French: Le Petit Chaperon Rouge-Little Red Riding Hood

This version of the classic Little Red Riding Hood follows the Charles Perrault 1697 story with an abrupt and gruesome ending, both Little Red and Gramma get eaten by the big bad wolf. The story has a clear and unequivocal moral: children should not talk to strangers.

In the story: In French culture, privacy within oneself and the family circle is valued. There is a reason that in this telling of Little Red Riding Hood that there is an emphasis on not talking to anyone she does not know on the path to her grandmother’s. This story also, unlike other versions, ends poorly for Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother as Little Red Riding Hood failed to heed her mother’s advice, and ill-advisedly did indeed engage with a stranger on her path. This telling of the story could reflect the value of privacy that the French hold in high regard. It is also something to note that the French typically have close relationships with their grandparents, and visits by extended and immediate family are common. Furthermore, as the description indicates, this version of Little Red Riding Hood is from France,  by a French author; which could be why this version differs from the Brother's Grimm (originating in Germany).