Our current bedtime story is a collection of stories from all over the world such as Ireland, Norway, France, Russia, and India to name a few, and a few of Aesop's Fables as well.
Many of these are well-known and well-loved stories from my childhood and many more of them have proven to be new treasures.
Among the famous tales in the collection is Little Red Riding Hood. It's listed as being from France, which was totally new information to me, and written in this version by Charles Perrault.
What impressed me is there's no tacked on happy- every-after nonsense.
No huntsman comes by and rescues granny and Red from the wolf's belly.
It ends as it should:
"'Grandmamma, what great teeth you've got!'
'To eat thee up!'
And saying these words, the wicked Wolf fell upon Little Red Riding-Hood and ate her all up."
That's it.
I slept well after this was read to me as it was refreshing and logical and exactly how the story should end.
The book is The Junior Classics, Volume One, P.F. Collier & Son Corporation , 1938.
Mike found it at the recycling depot.
There's another book of similar stories he picked up.
I hope it's just as logical.
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7 comments:
Excellent! I love that sort of collection!
VL, I thought you might. It's tickling me silly.
The originals are always better than the sanitized versions, and i have copies of some of them. Many of them i read to the kids when they were younger, they liked them.
Also, there's the tongue-in-cheek Politically Correct Bedtime Stories that Bigger Girl finds hilarious.
Agreed, Messymimi. I hope to find more of them.
Meanwhile, I've read a few of the PC stories. Amusing.
I'm amazed that you managed to find a version with the true ending! I would have thought the PC movement would have gobbled them all up for fear their children would have nightmares at the idea of Little Red Riding Hood being gobbled all up...
I totally agree with you about those endings!
Bag Lady, it was an unexpected thrill.
Betty, thanks. I hope to find more of them.
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