d nicely,
and don't run, or you might fall and break the flask of wine, and there
would be none left for grandmother. And when you go into her room, don't
forget to say, Good morning, instead of staring about you."

"I will be sure to take care," said Little Red-cap to her mother, and
gave her hand upon it. Now the grandmother lived away in the wood,
half-an-hour's walk from the village; and when Little Red-cap had
reached the wood, she met the wolf; but as she did not know what a bad
sort of animal he was, she did not feel frightened.

"Good day, Little Red-cap," said he.

"Thank you kindly, Wolf," answered she.

"Where are you going so early, Little Red-cap?"

"To my grandmother's."

"What are you carrying under your apron?"

"Cakes and wine; we baked yesterday; and my grandmother is very weak
and ill, so they will do her good, and strengthen her."

"Where does your grandmother live, Little Red-cap?"

"A quarter of an hour's walk from here; her house stands beneath the
three oak trees, and you may know it by the hazel bushes," said Little
Red-cap. The wolf thought to himself,

"That tender young thing would be a delicious morsel, and would taste
better than the old one; I must manage somehow to get both of them."

Then he walked by Little Red-cap a little while, and said,

"Little Red-cap, just look at the pretty flowers that are growing all
round you, and I don't think you are listening to the song of the birds;
you are posting along just as if you were going to school, and it is so
delightful out here in the wood."

Little Red-cap glanced round her, and when she saw the sunbeams darting
here and there through the trees, and lovely flowers everywhere, she
thought to herself,

"If I were to take a fresh nosegay to my grandmother she would be very
pleased, and it is so early in the day that I shall reach her in plenty
of time;" and so she ran about in the wood, looking for flowers. And as
she picked one she saw a still prettier one a little farther off, and so
she went farther and farther into the wood. But the wolf went straight
to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door.

"Who is there?" cried the grandmother.

"Little Red-cap," he answered, "and I have brought you some cake and
wine. Please open the door."

"Lift the latch," cried the grandmother; "I am too feeble to get up."

So the wolf lifted the latch, and the door flew open, and he fell on the
grandmother and ate her up without say