The True Face of the Wolf in the Little Red Riding Hood Short Story

Deep within the lush forests, with its winding paths, awaits a little girl’s destination. Dear sweet grandmother to whom she will gift with cake and wine. The child prepares for her journey, adorned in velvet red. The cap grandmother gifted her rests snug on her, its cape fluttering with each step taken. Unbeknownst to her, danger lurks between the trees, searching for a potential meal. It is a hulking mass of grungy fur and cunningness, eager to sink their teeth into young flesh and bone. Clever the beast is, for Little Red dallies in the fields, collecting flowers to present. The beast then takes this opportunity to visit this beloved grandmother’s home, devours Grandma, and dresses up in her clothes. Eventually, he succeeds in consuming Little Red, too.

Oh, poor Little Red, so sweet and trusting, so naive. Is this how the story will end? Of course not! We all know how this story ends. The huntsman slices its belly, freeing its occupants, and fills it with heavy stones. The wolf dies soon after. The huntsman takes its pelt. The dearest grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine. Little Red learned an important lesson that day, which will save her and Grandma’s lives again. All is well and good.

            Except, you don’t always get a second chance.

            This version of the Little Red Riding Hood short story, curated by the Grimm brothers, is one many of us may have grown up with. A little girl, draped in red, encounters Big Bad Wolf, only to survive this encounter in the end. We, too, are relieved she escapes unscathed. Nothing horrifies anyone more than the death of a child - especially if said child suffers a brutal, gruesome end. And yet, this is one of many endings. Because, contrary to expectations, these fairy tales are more sinister than they appear. The earliest known edition of The Little Red Riding Hood short story was by Le Petit Chaperon Rouge. Written by Charles Perrault, many believe this to be the origin of the Grimm brothers’ version due to how similar the versions are.

The only difference is the conclusion - there is no happy ending in Perrault’s. No one came to save them. The wolf has succeeded in eating Little Red and her grandmother.

As grim as Perrault’s ending is, the story demonstrates the fatal consequences of not supervising your child. As the author explained, “From this story, one learns that children, especially young lasses, pretty, courteous and well-bred, do very wrong to listen to strangers, And it is not an unheard thing if the Wolf is thereby provided with his dinner. I say, Wolf, for all wolves are not the same sort; there is one kind with an amenable disposition – neither noisy, hateful, nor angry, but tame, obliging and gentle, following the young maids in the streets, even into their homes. Alas! Who does not know that these gentle wolves are of all such creatures the most dangerous!” (Perrault, Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec des moralités: Contes de ma mère l'Oye).

Even now, society insists on painting monsters in monstrous lights, gross and grotesque in appearance and behaviour. Yet, in reality, the real dangers lie in those who appear like us. People who we can trust. Surely, they can’t possibly be capable of committing the most heinous acts of cruelty, right? Even then, the Big Bad Wolf wasn’t bad, at first. He was polite to her, asking questions that, in any other context, would have been normal small talk. Certainly, the little girl didn’t think much about it. And why would she? She didn’t know better, and wouldn’t have. Mother had said not to stray from the path, and that was what she tried to do. Except she is a child, susceptible to influences, good or bad. For they’re taught to act friendly with people out of courtesy. In this case, Wolf abuses this implicit trust by misdirecting her attention with flowers. And again when he disguises himself as an immediate figure of love and trust. Though we know the happier version of events following this, the moral remains. You don’t know who the people you interact with could be until they show what’s under their skin.

            There is another story that utilizes the Big Bad Wolf trope, disguising themselves in someone else’s skin to deceive those they want to harm. Perhaps you may have heard of The Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing, one of Aesop’s many fables. A story that, like Little Red Riding Hood, involves metaphorical strangers hiding sinister intentions behind seemingly benevolent identities. Here, the Wolf, using a discarded sheep skin, infiltrates the flock and lures a little lamb to its death. However, this story ends with the Shepherd mistaking the Wolf and slaughtering him for mutton. Because this story is quite short, the events happening within two days, we can only imagine what would happen if the beast was given more time to continue. There is a chance the Wolf may have eaten every single one, including the Shepherd. There is a chance the Wolf may have only eaten a few before the Shepherd caught on. Even so, the dangers posed in both stories are very real indicators of the threats that the sheep and Little Red face in reality.

That monsters can walk among us, draped in the skins of otherwise unassuming people. And, if we are not careful, any one of us could be their next meal.

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ABOUT THIS BLOGGER

Morgana Faye is a short story writer and poet. From thoughts to words, she weaves into a cohesive body of work. Writing allows Morgana time to slow down, collect her thoughts, and present them on paper. To catch those words before they slip from her grasp, forever lost during translation. Though recent, her blossoming interest in the publishing industry marks a pivotal change. Fall 2019 saw her poem “Closer” published in King’s River Review. However, it was not until 2024 that she would consider publishing a viable career path. Even so, Morgana seeks to showcase her skills to the world.

Read more of Morgana's works.