the tomr.tit, and the watercress lady, mho eventually turnsout to be a
fairy complete with riddle andQM gtc. It would seem to require a higher level
of thought to folloe several plots instead of justone.Alec+, ur version
the readers are presented with the inner workingsof both the wolf and the girl
they ponder the vents. Therefore the reader (or listen cope with
shifts from external to interior action.35Likewise, we are exposed here to
several morelsnot just the usual one of being careful of strangers: first,
the difference in industriousness betweena wasp and a bee; second, an exhorta-
tio to say one's prayers and pay attention to God; andthird, the major point
having "goodness of heart." And, finally, there are several kinds of images
used here, ranging from the specific colors of the flowers to thesi-mile of
Rad Riding Hood darting into the forest "likea frightened hare."
Conclusion
There is today e general concern in our country abouta decline in the use
of the English language. This decline is evidenced in lower verbal scores on
the national Scholastic Aptitude Tests, in increased numbers of collegeremedial
English courses, in the years of euphemisms ard double-talk and lies during
Viet Nam and Watergate, and in the examples of "verbal atrocities" catalogued in
popular hooks such as Edwin Newman's Strictly Speaking.36Since languuge is
thinking and thus even civilization, such concern wouldMOM TiMrraftied.
Our analysis of this 1856 version of LittleAled Riding Hood" may
cluee to one reason shy such a decline has taken placesthe English language
to which Children have beet exposed hal; experi wed a continual decrease in
sophistication and depth-in quality and thus exaetness of worde used, in length
of sentences and wordoin complexity of sentences and thus of thougnt, and in
the complexity and artietry with *hit* the whole is put to7-ther. Although
Ern st Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in literatumfor the profound ffect of his simple and direct style and althea: ,he world'llse_ Henry David
implify simplicity to simple0 _ Red Riding Hood-10
mindedness had best be stopPed.Children from the earliest ages should be
exposed to all kinds of oral language including Perhaps our 1856 nursery
and, whenever they start to learn to read, they "should be given ays 6_atic
training thrm gh the reading program so.they may develop more facility at an
earlier ago in understanding increasingly complex communieations from the printed
37 PlIga This burden of building up language, and thus exorcising the thinking -7 processinstead of watering damn and decimating language, and thur leake,
the ability to think, must be placed upon teachor3, school officials, aut
publishers, librarians, paren in ahort upon us all. Otherwise, man
not even be able to "endure," much less "prevail," as William Faulkner so lucidly spelled out the human task in his Nobel Prise acceptance speech.
SOURCES REFERRED TO IN THE TEXT 1 Frederiak B. Adam "Family Friend of All the World," Wilmon Library Bulle- tin, v. 41, February 1967, p. 5731 also Jacques Barchilon, FIrrault's Tales of Mother Goose:Tba Dedioation Manuscript of 1695 Reproduced in Collotipe Fac- simile with Introduction and Critical Text New York: Pierpont Morgan Library, 1956
Henry Betty furserY Rhymes and Talees Their Prigin and Histort New York: HenrY Holt, 1924), pp. 16-21; John Tbackray Bunco, Fairy Tales:Their Origin and Meaning (London: Macmillan, 1878), pp. 1p5-188; Eleanor Hull, "Review of Las Contee de Perrault et les Re'aits Paralleles by P. Saintrres," Folk-Lore: Trans- actions of the Folk-Lore Society, v. 35Maroh 1924, pp. 100-101; Andrew Lange ed., Perrault'g Fqpu2.ar Tales (OxfordsClarendon PrJes, 1888), pp. lvi-lix.
Lang.,sp. cit., pp. lvi-lviiand Betts, 5,11. cit., P. 21.
4Jacques Barahilon and Henry Pettit, The Ave.uentic Mother Goose Fairy lea (Denver, Alan Swallow, 1960), p. 13, and Parcival Horace Muir, Znglidh Children Books 1600 to 1900 Londons B.T. Batsfoidv 1954), p. 39.
5 Barchilon and Pettit, aboit., p. 10.
&William and Cecil Baring-Gould, The Annotated Mother 00003 (New York,Clarkaon N. Potter, 1962), pp. 16-17. 7 Muir, 22. cit., p. 49.
8Pan1 Delarue, ed., The_ kausl Book or French Folk Ales (New Yorks Nnop t 1956), p. 10.
9Stith Thompson, The ,Folktala (New York Holt5 Rinehart and-Winston, 1 46),
10Barchilon and Pettit, -at. cit.,p. 13, and Alexander Haggerty Krappe, 32NL_ kienCe:Ofyelklori:(New YorksW.W. Nortionl:154 ), 38. 12 Darton, Children p2ok i 3n4 _.nive ra Preac, 1966),
13Barchilon andPettit, 22. cit., p. 29.
14Barchilon, 1956,92. AI" p. 14.
15Rarchilonand Pettit, o ci p. 10.
1611", P. 10.
17Charles Evans,American RiblioaTaPhy (New York: Peter 5rnith 1942), v. 10, P. 169.
18Barchilonand Pettit, 22. at.. p. 7. 19 Delarueo IE. cit., pp. 381-382.
2°01irt cit., P. 40, and Mary F. ThsAi _o Pleasu_ in Res (London*Library Aseociation,_1972 )- p. 36.
Thsaite, Ibid.., PP. 98400.
rry B. Vets-Littlo Red Riding Hood Tren_ons privately printed , 1939), 23rbid.
241.14. Lee Folk Tals of All Nations New Yorks t. PP. .4667 8. 25 Maria Leach, ed., ma mamma&t&rd plaits= Flkl (NewYorks Funk and Wagnslls, 1949 p.1166-67.
261bitleyStokes, Lflve. of Sank* (Oxfords Clarendon Press, 1890), p: 286, see 9200 Stith ThalP03n0::wakilatt of L LiterAtnieBlaimingionindiara- Indiana University Press, 19554956), tyPes,T511.202 and B376. 27 J.S. HeUscher0, Psychiatric: gt:_jk of Bilc Tales (Springfield, Illinoiss Thomas, 1963 )p'PP. 7679.- ,28 Richard M. Do eon, ed.,-Folklorw a- -Folklif__ I troduotion ( University of Chicago Press, 1972375. 28.
29"Litt1s BlackRiding Hood," Young FilAtmakers' Festival,-FoUrth Natio presented by the Publio Broadeasting Service,-june 20-21, 1975.
30Bdgar Dale andJeannes..chaug-"A, Formula -for Predict_ bility," tiowl- Hesetirsh`WieLV., vo 'XV/119- January 21 and, Yebrua_ , 1948- 11-20,-, 28, --37-4. ., 31Bduarct April _196_
"0-44-4 Red Riding Hood-12
New Reading Material: Jun or Novel,Journal of &SUB& 18, April 1975, pp. 531-534.
5 3-rbid.
36"Canot Anyone Here Speak English?" nab VI 106, Auguet 25, 1975,p. 340
"Jean E. Robertson, "PupilUnderetanding of Connectives in Reading," Reading Researdm quarterly, v. nil Spring 1968, pp. 387-411.
Editions of "Little R lading Hood"
The Arthur Rackhme %ITT Book. Philadelphia:Lippincott, no t.
Coueems, P.W. A Child's Book of Stories. New York: Duffield and Co., 1913.
The Entertainigg Story of Little fl =_ng Hood moi Tom Thumb's Ta. York Englandz J. Kendrew, 1820.
Caldone, Paul. ittl e Red Riding Hood. York:McGraw Hill, 1974.
Johnson Clifton, ed. The pak!Trlooat& Book.Boston:Little Broin, 1925.
Lang' Andrew, ed. The Red atm.,. Books London:Longman, Greene 1890.
Lee, R. H.Folk Tale' of All-Nations.- New York: GowardAkCann, 1932.
Little Red Riding Hood.New York: Golden Press, 1967.
Little Red Bilksialtd. New YorksMcLoughlin Brothers, 1856 lAunt Mary"$,Se 187 Uncle Fipin's Series); 1875 (Aunt Friendly's Colorod Floture Books
*other Goose _-_rserv sand:Itim.TS1ee. London:George Routledge, 1895.
Perrault, Charls. Historiee or Talee of Fast Ttmee, tr. Robert Ss:Mb:or.London: J. Pote and R. Montagu, 1729.
------.PerrAult's COsPlete Fairs Tales, r. A.E. John.on and other., Now Yorks Dodd, Mead, 1861.
The Renowned:History of Little Red Riding Hood.:
Rhys, Ernest. Fairy_ G i A Book of Old Mira& DI= Tales.London: J.M. Dent1
Steel, Flora A.,Englieh Fairy lalm. New York:Macndllan C., 1962.
Stories that W Alms the Ch4147en Little BALRiding Hood.Chicago: NZ. Comkey, 1907,
Story of 14ttle Red Nang Hood.London:Good Clerkenwell Green, 1854.
The k 'of Nurieri 'New York: ,Harper'ind Raw-1944.
Tanan, b --A ,Treamare- Meet e_ uri Red Riding Hood...13
Watson, Nancy D., adapter.The Picture Book.Garden City' R.Y.s Carden City Books, 1957.
Watts, Bernadette, tr. Little Be jr4 flEdImag, Brothers Grimm. Clevelands World Publishing Co., 1968.
W013, B. Ethel' arranger.Cinderella- Jaok the Giant Killer, Little Red Hood and Other Favorita-EalnTales. Philadelphia:John C. Winston, 1928.
_al of 1856 "Little Red mans Hood"
TITLE PAGE (and front cover)i AUNT MARY'S SERIES LIT= RED RIDING HOOD
PUbliehed by McLoughlin Brothers, 24 Beckman Street, New York Entered according to Act of Congress:, in the year 1856, by McLoughlin Bros., in the Clerk's Offic of the Dig-trio* Court of the UoSeg for the Southern Dixtriet of N.T.
In a retired and pleasant village there once lived a little girl, who vas one of the prettiest children ever seen.Her mother loved her to excess, and as to her grandmother, the vas doatingly fond of her, and looked upon her as the delight of her eyes, and the comfort of her declining years. The good old dame had a little hood of scarlet velvet made for her darling, vhich became her so daintily, that for miles round she had been nicknamed Little Red Riding Hood.
Gee day, when her mother had inked a batch of cakes she said to Little Red Riding Hoods "I hear your poor grandam has been ailing, so, prithee, go and see if she be any better, and take her this cake-and a-little-pot-of butter." Little-Red --if Riding Hood, Who was& willing child, and elvays ready to be useful, put the things into a basket, and immediately set off for the village where ger grandmother lived, which lay on the other side of a thick wood. As she reached the outskirts of the forest, the met a wolf, who would have liked vastly to have devoured her at once, had there not been some wood-auttrs near at hand, wham he feared might kill him in turn.So he sidled up to the little girl, and said, in as winning& tone ai he could assume, "Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood.""Good morning, Master Wolf newered she, who had no idea of being afraid of so civil spoken an animal."And pray where may you be going so early?" quoth the wolf. "I am going to my grand- mother's," replied Little Red Riding Hood, who thought there could be no ham in telling hte."Ind what aro you carrying in your basket, my pretty little maid?" continued the volf, miffing its contents."Why, a cake and a pot of butter," answered simple Little Red Riding Hood, "because grandmother has been ill,""And where does poor grandmsnma livnl" inquired the wolf, in a tone of great interest. "Down beyond the mill, an the other side of the wood," said I she."Well " cried the wolf, "I don't minclif I gp and see'her too.So I'll take this roe4 and do you go through the wood; -aid ve'll Nee which of us ehall be there first.
Now,_ the wily wolf knew well enough that he Wield be the,winner itt_inach a:racts letting ,alone hielronr:foot iitinot'!pooi Rod;Ridiii Rood!5 _ WO _ . , _ U the .undereo- woulChring-hisa- o: 0 the 014,8F*- ,:-Intes 1 would it9p . iiiv.Wthir, iitri 1oiO, thei, plea lintir:but..nori rOVid-la enou _who cared neither for 7stin- -bnd:preoenRyTros Ctio=
thi di:6F.;-'. 0=4 Rod 'ct the Red Riding Hood-14 voice as best he might."I have come to bring you a cake and a pot of butter tb mother sends you.""Lift the latch, and the bolt will fall."The wolf did sot and in he went, and, without saying a wordmores he fell upon the poor old creatu and ate her up in no time, for be had not tasted food for the last threedays. He next shut the door, and putting on the grandam's nightcap and nightgom, hegot into the bed, drew the curtains arsd buried his head in the pillow, and kept laughingin his sleeve at the trick he meant to putupon poor Little Red Riding Hood, and wondering how long it would be before shecame. Meanwhile Little Red Riding Hood rambled through the wood With child-like glees stopping every now and then to listen to the birds thatwere singing so sweetly on the green bought, and picking strawberries, whichthe knew her grandam loved to eat with cream, till she had nearly filled her basket;nor had she neglected to gather all'the pretty flowers, red, blue, whits,or yellows that hid their sweet little heads amidst the moss; and of these herapron vas at Dist so full, that she mat down under a tree to sort thew and wind them intoa swath 'While she was thus occupied, a mopcame bussing along and delighted at fi so sway flowers without the trouble of searching for them, he began to drinkup their honey very voraciously.Little Red Riding Hood knew well the difference of a wasp and bee--how lazy the ones and how induetrious the other, yet, as theyare all God's creatures, she wouldn't kill it, and onlymaids"Take as much honey as you likes poor wasp, only do not sting me."The wasp inured louder, ass if to thank her for her kindness, ands when he had sipped his fill, flewaway.Presently, a littIe tom-tit, mho had been hopping abouton a bough opposite, darted down on the basket, and pecked at one of the strawberries."Eat as much as you like, pretty tons-. tits" said Little Red Riding Hoods"there will be still plenty left for uandam and for me."The tom-tit replied, -"Tweat--tweat--," in his own eloquent language; ands after gobbling up at least three ,strawherries, flewassays and me sool2 out of_ sight Little Rod Riding Hood now bethought her itwas time to go on; 7so putting her wreath into her baskets she tripped along dmnurely enough, till theearn to a brook, where she saw an aged crone, almost bent doubles seeking for something along the bank. "What are you looking for Goody?"said the little girl."For witer-cresses, my Pretty said," mumbled the poor old vsnzln; "and a sorry trade it iss that does not earn me half bread enough to eat."Little Red RidLng Hood thought it very hArd the, poor old creature should work and be hungry too, so she drew from her pocket a large piece of bread, uhieh her mother had given her to eat by theway, and skid, "Sit down, Goody, and eat this's and I will gatheryour vater-cressoi for you."The old woona willingly accepted the- offer, and sat down on a knoll,. while Little Red Ri Hood set to work in good,eirnests and had presently filledl her basket With water-, creases.When her task'sas finished, the-old -crone rose up.ibriskly 2" and pitting t little einiid's head, said, in quit a --different voic you, my pretty:Lit Red RidIng Hood, and now, if-you-happen to mei the,green' huntsman as you,-gu ale pray give him ray rospecti, hit there inz_thejiirid."Little,Red; Hood promieed to do .50- and waiked-'oirbat -_presintay ,she -looked lyzick tosee, how old woman saa getting Long, butsilook as! *ZIT-as shi light; -die could -see rio of hers- nor ,of -her vater-oresses. "-` She ,"isiessid:.te- hews vaisishedclean out 'of at "It is very: odds" thought Litti. Hie Riding Hood,.to hirielf21- 4:for surelY" faster, than she. n she kt- _1 -4 ut hers',,and-prying'Into,a11,-;thelbei to see for_ Ike greenhuntsarj, sham ;pile hadnever beard of-be ores a !sclera& th0-01d4van b94,4kOn ea , , 0 ol of stagrm.nt latex grass, and into' it 2 as.,Little A before5 thou' e- that' same '2May.,,e e-frorntOpto -At* Red Riding Ho
his bows without taking any farther noticeo Little Red Riding Hood, who trudged onwards wondering What it all meant.
Presently the little girl reached her grandmother's wel -knownco tage, and knocked at the door. "lho is there?" cried the wolf, forgetting to disguise his voice. Little Red Riding Hood vas somewhat startled at first; then thinkingher grandam had a bad cold that made her very hearse, she answered:"It is your grandchildi Little Red Riding Hood, who has broughtyou a mike, and a little pet of butter, which,:12 mother sends you." The golf then softened his voice a little, as he replied:"Lift the latch, and the bolt will fall." Little Red Riding Hood did as dile was told, and entered the cottage. The wolf then hid his head under the bed-clothes, and maid: " the eake and the pot of butteron the shelf, my dear, and come and help me to rise. Little Red Riding Hood sotdown her basket, and then went and drew back tha eurtainesh she was much surprised to see how oddly her grandmotherlooked in her night-clothes.
"Dear mel grandmamma," maid the littlegirl, "what long arms you have goti "The better to hug you my child," answeredthe wolf.
But, grandmamma, what long oars you have got:persisted Litt Red Ridin &RA, "The better to listen to you,my child," replied the wolf.
"But, grandmamma, what large iyesyou hav got:continued the "The better to see you, my child," maid the wolf.
"But, grandmamma, what terrible large ttiethyou have got:cried Little Red Riding Hood, who now began to be frightened.
"The better to eat you up," Xclaimed the wolf, whovas just about to make a spring at the poor little girl, when a wasp, who had followed-her-into-the cottages stung the wolf in his nostril, and made himsneeze aloud, which gave the signal toa, tom-tit perched on a branch near theopen casement, 'mho called out "Tweat--tisat," which warned the gresn,hunteman, Who accordingly let fly hisarrow, that struck the woIf right through the ear and killed himon the spot.
Little Red Riding Hood vas to frightened,even after the wolf had fallen back dead, that Ohs bounced out of the cottage, and, shutting the door, darted into the forst like a frightened hare, and ran till ihevas out of breath, when she dropp down quite exhausted under a tree.
Here'ehe discovered that she had mistaken the road, 'hong to her great relief She:espied her old,friend the vateroress womanvat same distance; and, feelingz'
, she Oeuld ippon:Overtake the aged diasuilie againset offfialling:out'tp_herSiiii- noir'andthen0O:;_stop'.::: The old crone wewer,:seemed:too;deat to hearvand,it.;. not:tilltheylhadreaChed tbe skirt* of the fOristthitehiCrturned-rOUnd,:when,,,,to Little'Rect,Ridingjliod's surprises sb. rceived & young and beautif41,being-ia -0 of:theAeCrisPWoriatUre she-thougirt-sh following. "Little ..RWRiHeed _ or our,goo.e. ..._ hearthie:. sAWOC You rroi a the poo1deati woman,: She Twold:netlhave sent w rdto thegr.enafltn,to --martall*iiiteee*ie!. d.n omit -, --1-1e ,..,- former'opuld not have' l, -ze given the b
11 -_ . heiii-y ythe dm