Page:Mother goose's fairy tales (2).pdf/2



TALE I. Little Red Riding Hood.

NCE upon a time, there lived in a certain village, a little country girl, the prettieſt creature ever was ſeen. Her mother was exceſsively fond of her; and her grandmother doated on her much more. This good woman got made for her a red little riding hood, which became the girl ſo extremely well, that every body called her LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

One day, her mother having made ſome cuſtards, ſaid to her, "Go, my dear, and ſee how thy grand-mamma does, for I hear ſhe has been very ill, carry her a cuſtard and this little pot of butter." Little Red Riding Hood ſets out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village. As ſhe was going through the wood, ſhe met with Gaffer Wolf, who had a great mind to eat her up, but he durſt not, because of ſome faggot-makers hard by in the foreſt. He aſked her, whither ſhe was going? The poor child who did not know that it was dangerous to ſtay, and hear a wolf talk, ſaid, "I am going to see my grand-mamma, and carry her a cuſtard, and a little pot of butter from my mamma." "Does she live far off?" ſaid the wolf. "O! ay," 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 ſooneſt."

The wolf began to run as faſt as he could, taking the neareſt way, and the little girl went by that fartheſt about, diverting herſelf in gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and making nose-gays, of ſuch little flowers as ſhe met with. The wolf