bed of moss! You
must come with me, pretty green moss, to grandma's house. Good morning,
pretty bird: will you sing to me this morning?

_Bird._ Yes, little Red Riding-Hood. I will sing to you because you love
all the birds and can understand my song. Soon I'll show you my little
birds who are just big enough to fly.

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ Thank you, dear bird, I shall be glad to see
the cunning little things. But now I must hurry to grandmother's with
the butter and the honey. Good-by!

_Bird._ Good-by, little friend! Chirp, chirp; chirp, chirp!

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ Now the little bird has flown away. I must put
this moss in my basket and then hurry along--

_Wolf._ Ugh, ugh!

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ Oh! how you frightened me, Mister Wolf! Where
did you come from?

_Wolf._ From my pretty cave, far, far in the dark wood, little girl.
What is your name?

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ Why, don't you know me? I'm little Red
Riding-Hood.

_Wolf._ I'm a stranger in this place, little girl; but I shall know you
the next time I see you--ugh, ugh! What have you in your pretty basket,
little Red Riding-Hood? It smells like honey.

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ It _is_ honey, Mr. Wolf. I am taking it to my
dear grandmother.

_Wolf._ Are you all alone in the wood, my child? Isn't your mother with
you? Aren't you afraid?

[Illustration]

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ Afraid? no, indeed! Why should I be afraid?
All the animals are my friends.

_Wolf._ Oh, yes, of course they are all your friends! But is it far to
your grandmother's house?

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ No, Mr. Wolf, only about half a mile. You go
down this path to the mill and then turn to the right, and the first
house you come to is my grandmother's. It's a little red house.

_Wolf._ Oh, that is very easy to find! But I know a shorter way through
the wood. Let us run a race and see who will get there first.

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ All right, Mr. Wolf. Good-by!

_Wolf._ Ugh, ugh; good-by!

_Little Red Riding-Hood._ How fast he runs! I know he will win the race.
How surprised dear grandma will be when Mr. Wolf knocks at the door! Now
I see the mill. I will sing the pretty mill song we learned in school
the other day.

[_Begins to sing, then stops suddenly._]

Oh, there is the miller. Good morning, Mr. Miller! Have you seen Mr.
Wolf go by?

_Miller._ No, little Red Riding-Hood. Have you seen a wolf in the wood?

_Little Red Riding-Hood.