Josh is a senior at Saint Norbert’s who comes
from Grayslake, Illinois. He has chosen to become an English Major to pursue
his goal of struggling to find employment. His tale gives readers a new look at the classic tale of Little
Red Riding Hood by giving the tale a
modern spin.
Josh is a senior at Saint Norbert’s who comes
from Grayslake, Illinois. He has chosen to become an English Major to pursue
his goal of struggling to find employment. His tale gives readers a new look at the classic tale of Little
Red Riding Hood by giving the tale a
modern spin.
Dan Kristoff
Dan Kristoff
THE Story of little red rims
By Josh Rappaport
One
beautiful summer morning, Little Red Rims’ mother told her, politely yet
firmly, to take a basket full of soup and medicine to her sick grandmother. Now
Little Red Rims was the most beloved, friendly little girl in her village. She
was known by all with her bright red hair, bright red freckles, and most of all
for her bright red glasses, without which she could not see much. Little Red
Rims’ mother warned her to go straight to her grandmother’s house, which was
just on the other side of the path through the woods.
She said, “Little Red Rims, don’t stop and pick any flowers, no matter how beautiful, don’t talk to any strangers, no matter how friendly, and whatever you do, don’t take off your little red rims!” Of course, Little Red Rims said, “Yes, mother,” with the most sincere of intentions.
But when Little Red Rims left her home, basket in hand, it was such a beautiful day; she couldn’t help but stop and pick some flowers for her poor, sick grandmother. “My mother gave me three rules to follow; if I just break one, I’ll be okay,” Little Red Rims thought to herself. “Besides, poor grandmother will love these pretty pink flowers.”
When Little Red Rims bent over to pick up the flowers, her red rims fell to ground and broke. Or at least that’s what Little Red Rims heard happen. Once her glasses fell off, her vision was far too blurry to know what happened without doubt, but the loud “snap!” let Little Red Rims know she was in trouble. The little girl did not want to let her mother know she had disobeyed her, but she had a plan. “Grandmother will have an extra pair of red rims I can have,” since every woman in her family wore them, “but first I just need someone to point me in the direction of her house.”
With that, Little Red Rims squinted and was able to make out a figure passing in the distance. She cried out “Excuse me mister, but I really need help!” This figure passing in the distance was not an ordinary man. It was Mr. Wolf, who had been warned and warned to stay away from the children of the village. Mr. Wolf was hungry, but knew better than to talk to Little Red Rims, but curiosity got the better of him. He was making a real effort to stop eating children and instead become a vegetarian, so he could return to his home. Mr. Wolf thought out loud, “Maybe if Little Red Rims is really in danger and I save her, I will be allowed back in the village,” so he went to investigate.
“What seems to be the problem, dear,” Mr. Wolf said to Little Red Rims in his most kind, not wolf-like, voice.
Little Red Rims couldn’t know that it was Mr. Wolf in front of her, so she admitted, “I have broken my glasses and need somebody to walk me to my grandmother’s house,” Little Red Rims replied.
“Well this is more than I bargained for,” Mr. Wolf thought to himself, “If anyone sees me walking with Little Red Rims, he or she will certainly think I plan on eating her, and I am out of warnings.” So Mr. Wolf told Little Red Rims, “I’m sorry Little Red Rims, but I’m afraid I cannot help you.”
“Please, mister!” Little Red Rims shrieked, “If you don’t help me get to my grandmother’s house, I am afraid I might be stuck in these woods forever. I can hear your stomach growling mister, Grandmother is a wonderful cook and she will be very thankful to you for helping me.”
Upon hearing this, Mr. Wolf’s hunger won out against his better judgment. He decided to help Little Red Rims. Of course, Little Red Rims was not really worried she would be forever lost in the woods. She was close enough to home to where she could still yell for her mother to come and find her. Little Red Rims just did not want to get in trouble for disobeying her mother, so, hand in hand, Mr. Wolf and Little Red Rims went off to grandmother’s house, Mr. Wolf leading the way.
Grandmother was ailing, but she wasn’t quite on her death bed yet. In fact, the beautiful summer day made her feel a lot better. Feeling stronger, she went outside to tend to her garden and wait for her beloved Little Red Rims to arrive. But, instead of smiling Little Red Rims walking down the path, Grandmother saw something so fearful that the very hair on the back of her neck stood up.
Grandmother was looking into the bright summer sun, but the closer the figure walked down the path, the more fear Grandmother felt. “This stranger is not my darling Little Red Rims.”
“What big ears this stranger has,” Grandmother noted as the fearsome figure continued down the path towards her.
“What big eyes this stranger has,” Grandmother said, as she began to creep back into her house to retrieve the shotgun she kept in case for emergencies, with Grandfather being gone and all.
“What big teeth this stranger has,” Grandmother said in horror when Mr. Wolf’s sharp white teeth reflected in the summer sun. Grandmother had seen enough. The stranger was close enough to her now and she was able to recognize this stranger as no stranger at all. “It’s the sinister Mr. Wolf!” cried Grandmother as she loaded her shotgun.
Mr. Wolf saw Grandmother with her shotgun ready as he approached her house and sighed. “This certainly is not the friendliest greeting I have ever received, but it is nothing unusual for me.” More hungry than nervous, Mr. Wolf continued towards Grandmother’s house. “Once Grandmother sees Little Red Rims right behind without her Little Red Rims, she will see that I am simply leading her here,” Mr. Wolf said, trying to reassure himself. Little Red Rims herself was still nearly blind, but was happy she had a hand in front of her to help her get to Grandmother’s and stay out of trouble.
She had noticed this hand to be rather hairy, but she figured, “Oh well, I am in no position to complain to my guide, and what a beautiful day it is.” Little Red Rims, lost in her blindness and in the intoxicating warmth of the beautiful summer day remained oblivious to her Grandmother’s shotgun and Mr. Wolf’s comments. As the pair continued down the path, Grandmother squinted through the bright sun and despite being nearly blinded by brightness, she saw that Mr. Wolf had captured her own Little Red Rims and was dragging her behind him. Grandmother pointed her shotgun at Mr. Wolf.
“Not here, not today, Mr. Wolf, you will not eat my darling Little Red Rims,” Grandmother whispered as she aimed and pulled the trigger. “Bang!”
The loud “bang!” snapped Little Red Rims back to attention and suddenly the steady hand leading her to Grandmother’s house was gone.
“Hello mister, are you there?” she asked, but her guide did not respond. Instead, to her surprise, Little Red Rims heard her Grandmother’s voice calling out to her.
“Little Red Rims, are you okay? Thankfully, Mr. Wolf has not eaten you yet!”
Confused and nearly blind, Little Red Rims answered, “Mr. Wolf, the monster, is near?”
She said, “Little Red Rims, don’t stop and pick any flowers, no matter how beautiful, don’t talk to any strangers, no matter how friendly, and whatever you do, don’t take off your little red rims!” Of course, Little Red Rims said, “Yes, mother,” with the most sincere of intentions.
But when Little Red Rims left her home, basket in hand, it was such a beautiful day; she couldn’t help but stop and pick some flowers for her poor, sick grandmother. “My mother gave me three rules to follow; if I just break one, I’ll be okay,” Little Red Rims thought to herself. “Besides, poor grandmother will love these pretty pink flowers.”
When Little Red Rims bent over to pick up the flowers, her red rims fell to ground and broke. Or at least that’s what Little Red Rims heard happen. Once her glasses fell off, her vision was far too blurry to know what happened without doubt, but the loud “snap!” let Little Red Rims know she was in trouble. The little girl did not want to let her mother know she had disobeyed her, but she had a plan. “Grandmother will have an extra pair of red rims I can have,” since every woman in her family wore them, “but first I just need someone to point me in the direction of her house.”
With that, Little Red Rims squinted and was able to make out a figure passing in the distance. She cried out “Excuse me mister, but I really need help!” This figure passing in the distance was not an ordinary man. It was Mr. Wolf, who had been warned and warned to stay away from the children of the village. Mr. Wolf was hungry, but knew better than to talk to Little Red Rims, but curiosity got the better of him. He was making a real effort to stop eating children and instead become a vegetarian, so he could return to his home. Mr. Wolf thought out loud, “Maybe if Little Red Rims is really in danger and I save her, I will be allowed back in the village,” so he went to investigate.
“What seems to be the problem, dear,” Mr. Wolf said to Little Red Rims in his most kind, not wolf-like, voice.
Little Red Rims couldn’t know that it was Mr. Wolf in front of her, so she admitted, “I have broken my glasses and need somebody to walk me to my grandmother’s house,” Little Red Rims replied.
“Well this is more than I bargained for,” Mr. Wolf thought to himself, “If anyone sees me walking with Little Red Rims, he or she will certainly think I plan on eating her, and I am out of warnings.” So Mr. Wolf told Little Red Rims, “I’m sorry Little Red Rims, but I’m afraid I cannot help you.”
“Please, mister!” Little Red Rims shrieked, “If you don’t help me get to my grandmother’s house, I am afraid I might be stuck in these woods forever. I can hear your stomach growling mister, Grandmother is a wonderful cook and she will be very thankful to you for helping me.”
Upon hearing this, Mr. Wolf’s hunger won out against his better judgment. He decided to help Little Red Rims. Of course, Little Red Rims was not really worried she would be forever lost in the woods. She was close enough to home to where she could still yell for her mother to come and find her. Little Red Rims just did not want to get in trouble for disobeying her mother, so, hand in hand, Mr. Wolf and Little Red Rims went off to grandmother’s house, Mr. Wolf leading the way.
Grandmother was ailing, but she wasn’t quite on her death bed yet. In fact, the beautiful summer day made her feel a lot better. Feeling stronger, she went outside to tend to her garden and wait for her beloved Little Red Rims to arrive. But, instead of smiling Little Red Rims walking down the path, Grandmother saw something so fearful that the very hair on the back of her neck stood up.
Grandmother was looking into the bright summer sun, but the closer the figure walked down the path, the more fear Grandmother felt. “This stranger is not my darling Little Red Rims.”
“What big ears this stranger has,” Grandmother noted as the fearsome figure continued down the path towards her.
“What big eyes this stranger has,” Grandmother said, as she began to creep back into her house to retrieve the shotgun she kept in case for emergencies, with Grandfather being gone and all.
“What big teeth this stranger has,” Grandmother said in horror when Mr. Wolf’s sharp white teeth reflected in the summer sun. Grandmother had seen enough. The stranger was close enough to her now and she was able to recognize this stranger as no stranger at all. “It’s the sinister Mr. Wolf!” cried Grandmother as she loaded her shotgun.
Mr. Wolf saw Grandmother with her shotgun ready as he approached her house and sighed. “This certainly is not the friendliest greeting I have ever received, but it is nothing unusual for me.” More hungry than nervous, Mr. Wolf continued towards Grandmother’s house. “Once Grandmother sees Little Red Rims right behind without her Little Red Rims, she will see that I am simply leading her here,” Mr. Wolf said, trying to reassure himself. Little Red Rims herself was still nearly blind, but was happy she had a hand in front of her to help her get to Grandmother’s and stay out of trouble.
She had noticed this hand to be rather hairy, but she figured, “Oh well, I am in no position to complain to my guide, and what a beautiful day it is.” Little Red Rims, lost in her blindness and in the intoxicating warmth of the beautiful summer day remained oblivious to her Grandmother’s shotgun and Mr. Wolf’s comments. As the pair continued down the path, Grandmother squinted through the bright sun and despite being nearly blinded by brightness, she saw that Mr. Wolf had captured her own Little Red Rims and was dragging her behind him. Grandmother pointed her shotgun at Mr. Wolf.
“Not here, not today, Mr. Wolf, you will not eat my darling Little Red Rims,” Grandmother whispered as she aimed and pulled the trigger. “Bang!”
The loud “bang!” snapped Little Red Rims back to attention and suddenly the steady hand leading her to Grandmother’s house was gone.
“Hello mister, are you there?” she asked, but her guide did not respond. Instead, to her surprise, Little Red Rims heard her Grandmother’s voice calling out to her.
“Little Red Rims, are you okay? Thankfully, Mr. Wolf has not eaten you yet!”
Confused and nearly blind, Little Red Rims answered, “Mr. Wolf, the monster, is near?”