A country girl, known by her distinctive red cloak, lives with her wood-cutting father and a mother whose trades include dairy and baked goods. One morning her mother sends her on an errand to deliver cake and honey to her ailing grandmother who lives in a woodland cottage. Despite a clear warning not to dawdle by the roadside, the girl strays from the direct path, stopping to admire the rural scenery, golden buttercups, and playful insects, thereby delaying her journey. Along the way she encounters a cunning, sly wolf who flatters her and learns the details of her errand. Seizing the opportunity, he hurries off by a shortcut to the grandmother’s cottage. Upon arrival the wolf deceives the slumbering grandmother, forces his way into her home, and devours her. He then disguises himself as the grandmother, preparing a prelude to further mischief. When the girl finally reaches the cottage, she senses that something is amiss in the appearance and voice of her “grandmother.” Through a brief, increasingly unnerving exchange—marked by her remarks on the unusually large ears, eyes, and teeth—the grim reality becomes apparent. In a twist that mixes dark humor with grim inevitability, the wolf reveals his true nature by consuming her as well. The work employs playful rhyme, rhythm, and comic exaggeration to recount this cautionary tale. While it follows the traditional narrative of a vulnerable child’s disobedience leading to a fatal encounter with a despotic predator, the text is infused with humor and social satire. The verse mocks both the simplicity of rural life and the absurdities of the characters’ actions. Overall, the narrative is a witty yet morbid parody of a familiar cautionary tale, warning against heedless disobedience and the perils of vanity and distraction.
By Tom Hood · First published 1862 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Poetry