Grammar Tales

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A fairy tale for learners

We all know at least a few fairy tales: Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. The structure of these tales is familiar to us. They begin with the phrase “Once upon a time…” and use repetitive language to create drama: “Grandma, what big teeth you have! Grandma, what big ears you have!”

We have rewritten 24 fairy tales for the 21st century. Each one includes examples of a specific grammatical structure. This structure is explained in the notes at the end, where you will also find some related exercises. This month, we present a new version of Little Red Riding Hood.

Once upon a time…

a little girl was walking through the woods on her way to visit her grandmother, who was feeling under the weather. Her mother had packed a bottle of red wine and a cake to take to the old lady. “Poor Granny!” her mother had said. “I hope this makes her feel better.”

The little girl pulled on her favourite red hoodie. “Don’t dawdle, Scarlet,” warned her mother. “And always stay on the path. I don’t want to have to send out a search party.”

“OK,” Scarlet had said, shutting the door behind her.

Scarlet hadn’t meant to leave the path, but when she saw a cluster of girolles in a clearing next to the dirt track, she couldn’t resist looking for more. She loved mushrooms and so did her mum. She walked through the woods, looking at the forest floor for the little golden mushrooms.

Suddenly, she heard a cough, “Ahem!” Scarlet looked up to find she was staring into the face of a wolf. She screamed. “Shush, Little Red Hoodie!” said the wolf. “Is this yours?” he asked, holding out the basket with wine and cake.

“Oh, yes,” said Scarlet, realizing she had forgotten where she had put it down.

“Here you are,” said the wolf, handing it to her. “Where are you taking it? It’s surely not a picnic for you. Or do you enjoy a glass of red wine?”

“Don’t be silly,” laughed Scarlet. “I’m taking it to my granny. She’s not well.”

“Ah!” said the wolf. “And where does she live, might I ask?”

“Not far from here,” replied Scarlet politely. “In the little house by the river.”

“Aha! How interesting,” said the wolf, as if he were thinking about a plan. “By the way,” said the wolf, “I saw some mushrooms over there under those pines.”

“Thanks,” said Scarlet and she ran off to find them. “What a friendly wolf,” she thought, at the same time wondering why so many people were afraid of wolves.

Meanwhile, the wolf was bounding off in the direction of Granny’s home. It didn’t take him long to reach the little house by the river. He knocked on the door. Rat-a-tat-tat. “Granny, it’s me,” he called out in a girly voice. “I’ve brought you some cake and wine.”

“Come in, my dear,” said Granny. In walked the wolf, and before Granny knew what was happening, he had eaten her whole! Then, the crafty old wolf went to a cupboard and pulled out a nightie and a nightcap. He put them on, jumped into bed and pulled the bedclothes all the way up to his chin. Here, he would wait for Little Red Hoodie and eat her up, too. “Mwahahahahaaaa,” he laughed.

It wasn’t long before Scarlet arrived at her grandmother’s house. “Granny,” she called. “It’s me. Can I come in?”

“Of course, my dear,” called the wolf. “Wow, you sound really hoarse, Granny,” said Scarlet as she walked towards the bed. “Shall I make you some tea?”

“Oh no, my dear,” croaked the wolf. “I had some a little while ago.”

“Granny!” cried Little Red Hoodie on seeing her “grandmother” up close. “You don’t look well at all!”

“Oh, don’t worry,” said the wily wolf. “I just don’t have my make-up on.”

“I’ve never noticed that you have such hairy hands,” said Scarlet.

“They’re gloves,” lied the wolf, “to keep my hands warm.”

“And you have such a long nose!” said Scarlet.

“I’ve always had a long nose, child,” said the wolf truthfully.

“And your ears,” continued Scarlet. “You have such big ears!”

“Yes,” said the wolf. “I suppose I do. Do you know what I like about you?” asked the wolf. “You’re so direct. It’s a wonderful quality. I hope you never lose it.”

While the wolf had been talking, Scarlet had been staring at him intently. It was beginning to become clear to the girl that her grandmother looked a lot like the friendly wolf she had met earlier. “You have such pointy teeth!” she said.

“OK, enough with the small talk,” said the wolf and, opening his mouth wide, he swallowed Scarlet whole. The wolf’s belly heaved with the movement of thin elbows and knees, making it difficult for him to get up. He lay back on the bed and was soon snoring his head off.

Meanwhile, Little Red Hoodie’s mother was worried sick. Scarlet had been gone for hours. She set off in the direction of Granny’s house to look for her daughter. “I hope nothing’s happened,” she whispered to herself. “I should have gone with her.” It was almost dark when she arrived at the little house. She looked through the window and saw the wolf with his enormous belly lying on the bed, wearing Granny’s nightie. “What the...?” said Scarlet’s mother, although she immediately realized what had happened. She ran inside, grabbed the kitchen scissors and carefully cut open the wolf’s belly. First, she pulled out Scarlet and then Granny. It was a terrible scene: Scarlet and her grandmother smelling dreadful and covered in slime, and the wolf lying dead on the bed.

“Did you bring any wine and cake, my dear?” asked Granny.

“I’m starving!” said Scarlet.

Scarlet’s mum couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m so relieved!” she said. She would have hugged them both, but they really did smell bad. After Scarlet and her grandmother had washed and put on fresh nighties, they helped Scarlet’s mum drag the wolf outside. Scarlet cooked the mushrooms and soon the three were sitting down to a fine meal. “What a day!” said Granny. And they all lived happily ever after.