story
Little Red Riding Hood
A young girl encounters a predator in disguise on a journey through the woods.
Origin
European folk tale collected by Charles Perrault (1697) and the Brothers Grimm. A girl carries food to her grandmother; the wolf gets there first, eats the grandmother, dresses in her clothes, and tries to eat the girl. Versions vary in how โ or whether โ she's rescued.
Modern usage
An enduring template for stories about innocence, danger, and predators who hide as familiars. The 'red hood' is also visual shorthand.
Tags
danger
innocence
predator