Page:History of the yellow dwarf.pdf/17

17 “Who is there?” said the old woman.

“It is me, your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood,” replied the wolf, imitating Celia’s voicovoice [sic].

“I am ill in bed, child,” called the grandmother, “so pull thothe [sic] bobbin, and thothe [sic] door will open.”

Alas! poor old woman, instead of beholding a tender dutiful grandchild, it was a ravenous wolf, who having madomade [sic] no prey for three or four days, sprang upon her, and eat horher [sic] up.

The wolf having closed thothe [sic] door, put on thothe [sic] old woman’s night-cap and gown, and got into bed, wherowhere [sic] hohe [sic] lay quite snug, waiting thothe [sic] arrival of Red Riding-Hood.

When hohe [sic] had lain about an hour, she camocame [sic] with two or three gentlogentle [sic] raps.

“Who is there?” said thothe [sic] wolf, with such a rough voice that poor Celia was startled, until she rocollectedrecollected [sic] hearing that her grandmother had a sovoresevere [sic] cold. ShoShe [sic] answered, “It is me, Little Red Riding-Hood, with a pot of butter, some cakes, and a bottle of winowine [sic].”

“Thank you kindly, darling,” said the wolf, “pull the bobbin, and thothe [sic] latch will go up.”

Celia did so, and the door opened.

As she entered the room thothe [sic] wolf said, “Put your basket on thothe [sic] table, take off your clothes, and comocome [sic] into bed, that you may rest a littlolittle [sic] after your long walk.”

“So I will, grandmother,” said thothe [sic] poor innocent, “as soon as I have put these pretty flowers, that I have gathered for you in the pots.”

“That is a good child,” said thothe [sic] wolf, softening his voice as much as possible.

“Shall I sweep up your room dear grandmother, and undraw your curtains, it is so dark,” asked littlolittle [sic] Celia, to whom great merit was due for cloanlinesscleanliness [sic] and activity in domestic affairs: who now thought her grandmother’s room looked unusually disturbed.

Ill health, in fact, accounted for this change, and would most willingly havohave [sic] exerted herself in making it tidy.

This proposal did not please the wolf, darkness suited