by Charles Perrault, 1697.
above: Illustration by Gustave Dore (1832-1883). Look at their intimate proximity. The wolf is almost rubbing her, and Red Riding Hood, with her big eyes, innocently explaining her purpose. (For large size image and more artwork, see Art Of Gustave Dore)
Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood.
One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, “Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake, and this little pot of butter.”
Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village.
As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, “I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother.”
“Does she live far off?” said the wolf
“Oh I say,” answered Little Red Riding Hood; “it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in the village.”
“Well,” said the wolf, “and I'll go and see her too. I'll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who will be there first.”
The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way, entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and gathering bouquets of little flowers. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman's house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap.
“Who's there?”
“Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood,” replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice; “who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter sent you by mother.”
The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, “Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up.”
The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap.
“Who's there?”
Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, “It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you.”
The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, “Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up.”
Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.
The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, “Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me.”
Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes and got into bed. She was greatly amazed to see how her grandmother looked in her nightclothes, and said to her, “Grandmother, what big arms you have!”
“All the better to hug you with, my dear.”
“Grandmother, what big legs you have!”
“All the better to run with, my child.”
“Grandmother, what big ears you have!”
“All the better to hear with, my child.”
“Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”
“All the better to see with, my child.”
“Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!”
“All the better to eat you up with.”
And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.
Moral: Children, especially attractive, well bred young ladies, should never talk to strangers, for if they should do so, they may well provide dinner for a wolf. I say “wolf,” but there are various kinds of wolves. There are also those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet, who pursue young women at home and in the streets. And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of all.
This version is from http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html, accessed on 20050926. The website credits the source as follows:
Source: Andrew Lang, The Blue Fairy Book (London, ca. 1889), pp. 51-53. Lang's source: Charles Perrault, Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec des moralités: Contes de ma mère l'Oye (Paris, 1697).
For more info about Red Riding Hood and its versions, see Red Riding Hood↗.
See also: Little Red Riding Hood (PC) (Politically Correct version)
Xah Lee, 20050926
From this classic fairy tale, we can see the human animal's love of underaged females, and love them pretty and vulnerable. In general, vunerability is a key element in cuteness, because it is the opposite of posing a threat. Within human animals, we tend to love little girls more than little boys. For males, the opposite sex are obviously more attractive, since males due to their biology can beget a baby per bang. The more women they bang, the more they multiply. For females, they also find little girls equally if not more attractive than little boys. Because, females in general are not interested in random males sexually because they can beget only one baby per year, regardless the number of males they bang. (thus their biology shaped them to prefer quality than quantity) But also, in human animals it is the males who do predatory work, thus random male may actually be a source of harm.
Note, in 1700s, people die before they reach 40. Girls bearing children at age 13 is not uncommon.
Now let's see some selected modern illustration of the Little Red Riding Hood. (these are from first 2 pages of google image search)
above: left: from http://www.hugkiss.com/platinum/kidcards.shtml, 200509.
above: right: by Jessie Wilcox-Smith. from http://www.art.com/, 200509.
above: In this illustration, Little Red Riding Hood is a well-nubile teen. (image from «http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/ridinghood/woodroffered.html», 200509, credited as: Steedman, Amy. Nursery Tales. Paul Woodroffe, illustrator. London: TC & EC Jack, n.d.)
above: Cartoon character Betty Boop↗, the 16 years old sex symbol, posing as Red Riding Hood, with the badass wolf dressed in grandma headdress on the bed with staring eyes and lolling tongue. (Image from http://www.shapepostcards.com/betty_boop.htm, 200509)
above: photos from websites selling costumes. Women want to be Red Riding Hood. Men want them to be, and women want to be, especially budding girls. (Photos from http://www.costumesinc.com/, http://www.anniescostumes.com/teen.htm, 200509)
above: a toy model of Little Red Riding Hood. (Photo from http://www.toymania.com/columns/spotlight/scaryhoodpics.shtml, 200509)
above: a illustration of the Red Riding Hood. Apparently, she is no longer little, and judging from her dress code, she quite understands what men want. And here the wolf has taken a direct approach. (source: art by Al Rio. Colored by Tom Smith. From http://www.alrioart.com/details.php?image_id=1634 ,200509)
• Possible further reading: Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality and the Evolution of a Fairy Tale. 2002. By Catherine Orenstein. (amazon.com↗) She has also written a article about it on 2004 Summer issue of “Ms.” mag, “Dances with Wolves: Little Red Riding Hood's Long Walk in the Woods”, available at http://www.msmagazine.com/summer2004/danceswithwolves.asp
Related essays:
Page created: 2005-09. © 2005 by Xah Lee.
