21-the true history-第1节

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THE　TRUE　HISTORY　OF　LITTLE　GOLDEN

HOOD



YOU　know　the　tale　of　poor　Little　Red　Riding…hood；　that　the　Wolf

deceived　and　devoured；　with　her　cake；　her　little　butter　can；

and　her　Grandmother；　well；　the　true　story　happened　quite　differently；

as　we　know　now。　And　first　of　all　the　little　girl　was　called　and

is　still　called　Little　Golden…hood；　secondly；　it　was　not　she；　nor　the

good　grand…dame；　but　the　wicked　Wolf　who　was；　in　the　end；　caught

and　devoured。



Only　listen。



The　story　begins　something　like　the　tale。



There　was　once　a　little　peasant　girl；　pretty　and　nice　as　a　star　in

its　season。　Her　real　name　was　Blanchette；　but　she　was　more　often

called　Little　Golden…hood；　on　account　of　a　wonderful　little　cloak　with

a　hood；　gold…　and　fire…coloured；　which　she　always　had　on。　This

little　hood　was　given　her　by　her　Grandmother；　who　was　so　old　that

she　did　not　know　her　age；　it　ought　to　bring　her　good　luck；　for　it　was

made　of　a　ray　of　sunshine；　she　said。　And　as　the　good　old　woman

was　considered　something　of　a　witch；　everyone　thought　the　little

hood　rather　bewitched　too。



And　so　it　was；　as　you　will　see。



One　day　the　mother　said　to　the　child：　‘Let　us　see；　my　little

Golden…hood；　if　you　know　now　how　to　find　your　way　by　yourself。

You　shall　take　this　good　piece　of　cake　to　your　Grandmother

for　a　Sunday　treat　to…morrow。　You　will　ask　her　how　she　is；　and

come　back　at　once；　without　stopping　to　chatter　on　the　way　with

people　you　don't　know。　Do　you　quite　understand？'



‘I　quite　understand；'　replied　Blanchette　gaily。　And　off　she

went　with　the　cake；　quite　proud　of　her　errand。



But　the　Grandmother　lived　in　another　village；　and　there　was　a

big　wood　to　cross　before　getting　there。　At　a　turn　of　the　road　under

the　trees；　suddenly　‘Who　goes　there？'



‘Friend　Wolf。'



He　had　seen　the　child　start　alone；　and　the　villain　was　waiting

to　devour　her；　when　at　the　same　moment　he　perceived　some　wood…

cutters　who　might　observe　him；　and　he　changed　his　mind。　Instead

of　falling　upon　Blanchette　he　came　frisking　up　to　her　like　a　good　dog。



‘　'Tis　you！　my　nice　Little　Golden…hood；'　said　he。　So　the　little

girl　stops　to　talk　with　the　Wolf；　who；　for　all　that；　she　did　not　know

in　the　least。



‘You　know　me；　then！'　said　she；　‘what　is　your　name？'



‘My　name　is　friend　Wolf。　And　where　are　you　going　thus；　my

pretty　one；　with　your　little　basket　on　your　arm？'



‘I　am　going　to　my　Grandmother；　to　take　her　a　good　piece　of

cake　for　her　Sunday　treat　to…morrow。'



‘And　where　does　she　live；　your　Grandmother？'



‘She　lives　at　the　other　side　of　the　wood；　in　the　first　house　in　the

village；　near　the　windmill；　you　know。'



‘Ah！　yes！　I　know　now；'　said　the　Wolf。　‘Well；　that's　just　where

I'm　going；　I　shall　get　there　before　you；　no　doubt；　with　your　little

bits　of　legs；　and　I'll　tell　her　you're　coming　to　see　her；　then　she'll

wait　for　you。'



Thereupon　the　Wolf　cuts　across　the　wood；　and　in　five　minutes

arrives　at　the　Grandmother's　house。



He　knocks　at　the　door：　toc；　toc。



No　answer。



He　knocks　louder。



Nobody。



Then　he　stands　up　on　end；　puts　his　two　fore…paws　on　the　latch

and　the　door　opens。



Not　a　soul　in　the　house。



The　old　woman　had　risen　early　to　sell　herbs　in　the　town；　and

she　had　gone　off　in　such　haste　that　she　had　left　her　bed　unmade；

with　her　great　night…cap　on　the　pillow。



‘Good！'　said　the　Wolf　to　himself；　‘I　know　what　I'll　do。'



He　shuts　the　door；　pulls　on　the　Grandmother's　night…cap　down

to　his　eyes；　then　he　lies　down　all　his　length　in　the　bed　and　draws

the　curtains。



In　the　meantime　the　good　Blanchette　went　quietly　on　her　way；

as　little　girls　do；　amusing　herself　here　and　there　by　picking　Easter

daisies；　watching　the　little　birds　making　their　nests；　and　running

after　the　butterflies　which　fluttered　in　the　sunshine。



At　last　she　arrives　at　the　door。



Knock；　knock。



‘Who　is　there？'　says　the　Wolf；　softening　his　rough　voice　as

best　he　can。



‘It's　me；　Granny；　your　little　Golden…hood。　I'm　bringing　you　a

big　piece　of　cake　for　your　Sunday　treat　to…morrow。'



‘Press　your　finger　on　the　latch；　then　push　and　the　door　opens。'



‘Why；　you've　got　a　cold；　Granny；'　said　she；　coming　in。



‘Ahem！　a　little；　a　little　。　。　。'　replies　the　Wolf；　pretending　to

cough。　‘Shut　the　door　well；　my　little　lamb。　Put　your　basket　on

the　table；　and　then　take　off　your　frock　and　come　and　lie　down　by

me：　you　shall　rest　a　little。'



The　good　child　undresses；　but　observe　this！　She　kept　her　little

hood　upon　her　head。　When　she　saw　what　a　figure　her　Granny

cut　in　bed；　the　poor　little　thing　was　much　surprised。



‘Oh！'　cries　she；　‘how　like　you　are　to　friend　Wolf；　Grandmother！'



‘That's　on　account　of　my　night…cap；　child；'　replies　the　Wolf。



‘Oh！　what　hairy　arms　you've　got；　Grandmother！'



‘All　the　better　to　hug　you；　my　child。'



‘Oh！　what　a　big　tongue　you've　got；　Grandmother！'



‘All　the　better　for　answering；　child。'



‘Oh！　what　a　mouthful　of　great　white　teeth　you　have；　Grandmother！'



‘That's　for　crunching　little　children　with！　‘And　the　Wolf　opened

his　jaws　wide　to　swallow　Blanchette。



But　she　put　down　her　head　crying：



‘Mamma！　Mamma！'　and　the　Wolf　only　caught　her　little　hood。



Thereupon；　oh　dear！　oh　dear！　he　draws　back；　crying　and

shaking　his　jaw　as　if　he　had　swallowed　red…hot　coals。



It　was　the　little　fire…coloured　hood　that　had　burnt　his　tongue

right　down　his　throat。



The　little　hood；　you　see；　was　one　of　those　magic　caps　that　they

used　to　have　in　former　times；　in　the　stories；　for　making　oneself

invisible　or　invulnerable。



So　there　was　the　Wolf　with　his　throat　burnt；　jumping　off　the

bed　and　trying　to　find　the　door；　howling　and　howling　as　if　all　the

dogs　in　the　country　were　at　his　heels。



Just　at　this　moment　the　Grandmother　arrives；　returning　from

the　town　with　her　long　sack　empty　on　her　shoulder。



‘Ah；　brigand！'　she　cries；　‘wait　a　bit！'　Quickly　she　opens　her

sack　wide　across　the　door；　and　the　maddened　Wolf　springs　in　head

downwards。



It　is　he　now　that　is　caught；　swallowed　like　a　letter　in　the　post。



For　the　brave　old　dame　shuts　her　sack；　so；　and　she　runs　and

empties　it　in　the　well；　where　the　vagabond；　still　howling；　tumbles

in　and　is　drowned。



‘Ah；　scoundrel！　you　thought　you　would　crunch　my　little　grandchild！

Well；　to…morrow　we　will　make　her　a　muff　of　your　skin；　and

you　yourself　shall　be　crunched；　for　we　will　give　your　carcass　to

the　dogs。'



Thereupon　the　Grandmother　hastened　to　dress　poor　Blanchette；

who　was　still　trembling　with　fear　in　the　bed。



‘Well；'　she　said　to　her；　‘without　my　little　hood　where　would

you　be　now；　darling？'　And；　to　restore　heart　and　legs　to　the　child；

she　made　her　eat　a　good　piece　of　her　cake；　and　drink　a　good　draught

of　wine；　after　which　she　took　her　by　the　hand　and　led　her　back　to

the　house。



And　then；　who　was　it　who　scolded　her　when　she　knew　all　that

had　happened？



It　was　the　mother。



But　Blanchette　promised　over　and　over　again　that　she　would

never　more　stop　to　listen　to　a　Wolf；　so　that　at　last　the　mother

forgave　her。



And　Blanchette；　the　Little　Golden…hood；　kept　her　word。　And　in

fine　weather　she　may　still　be　seen　in　the　fields　with　her　pretty

little　hood；　the　colour　of　the　sun。



But　to　see　her　you　must　rise　early。＇17＇



＇17＇　Ch。　Marelles