Big Bad Wolf

Lately, Joseph's been getting three stories every night. One read to him, one Little Bird story and one story, as he puts it, from my mouth. I've been trying to remember some of the classic stories off the top of my head, but as I tell them, I've realized that they are pretty ummm..interesting? Jack steals the Giant's treasures, Goldilocks is a trespasser, the Big Bad Wolf eats everybody. I find myself scrambling to edit the stories to be sure that Joseph doesn't end up scared. Tonight, it was Little Red Riding Hood...

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived at edge of the woods. She loved to wear a bright red coat with a hood.

One day, Red's mommy asked her to take her grandmother some cookies. Excited, Red put the cookies in a basket and started down the path through the forest singing a little song. It was a beautiful day and Red took her time, looking at flowers and birds and bugs. She was almost at Grandmother's house when all of a sudden, out of the woods, popped the Big, Bad Wolf!

(Joseph - "The Wolf from the pig story?" Me - "Ummmm...")

The Wolf had just returned from blowing down the two little pigs' houses and he was feeling a bit depressed. His big nose could smell something sweet coming from the basket. His mouth started watering.

"Hey there, Red. What's in the basket?"

"Cookies for Grandmother."

"I don't supposed you'd want to give them to me instead?" he asked hopefully.

"No! They're for Grandmother!"

"Awwww...c'mon, Red! I've had a really rough day and would love to have some of your cookies."

"I'm sorry Mr. Wolf, but they're not mine to give away. They're Grandmother's."

The Big Bad Wolf thought hard for a moment. "Okay," he said. "I guess I won't be able to change your mind." He walked away kicking at rocks, acting mad and disappointed. But he was just pretending! As soon as he was out of sight of Red, he took off running for Grandmother's house. He got there quickly because wolves run much faster than little girls in red coats. He knocked on Grandmother's door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me! The Big, Bad Wolf!"

"What do you want," Grandmother asked suspiciously. She knew the Big Bad Wolf wasn't always the most truthful of fellows.

"I was wondering if you could help me out. My oven doesn't seem to be working and I really need to fix my dinner. Could you look at it?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm expecting Red any minute now."

"Oh." The Wolf looked sad. "But I'm really hungry. I could wait for Red and let her in, if you like."

"Wellll..."

"Please," the Wolf begged.

Grandmother sighed. "Okay." She grabbed her sweater and went out the door. The Wolf waited a moment and then ran upstairs to Grandmother's room. He put on her nightgown, robe and hat and covered up with one of her blankets. Just as he finished up, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he cried in a girl's voice.

"I'm here with some cookies for you, Grandmother!" Red went upstairs to Grandmother's bedroom.

"Grandmother! You look...different." Red was no fool. She could tell the Wolf was trying to pretend to be Grandmother. She thought for a minute about a way to trick him.

"What big ears you have!"

"The better to hear you, my dear."

"What a big nose you have!"

"The better to smell those delicious cookies, my dear!"

"What big TEETH you have!"

"The better to eat the cookies!!" With that the Wolf jumped out of bed, grabbed the basket and raced all the way home, laughing at how smart he was.

But he'd forgotten one thing. Grandmother was still at his house trying to fix his oven. When he slammed through the door, she spun around and spied the basket in his paws.

"Shame on you, Mr. Wolf!" The Wolf slumped down to the floor. It had been a very rough day. Grandmother took pity on him.

"I tell you what we can do. We can share the cookies." The Wolf jumped to his feet and started to open the basket. "Wait! After you eat your dinner."

So the three of them sat down to eat a healthy dinner followed by cookies. The Wolf decided it was much more fun to share the cookies with friends then to eat them all alone.

The End