he sprang upon
the poor old lady and ate her up in less than no time, for he had been
more than three days without food.

After that he shut the door, lay down in the grandmother's bed, and
waited for Little Red Riding Hood.

Presently she came and knocked. _Toc Toc._

'Who is there?'

Now Little Red Riding Hood on hearing the Wolf's gruff voice was at
first frightened, but thinking that her grandmother had a bad cold, she
replied:

'It is your little daughter, Red Riding Hood, and I bring you a cake and
a little pot of butter from my mother.'

[Illustration: '_Come up on the bed with me_']

Softening his voice, the Wolf called out to her:

'Pull out the peg and the latch will fall.'

Little Red Riding Hood drew out the peg and the door flew open.

When he saw her enter, the Wolf hid himself in the bed beneath the
counterpane.

'Put the cake and the little pot of butter on the bin,' he said, 'and
come up on the bed with me.'

Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes, but when she climbed up on
the bed she was astonished to see how her grandmother looked in her
nightgown.

'Grandmother dear!' she exclaimed, 'what big arms you have!'

'The better to embrace you, my child!'

'Grandmother dear, what big legs you have!'

'The better to run with, my child!'

'Grandmother dear, what big ears you have!'

'The better to hear with, my child!'

'Grandmother dear, what big eyes you have!'

'The better to see with, my child!'

'Grandmother dear, what big teeth you have!'

'The better to eat you with!'

With these words the wicked Wolf leapt upon Little Red Riding Hood and
gobbled her up.

[Illustration: "'YOU MUST DIE, MADAM,' HE SAID."]

BLUE BEARD

Once upon a time there was a man who owned splendid town and country
houses, gold and silver plate, tapestries and coaches gilt all over. But
the poor fellow had a blue beard, and this made him so ugly and
frightful that there was not a woman or girl who did not run away at
sight of him.

Amongst his neighbours was a lady of high degree who had two
surpassingly beautiful daughters. He asked for the hand of one of these
in marriage, leaving it to their mother to choose which should be
bestowed upon him. Both girls, however, raised objections, and his offer
was bandied from one to the other, neither being able to bring herself
to accept a man with a blue beard. Another reason for their distaste was
the fact that he had already married sever