The False Grandmother
Once upon a time a girl was walking through the woods with a basket of goodies for her
grandmother, when she met a wolf.
"Good day," said the wolf. "Where are you going so early in the
morning?"
Now the girl did not know that the wolf was a wicked animal, so she told him that she
was going to visit her grandmother, who lived on the other side of the woods. She
continued merrily on her way. The wicked wolf ran on ahead and arrived at the
grandmother's house before the girl. He crept inside, leaped on the poor grandmother, and
ate her up, saving only a pitcher of blood and a piece of flesh. He then climbed into the
grandmother's bed, and waited for the girl. The girl soon arrived, and knocked at the
door.
"Just let yourself in," said the wolf, disguising his voice. "You must
be hungry from your long walk through the woods. Do eat some of the meat that's on the
kitchen table.
And the girl ate from her grandmother's flesh.
"You must be thirsty from your long walk through the woods. Do drink from the
pitcher that's on the kitchen table.
And the girl drank from her grandmother's blood.
"You must be tired from your long walk through the woods. Do come to bed with me.
And the girl climbed into bed with the wolf.
She soon saw that it was not her grandmother in the bed with her, and she became
frightened. Not knowing how else to escape, she said, "I have to go to the
privy."
"You can just do it in the bed," answered the wicked wolf.
"I don't have to go little. I have to go big," said the girl.
"All right," said the wolf, "but hurry right back as soon as you are
done.
The girl ran out of the house, and she ran past the privy, and she ran through the
woods, and she did not stop until she was safely back at home.
A. Millien: Mélusine, v. 3 (1886-1887), col. 428-429. (AT 333, Frankreich)
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