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My version of Little Red Riding Hood
Once upon a time there lived a young girl who loved racing through the forest , like a leaf in the wind - sprinting here and there in search of wild flowers and berries to take to her Grandmother who lived nearby .
As she ran, her broad hooded coat would snag on branches and spotted often by the townsfolk so richly coloured in the early morning sun , a glorious beacon of light between the thicket of branches soon became known as Little Red Riding Hood .
Round and round , through and under , stopping here and there to smell the wooded air , a tiny bird flutters beneath the brush and little red riding hood follows and skips onward .
Now breathing with full lungs and flushed cheeks and in happy disarray she gasps at reaching the hidden meadow where two paths meet .
An opening in the woods seldom frequented by outward bound travellers . Here is the peaceful spot where wild flowers grow abundantly and strawberries and mushrooms poke their glimmering flesh out
plump on the misted ground .
A hiding place , a restful inlet - a sanctuary from the bustle
of everyday life .
On this day, however, there was a stranger passing through the forest . One even less out of sorts with the wooded maze and yet not so punctual as to cause alarm...
Little red riding hood, nevertheless, sensed the odd metered steps of someone nearby , but turning round , never having seen such a creature except in picture books , soon ascertained this stranger was a wolf !
Rather than be alarmed, for it was not in her nature to be so , calmly
and with quiet pleasure little red riding hood began to pick flowers and place them lovingly in a basket for her Grandmother .
The wolf in a nonchalant manner strode up to the girl and spoke to her in a low rumbling voice :
" Wild flowers are plentiful in this wood ... ah you missed one , allow me "
" thankyou "
" This flower complements the colour of your coat , your name may I ask. and where are you going ?... perhaps then I can find my own way back ? "
" I am Little red riding hood and I'm going to take this basket to my Grandmother who lives nearby "
" Your Grandmother is indeed fortunate to have such kindness bestowed upon her... which path will you follow to take you there ? I would not rest easy if you were to become ...lost"
" The higher path is the one I know but I have not seen if this lower path will take me there too "
" hahahahaha , well then why not try the lower path , who knows what treasures await you . If you become lost I shall send out the alarm "
" alarm …? "
" I am a stranger to these parts but if I follow the path you already know , I am bound to greet someone along the way . I would not hesitate to inform them of your chosen path... "
" thank you , goodbye "
"… until we meet again , my dear "
The wolf swiftly turned to follow the usual way while little red riding hood began her journey on a new path . As she skipped along she sang an old tune her grandmother taught her .
How sweet the birds in the morning dew
My brothers and sisters and all of you
I cherish my family where `ere I go
and travel the road to a hearth aglow
Where `ere I go both high and low
The sun tells me which way I know
If I should wander away from this
then heed , make haste and take no risk
and travel the road to a hearth aglow
Travel the road to a hearth aglow
( Music and visuals of wolf running to the Grandmothers house )
If I hurry I can catch them both !
Little red riding hood you are the most…
delicious morsel I've ever seen!
If your grandmother is old then she'll make nice toast before the main meal...
Smash these flowers and clumsy wooden earth
GET out of my WAY
I will have my WAY and tonight
My stomach will at last be full of tender flesh .
( return to little red riding hood )
How sweet the birds in the morning dew
My brothers and sisters and all of you
I cherish my family where `ere I go
and travel the road to a hearth aglow
and travel the road to a hearth aglow
and travel the road to a hearth aglow
( reveal wolf approaching the grandmother's house - we see him climb through the back window . The house turns to reveal the front door and the change of time from to afternoon little red riding hood approaching )
Meanwhile behind the house and down the far side of a hill slope two people were busy collecting wood .
" Jose , I am worried about your niece , she has never been so late to visit me . What could be taking my grandchild so long ? "
" Mother , don't be too hard on her , remember how you always loved to wander in these woods , she must learn some day how to find her own way home "
" Yes and there is no-one who knows these woods as well as I , but I am also wiser and fear for her safety . Time to go home "
Little red riding Hood had not expected the lower path to take so long .
By the time she reached her grandmothers house , it was afternoon and the brightness of the day was lost . With a lack of her normal cheer , she knocked wearily on the door .
" Who is it ? "
" Grandmother , it is I , little red riding hood and I'm very sorry to be late on my visit..."
" come in ..."
Little red riding hood stood forlorn at the foot of her grandmothers bed and placed her basket on the table nearby .
" these are for you dear grandmother "
" come closer my child "
" You don’t look so well grandmother "
" what do you mean my dear ? "
" Oh , grandmother , what big ears you have ! "
" the better to hear you with "
" Oh , grandmother , what big eyes you have ! "
" the better to see you with "
" Oh , grandmother , what big hands you have ! "
" the better to grab you with "
" Oh , grandmother , what a big scary mouth you have ! "
" the better to eat you with !! "
( Little red riding hood screams as the front door flies open - the wolf turns in suprise and jumps off the girl to escape out the window . The little girl cries and in walks her grandmother with axe in hand and the girl's Uncle following behind )
" My darling girl , are you alright ? "
" Grandmother , grandmother I took the wrong path and got here too late - I thought the wolf had eaten you ! "
" There there , I am as strong as an ox and if you took the wrong path you will now know which one you prefer . It was not the wrong path , it was the longer one and I am very proud of you finding your way home "
" Oh grandmother , I will never trust these woods again ! "
" You will trust the woods again just as you can trust this has made you stronger. There are many wolves about but there is only one you and you are now wiser . "
That night little red riding hood stayed with her grandmother. Jose went back to the village to let everyone know that once again little red riding hood had safely reached home, and welcomed another bright morning poke it's head through the overhead branches.
Nothing was heard of the wolf again but his traces remained just at the division between here and there.
THE END
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