Little Red Riding Hood (General)

Little Red Riding Hood is a cultural story with a great many depictions, originally based off of the Grimm's Fairy Tale, which was in turn based on a story that has its roots in Pre-Christian Europe. 
== The story ==
The story tells of a girl in a red hood called Little Red Riding hood. She is off to bring some food in a basket to her grandmother, who lives in the woods. A male wolf finds Little Red Riding Hood in the woods and questions her. Learning of her grandmother, he goes off to find her house and consume her. After swallowing her grandmother whole, he then dresses in her clothes and attempts to deceive Little Red Riding Hood. 
"Oh Grandmother, what big ears you have!" exclaims Little Red Riding Hood when she arrives and sees her grandmother laying in her bed.
"All the better to hear you with, my dear" replies the wolf in disguise. 
"Oh Grandmther, what big eyes you have!" 
"All the better to see you with, my dear," 
"Oh Grandmother, what big teeth you have!!" 
"All the better to eat you with, my dear,"https://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/littlered/8.htm and at this the wolf leaps out of the bed and attacks Little Red Riding Hood, and swallows her whole as well. Later on, a hunter or woodsman, having heard the ruckus, comes to the house and finds the wolf sleeping with a huge belly. He slices up the wolf's stomach with his ax, freeing them both.
== As a nursery story ==
This is one of the most important and common stories that American children learn, at least back in my day. It has been told through generation to generation and has numerous children's books recapping it and respinning it. There are many shows and movies that retell it as well as those that reference it. It is even referenced in song seldomly. 
== Meaning ==
Some adults make the story about a prostitute and the creeps that buy her. What kind of girl is going off into the woods alone? The basket of goods seems like an excuse. Wolves are known in culture for being lecherous men, especially back in the old days. So some people interpret the story this way as they get older. Some people think that Little Red is innocent, and that the wolf is a sexual predator. In the original, the red coat was a baptismal gift, but this isn't the story we know and love and the reference would fly over many children's heads, as Christians don't get baptism gifts so much anymore. Thus we'd know it was a pure gift, but it's just not a part of our culture anymore.
A lot of people consider it to be a simple warning to watch out for not just strange men, but viscious wild animals too, especially wolves. When walking in the woods alone, a mugger or carnivorous animal could prey upon you. Thus it's a safety tale precautioning people on traveling in the woods by yourself. Though the influence is not such that they feel Litte Red needed accompanyment, but rather of the dangers a lone girl and a lone old lady can face in the trecherous forest. This is always a journey for Red alone in its many adaptations.
== References ==