Little Red Riding Hood: Two versions: Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers (Th Fables of the Evergreen)

'Little Red Riding Hood' is one of the best known fairy tales of all time. The most famous versions are by Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers here included. Little Red Riding Hood is a cautionary tale warning little girls of the perils of disobedience, but the older story is a complex one of female initiation to sexual maturity. The editor E. Nannini claims: "Never until now had I considered editing and publishing a classic fairy tale. This was perhaps due to the fact that children's literature is very crowded with many different editions of the same story. The approach I have taken is original: I have included in the first part of my book the two most famous versions of Little Red Riding Hood. The first version, by Charles Perrault, pessimistic in spirit, is the one where the little girl dies eaten by the big bad wolf. The second version, by the Grimm Brothers, more optimistic and didactical, is the one where the grandmother and the child are saved from death due to the intervention of a good hunter who kills the wolf. On a following second occasion they are saved by their acquired wisdom. In the second part, I have inserted detailed information on the tale's history and allegorical/symbolic interpretations. The idea behind my project is that a horrific fairy tale like Little Red Riding Hood should first be read and interpreted by parents and teachers, and then be heard by children." The origins of the Little Red Riding Hood story can be traced to versions from various European countries and more than likely preceding the 17th century, of which several exist, some significantly different from the currently known, Grimms-inspired version. The earliest known printed version was known as 'Le Petit Chaperon Rouge' and may have had its origins in 17th century French folklore. It was included in the collection 'Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals'. 'Tales of Mother Goose' ('Histoires et contes du temps passé, avec des moralités. Contes de ma mère l'Oye'), was published by Charles Perrault in 1697. The Brothers Grimm revised the story and it reached a new finale (1857). This is a better known version notably tamer than the older stories which contained darker themes.