We all know the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Growing up, it was told to us either by our parents or family members, or we read about it in a book of fairy tales. But, do you really know the story? The tale is generally regarded as a story with the moral “don’t talk to strangers,” but the original was much, much darker than that.
From Perrault’s original publication to the stories we see today, Little Red has changed quite a bit, and so has the story. To test your fairy tale knowledge, Costume SuperCenter put together these five little-known facts about the old story. Make sure you know your stuff before you head off to grandma’s house dressed like Little Red Riding Hood!
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- There have been several published versions of “Little Red Riding Hood,” the first being Charles Perrault’s 1697. In Perrault’s version, there’s no happy ending, as Red Riding Hood is eaten by the wolf.
- In the Grimm Brother’s version of Little Red Riding Hood, published in 1812, the character actually wore a red cap, not a hood, and was known as Little Red-Cap. The translation between languages often saw the change in the character’s name.
- A 2013 study that examined more than 58 versions of the story revealed that the oral version of the story originated from the Middle East in the 1st century, not China, as it was originally assumed.
- Ronald Dahl’s poem version of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, the story plays out similarly to the original, but when it comes to the climax, Little Red asks about the wolf’s furry coat to the wolf’s surprise, and then pulls out a pistol and shoots the wolf! She’s seen in the epilogue with a new wolf skin coat.
- The Grimm Brothers’ version of the story has Little Red and her grandmother being eaten by the wolf, like in the original story, although a huntsman comes along to save the day, disemboweling the wolf and pulling them out, alive.
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