But the Grimms being the Grimms, they couldnвЂ™t resist adding that Red had learned her lesson, and would never stray from the path again:ДЄnd Little Red Cap thought to herself, вЂњAs long as I live, I will never leave the path and run off into the woods by myself if mother tells me not to.вЂќ And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of all.ДЇortunately the Brothers Grimm, despite usually loving a bit of death and cannibalism, allowed Red and her gran to be rescued by the huntsman (in other versions itвЂ™s a wood cutter), who cuts open the wolf so they can emerge, unharmed. There are also those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet, who pursue young women at home and in the streets. I say вЂњwolfвЂќ, but there are various kinds of wolves. 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. Instead, it ends with a moral from the author:ДЄnd, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.

No rescue, no saving herself or her grandmother, no punishment for the wolf, no redemption. PerraultвЂ™s version is deeply creepy вЂ“ the Wolf, masquerading as Grandma (and having already eaten her), invites Red into bed with him, she takes off her clothes and climbs in, then he eats her. Yet despite this being the first written version (as opposed to older versions told orally, including tenth century French tales where Red was the hero who outwitted the wolf), most people remember the ending the Brothers Grimm added to this story in 1812. The best known is Charles PerraultвЂ™s Le Petit Chaperon Rouge ( Little Red Riding Hood), published in 1697, complete with the classic вЂњGrandmother, what big ears you haveвЂ¦вЂќ exchange. In others (my favourite ones), she rescues herself and her grandmother. In some she is the victim, rescued by the huntsman or woodcutter. In some, she and her grandmother are eaten by the wolf, and thatвЂ™s the end of the story.

This monthвЂ™s Australian Fairy Tale Society faery tale is Little Red Riding Hood вЂ“ and itвЂ™s fascinating just how many versions there are.

Italo calvino the false grandmother