SPEED READING

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

90 Words per minute

There was once a little girl who was called Little Red Riding Hood because

she always wore a red cloak with a hood. One morning her mother said, “Little Red Riding Hood, your grandmother isn’t feeling very well. I want you to take her this tea and cake.” Red Riding Hood loved her

Grandmother very much and was eager to do as her

mother asked.

“Now don’t stray from the path, and don’t speak to strangers!” her mother cautioned her. The child promised to obey as she took the basket and skipped off down the path. The path led through a forest where there lurked a hungry wolf. As Red Riding Hood skipped along, he suddenly stepped out in front of her. She knew nothing of wolves and so was polite and said, “Good day, Sir. Please let me pass.”

“Of course I’ll let you pass,” he said, “but tell me, where are you going and what do you have in your basket?” “Why, I’m taking goodies to my Grandmother, who is sick.” “And where does your Grandmother live?” “She lives in the little cottage by the twin oak trees,” she answered without thinking that it was none of his

business.

“That is so nice of you. I bet your Grandmother would enjoy some of these beautiful wildflowers. Why not stop and pick some for her? Think how happy it will make her,” said the wolf. What a good idea, thought Red Riding Hood. She thanked the wolf and wandered from the path to a field of flowers. She picked flowers of yellow

and blue and red for Grandmother’s bouquet.

Meanwhile the hungry wolf slipped away and reached Grandmother’s cottage first. He knocked on the door and called out in a little girl’s voice. “Grandmother, I

am here with tea and cake for you.” “What is that you say?” answered the Grandmother in a feeble voice. “Grandmother it is me, Red Riding Hood. Can I come in?” “Just lift the latch and come in dear.”

The wolf rushed into the room and gobbled up Grandmother in one bite. Then he dressed himself in a nightgown and nightcap and hid under the covers

to wait for Red Riding Hood to arrive. In a little while he heard a soft knock on the door. Now he changed his voice to sound like the Grandmother. “Just lift the latch and come in, dear,” he called.

Red Riding Hood tiptoed toward the bed with a worried look. “Why Grandmother, what big eyes you have!” “The better to see you, my dear,” said the furry-faced Grandma. “But, Grandmother, what big ears you have!” “The better to hear you with, my dear.” “But, Grandmother, what big teeth you have!”

“The better to eat you with!” growled the wolf, and he threw off the covers, pounced upon Red Riding Hood, and swallowed her in one giant gulp. Then, with a full tummy, he fell sound asleep in Grandmother’s bed. A woodcutter who often stopped to check on Grandmother happened by

and was alarmed to hear loud snoring

coming from the cottage.

He forced the door open and was horrified to see the fat, sleeping wolf, curled up in Grandmother’s bed. The woodcutter raised his ax and carefully cut open the wolf’s stomach. Out popped Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother, alive and well! They quickly gathered enough large stones to fill the sleeping wolf’s belly, then sewed him up again and hid out of sight.

The wolf woke up with a terrible

stomach ache and wandered off into the

woods. He never had a appetite for eating Grandmothers or little girls

ever again.