Once upon a time, in the Arabian city of Agrabah, there lived a poor Muslim family. The father was a storekeeper who struggled to keep his shop open after his wife had passed away. He had two children, a son named Farhan and a daughter named Jasmine. The father was very old fashioned and did not believe in sons and daughters being equal. He was easy-going with Farhan and allowed him to do anything he wanted. This was not the case with Jasmine. In order to keep his store open, the father was strict and depended on Jasmine to sew all the fabric and make different pieces of clothing all on her own. Jasmine worked many hours in a small stall with little pay, but dared not to say a thing to her father or else he would yell. She knew she did not want to spend the rest of her life working in horrible conditions and was determined to escape.

One night once the store had closed, her father told Jasmine that he wanted to talk with her.

“You are getting older, you must get married soon,” exclaimed the father. “I have arranged a marriage for you and you will meet the man in the next couple of weeks.”

Jasmine was only 17, but young marriage was common in the Islamic city. She did not want to marry a stranger. She made a promise to herself that she would become successful on her own first, before getting married. As always, Jasmine had lost the argument against her father and agreed to meet the man.

The next day arrived. The father and Farhan had gone out to get food which left Jasmine alone at the store. A young, rich, Christian woman came by looking for an abaya(1).

“I love showing appreciation for the beautiful Arabic culture!” The kind lady exclaimed. Jasmine showed the woman one of the most beautiful pieces she had sewn, and the woman was astonished. She gave her 1000 shekel (2). The rich lady asked Jasmine many questions and started to feel bad for the conditions she was in. The woman then reached into her purse and handed Jasmine a box.

“What is this?” asked Jasmine.

To which the young lady replied,”It’s a gift. I hope it will help you out, just open it when your father is not around.”

Jasmine thanked the lady for the gift and hid it away in her room to open for later.

Once the shop was closed, Jasmine’s father gave her new fabric to sew, along with a small plate of falafel (3). She cherished the photo she had of her biggest inspiration, her mother. Jasmine’s wardrobe consisted of all her mother’s old Arab outfits, and she wore her mother’s golden Ayatul Kursi (4) necklace every day to give her blessings. She finished sewing and remembered the gift the nice lady had given her. Jasmine carefully opened the box and to her surprise, there was a beautiful and shiny lamp. As she admired and rubbed the lamp, smoke appeared from the opening and it scared her. Soon, a genie appeared, and she stared at it in disbelief.

“Who are you?” whispered Jasmine, as she did not want her father or Farhan to hear.

“I am a genie and I am here to grant you your wishes,” the genie whispered back.

Jasmine was confused. She asked,”So you can make anything come true for me?”

The genie replied, “You have three wishes, use them wisely. Once all three are used up, this lamp will burst into flames and I will be free. The only restriction is that you may not wish to bring someone back from the dead. You help me, and I will help you.”

Jasmine was still confused but listened to the genie’s instructions. She had to think of her three wishes as she wanted to make them as meaningful as possible. She told the genie she would be back tomorrow night to make her first wish, to which the genie replied by nodding and disappearing back into the lamp. Jasmine put the lamp back into the box and gently pushed it under her bed. She lay in bed and began to think of what she wanted.

The next day rolled around and it was another regular day at the store. Jasmine worked on sewing different coloured hijabs (5) and then put them up for display. As she was doing this, she continued thinking of her three wishes. Her father realized she kept getting distracted and yelled at her. The day felt long, but once she was finally able to clean up, she ran to her room and pulled the box with the lamp out from under her bed.

Jasmine rubbed the lamp and the genie appeared again.

“Have you decided on your first wish?” asked the genie.

“Yes!” said Jasmine. She slowly closed her eyes and said “I wish to become successful on my own.”

All of a sudden, there was a puff of smoke and Jasmine saw herself standing in her very own clothing store, “Jasmine’s Boutique.” The store was located in the rich part of Agrabah. Everything was exactly how she dreamed of it, with a large wall of different fabrics, the most advanced sewing machines, and the best tailors in all of the city working for her. She even had her own bedroom within the store. She could not believe her eyes. Her store soon opened and people from all over the land came to purchase her top quality Arab clothing.

A peasant of the Royal Ababwa family came by that day and requested for Jasmine to go with him to deliver some of her best pieces to the royal family. She agreed and ran to put on her best abaya, which had belonged to her mother. One of Jasmine’s workers picked out her best pieces and wrapped them in gold paper. She thanked her and went outside. The peasant was awaiting her on a camel and she hopped on behind. They made their way to the palace.

Jasmine was greeted by the guards who guided her to the queen. She met the queen’s son, Prince Ali Ababwa, and fell in love. He was the most beautiful boy she had ever seen.

Jasmine nervously said, “I’m here to give the queen some of my clothing pieces, I hope she likes them.”

To which the prince replied, “Your work is beautiful, my mother will love them.”

“Thank you, Prince!” Jasmine exclaimed while blushing.

“Call me Aladdin,” said the young prince.

Jasmine delivered her package to the queen and went back to her store.

The next few weeks passed by and Jasmine was as successful as ever. The queen had recommended Jasmine’s shop to other well-known people in the city and the amount of customers increased each and every day. Jasmine was focused on running her business, but she could not stop thinking about Aladdin. She remembered the promise she made to herself, that she must become successful on her own first before marrying someone. Jasmine continued to work hard for the next few months without letting anything distract her.

The prince soon turned 18 and word went around that the queen began her search for the prince’s wife. Girls all over Agrabah were excited and believed they had a chance, but Jasmine knew that she would be the perfect match for Aladdin. She knew what her second wish would be. That night when all her workers had gone home, she pulled out the box with the lamp, which she stored in the safe in her office. She rubbed the lamp and the genie appeared.

“Jasmine! It has been a while since you made a wish. Are you happy with your first one?” The genie asked.

To which Jasmine exclaimed, “Yes! I could not thank you enough! You have changed my life! I am ready to make my second wish!”

The genie smiled and listened.

Jasmine closed her eyes, rubbed her hands together and said, “I wish for Prince Ali Ababwa to fall in love with me!”

A puff of smoke appeared once again and she saw a letter slide from under her office door. The letter read,

Dear Jasmine,

I have not stopped thinking about you since the day you came to the palace to deliver your beautiful clothing. If you haven’t heard yet, my mother is looking for a bride for me and I knew exactly who I want it to be. I want it to be you. I have sought my mother’s approval and she would like for you to come by again tomorrow. There will be a carriage waiting for you in the morning. 

I am in love with you, Jasmine. 

Sincerely, 

Prince Ali Ababwa, AKA Aladdin.

Jasmine could not believe her eyes. She was extremely excited and did not get any sleep that night. She started planning her outfit for the day. She chose one of her nicest abayas adorned with gold crystals and beads, along with a shiny jewelry set that was gifted to her. She looked stunning and could not wait to visit the royal family again. It was soon morning and Jasmine informed her workers that she would be leaving for the day. Outside was the beautiful carriage. She hopped on next to the guard and went on her way to the palace.

The palace was just as she had remembered it. A long bridge led to the doors and her future husband was waiting for her on the other side. They made their way to the king and queen. They announced that the wedding would be in one month and gave Jasmine a room in the palace to stay. This gave her the opportunity to spend every day with Aladdin. She could not wait to become Princess Jasmine.

The day of the wedding came and it was magical. Jasmine wore a beautiful dress studded with diamonds and was crowned the princess. Everything was exactly how she dreamed. The queen gifted her and Aladdin a magical carpet which they used to fly over the city. Jasmine was so grateful for everything the genie had helped her with.

As Jasmine’s business began to expand, the queen decided to surprise her and open a second location near the palace. This allowed for even more business, as customers from all around the world came to admire and appreciate the beautiful Arabic culture. Jasmine even began selling gold jewelry inspired by her mother’s necklace.

One day as Jasmine was at her other location in Agrabah, her brother Farhan and her father came to visit her store. She had not seen them since she made her first wish. They came to congratulate her for her marriage and all her success. Although her father was hard on her, Jasmine always showed respect for her family members. She forgave her father for how he had treated her in the past. After Jasmine had left them, her father and Farhan were forced to shut down the clothing store, and for the past few months were forced to live with the little that they had. Her father’s dream was to own a restaurant in Agrabah, and with the help of Jasmine, her family was able to open a successful Arab food business.

Princess Jasmine realized she still had one wish left and knew exactly what to use it for. All this time, her wishes had been to benefit herself, but another dream of hers was to help others. She walked outside to a river with the box in her hand, and for the final time, she gently held onto the lamp and rubbed it. The genie appeared.

“Well hello, there, Princess Jasmine! Are you here to make your third and final wish?” Asked the genie.

“Yes, I am. Thank you again for everything you have done for me!”

The genie smiled and reminded her that after she made her final wish the lamp would be destroyed.

Jasmine nodded her head, closed her eyes, and made her final wish. “I wish for there to be equality and fairness for all!” and with that, smoke appeared and the lamp burst into flames.

Princess Jasmine stared in awe as the genie came out of the lamp and took the form of a human girl. The girl was named Layla. Layla hugged Princess Jasmine and thanked her for releasing her from the lamp. They soon became best friends and worked together at Jasmine’s Boutique.

News spread around the city of Agrabah of an equality and fairness act that was being put in place. As weeks went on, young girls and boys from the same family were able to play together and equally share work among themselves and their parents. Everybody in the city was happy and business thrived in every store. Princess Jasmine was in joy because she was able to help out others who were in a similar situation she was in before.

Although she was a princess who had people working for her, Princess Jasmine never stopped working hard herself and continued to be successful with her business. She helped others in any way she possibly could. Princess Jasmine was grateful for everything that had happened, and could not thank the lady who gifted her the lamp enough. She went on to have two beautiful children with her prince, and they lived happily ever after.

(1) A robe-like dress worn by Muslim women

(2) The currency in Agrabah. 1000 Shekel is equivalent to $380 CAD

(3) Deep fried ball made from ground chickpeas. Originates from the Middle East

(4) A chapter, also known as Surah from the Quran engraved on her necklace

(5) Head covering worn by Muslim women

Amber’s goal in retelling the Aladdin story was to avoid the stereotypes that the Disney version of the film included. She wanted to highlight the beautiful Arabic culture. At the same time, Amber wanted Jasmine to be the main character of her retelling so young Muslim girls could look up to her. In response to the Islamophobia that is so prevalent in the world today, Amber wanted to write a story that portrayed the Islamic world in a more accurate manner. Amber says, “The main messages to take away from my story are to be determined no matter what circumstances you are in, have hopes that things will become better if you are in a tough situation, and, if you believe, your dreams will come true.”

Not too far away and not too long ago, during a certain pandemic, there lived a brash, arrogant girl. She cohabited with her mother in a suburban residential area. People would always call the girl “Red Hoodie” from the distinctive red hoodie jacket that she never took off. Some had even started to think that she had an endless supply of those jackets or that she never washed it!

One day, Red Hoodie’s hard-working mother got a call from Hoodie’s grandmother saying that she had been feeling really ill after leaving the house without wearing a mask and would much appreciate it if someone could help take her to the hospital. Unfortunately, Red Hoodie’s mother worked a nine-to-five job and was in an incredible crunch at work so she called upon her daughter to take care of her grandmother.

“Darling, your grandmother is sick and needs help, I cannot go to her right now, can I trust that you can do this for me?” asked her mother.

Red Hoodie responded, “Mom, I thought I told you already! I’m going out with the girls today.”

Her mother kept reasoning with her until Red Hoodie accepted and thought to herself, “If only dad never left and could help us.”

Reluctantly, Red Hoodie obliged, took some cash with her, and left the house. However, Red Hoodie thought that it would be better for her to walk to her grandmother’s house rather than using public transport.

“It’s the middle of spring so I might as well walk, what’s the worst that can happen?” thought Red Hoodie to herself. After a couple of minutes into her walk, she got approached by a homeless black man asking if she could spare some change.

“Please don’t hurt me!” yelled Red Hoodie “Take whatever you want!”

The poor man tried to calm her down and to explain that he meant no harm, but Red Hoodie would not budge. Reluctantly, and due to his desperation, the man took Red Hoodie’s money leaving her penniless.

“This isn’t supposed to happen to me” murmured Red Hoodie under her breath as the man walked away.

But upon hearing that he turned around and said, “Life isn’t a fairy tale. It’s rough” before walking away.

Red Hoodie was shaking and afraid after her encounter with the homeless man and quickly continued her walk to her grandmother’s house. Upon her arrival, she rang the doorbell, but no one answered. Red Hoodie circled around the house to find another way in. She found the bedroom window on the side of the house. She peered into it to check if her grandmother was there, which she was, so she knocked and called on her through the window.

“Grandma, open up! It’s kinda hot out here. Grandma, wake up. Grandma!” But there was no answer and she looked pale.

Red Hoodie started to get scared and tried to think of a way to get in. She picked up a brick in the garden and threw it at the window to enter. The breaking window made a loud sound and attracted a nearby neighbor who was walking by and saw the incident happening. This neighbor, who coincidentally was one of Red Hoodie’s grandmother’s friends, got worried and called the police immediately, thinking it was a serial armed burglar in the area who also wore a red hoodie.

As soon as Red Hoodie got inside the house, she tried waking up her grandmother, but nothing seemed to work, and she started to panic. She knew that the only thing to do was to take her to the hospital immediately. Unfortunately for her, she still could not open the front door as she did not know where the keys that locked the door were. She had watched a video on the internet on how to open a door with a kitchen knife and proceeded to do so. While trying to open the door, she heard distant police sirens that kept getting closer and closer until they appeared to be on the opposite side of the door.

“Come out with your hands in the air” called a police officer over the microphone. “If you don’t come within 30 seconds, we have authorization to breach.”

Red Hoodie was in a dilemma. She knew that she did not commit a crime, yet she couldn’t just go out the window and tell the police what happened, she needed to get help for her grandmother, yet the only help available was a hostile force. She froze and all she could do was back away from the door, knife still in hand, towards her grandmother’s bedroom.

“Breaching! Breaching!” and with a loud bang, in came a police squad shouting at the occupants to drop any weapons and to lay on the ground with their hands on their heads. Red Hoodie was frozen stiff, even when approached by the armed police to which they had to bring her down by force. The fact that she had a knife in her hand did not help the situation the slightest.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can or will be used against you in the court of law,” warned the officer while cuffing her. Only then did she come to her senses.

“I’m Red Hoodie, that’s my grandmother. I was trying to help her to the hospital. Don’t you know who I am, this isn’t supposed to happen to me.”

To which the officer responded,“No I don’t, this isn’t a fairy tale.”

Red Hoodie was taken to a police car to which she was driven away from her grandmother’s home.

A police officer approached the grandmother,

“She isn’t breathing,” he called out, “she is gone.”

Red Hoodie’s mother tried to call her multiple times to check up on her, but she would not answer. After the fifteenth try or so, an officer picked up the phone and explained the situation. Her mother was in shock and did not believe what was happening. An investigation ensued where there was too much evidence to refute Red Hoodie’s claims, and some work from a few corrupt investigators who wanted to climb up the ladder, resulted in her having to go to court to get convicted of her crimes.

A few weeks later, and before her court date, a mysterious looking man wearing a red hoodie approached Red Hoodie’s house and knocked on the door, which her mother opened.

“Why are you here of all times?”

“It’s been ten years woman; don’t I get to see my daughter?” replied the man.

“She is going to jail. If only you were here to take care of the situation like a real man, but you’re too high out of mind to know where the nose on your face is.”

The man was taken aback and started a frenzy of questions.

“Why? For what? What did she do? Where is she now? How long has this been? What can we do?” Although he rarely saw his daughter, the man was very loving of her and would do anything for her.

“Go to the station and check with them.”

The man went to the station and asked about his daughter to which they gave the same response that his wife had told him.

He paced back and forth for about a minute and went up to one of the officers with both hands in a fist stretched out in front of him, “Cuff me and take me to jail. She is innocent. My daughter is innocent. I have been stealing from old people’s houses to satisfy my drug addiction. Take me in and let my daughter free.”

The officer obliged and documented the situation to his higher ups.

“Damn, I gotta tell my wife about this fairy tale we’re in,” said the officer while putting handcuffs on the man.

This story does not have a happy ending and the family did not live happily ever after.

Ahmed took his inspiration for this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood from Charles Perrault. He wanted to emulate the unhappy ending of Perrault’s original tale but also give the story a modern twist. It was important to Ahmed to highlight some of the problems we commonly see in today’s society: police corruption, racism, drug abuse, and disrespect to parents. He hopes that one day his story will be a relic of the past as we overcome this societal problems. 

By Tianyi Zhang

Characters

Chapter One: Little Red Riding Hood

Chapter 2: First Encounter with Wolf

Chapter 3: Wolf Salesman

Chapter 4: Confrontation Between Little Red Riding Hood and Wolf

Chapter 5: The End of Wolf

The End

Tianyi Zhang created this retelling of the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, as a final project for English 150. This retelling was inspired by their own experiences when their grandfather received a scam phone call. Tianyi says, “Scammers, like the evil wolves lurking in the modern world, use sweet talk to trick the elderly.” They used the Japanese manga comic style to give a modern twist on this classic tale. Tianyi hopes this story will shed light on the vulnerability of the elderly, remind young adults to protect their elders, and to help them report fraud to the authorities.

Anastasia

Even before I opened my eyes, I knew something was off. I usually wake up to either the sound of my phone’s alarm clock or some type of noise in the street. New York City is not called the Concrete Jungle for nothing. However, today I woke up to the sound of a bird chirping. A bird in Brooklyn? Highly unlikely. The weirdness does not end here. I also had a harder time pulling off my duvet, which felt heavy all of a sudden. Ugh, another reminder that I must go to the gym more often. Without opening my eyes, I reach for my phone. I know it is unhealthy to scroll through Instagram first thing in the morning, but old habits die hard. This morning I cannot find it though. This is when I finally decide to open my eyes. The moment that happens, I feel as if I stumbled on an alternative reality.

My bed is not there, my clothes and closet are all gone, replaced by a vanity and a small rack with corsets and dresses hung all over. My duvet is gone. I realized I had been covered by some sort of animal fur. Everything is made from wood and has no color.

What is happening? Where is all my stuff? Why am I not in my room? Oh my god, I just got kidnapped!

My heart rate is starting to spike up, my palms are sweaty, my breathing is starting to get labored, all the signs of a panic attack. No. I cannot. I will not allow myself to fall into this mental black hole because I need to find a way to get out of here. I try doing some of the breathing exercises my therapist always wants me to try out, and after a couple of minutes, my vision starts to clear, and my body relaxes. That is when I finally spot a small window on the opposite side of the room. It is unlocked! Yes, this is my chance! The person who kidnapped me wasn’t smart enough to lock the window, which is weird. Isn’t that the basic rule? Never give victims an easy escape. Anyways, I decided to take my chance now that I have it and jump, without looking back.

Griselda

I am awakened by a scream and a slam. I instantly get irritated because it was probably Cinderella. Does she not understand that this is one of the most important days of my life? Today is when the most acclaimed suitor in the village is finally going to court me. I’m sure she’s jealous because I’m going to marry a prince, while she’ll be stuck here forever with her animal friends and this dirty farm. Those days are over for me! No more farm chores, mediocre food, or cleaning. Starting today, mother, my sister, Anastasia, and I will be going to lavish parties with dukes, condes, and royal families from all over France. I can’t believe my plan worked!

Ever since the prince announced that he would marry whomever the glass slipper fit, Mother and I have been doing all sorts of things to mold my feet in accordance with it. We are no fools, as we quickly realized the shoe belonged to Cinderella, my despisable stepsister, who went to the ball without our permission. At first mother and I were extremely angry, how dare she betray us like that? However, we now know it was a blessing in disguise. We were able to steal one of her shoes and using it as a reference we cut some of my flesh off to make my foot thinner to fit it, et Voila! It worked! We all know I am more fit for the role than her, as I’m clearly more attractive, and know all about how to run a household.

After I get out of bed, Cinderella makes herself useful by helping me get ready for my last day at this despicable farm. She runs me a bath, lays my dresses out for me, and with trembling hands and a sad face, helps me put on the slippers that will be the gateway to my new life. I walk down the stairs to the kitchen for the last time. I wobble a lot because of the slipper’s size, but beauty always comes with a price. When I enter the kitchen, I’m instantly repelled by the smell. It’s infested by a combination of the pottage Cinderella made, her disdainful homemade perfume, and farm animal excrement. How did the animals get inside? It smells stronger than usual. I won’t miss this place.

Anastasia

I can’t help but scream when I fall. I know that’s not the smartest move because people will be able to hear me escaping, but it was unavoidable. I land in a pile of hay that smells disgusting. I’m about to run away when I spot my sister, Griselda, inside the house looking incredibly uncomfortable. I decide to get in and save her. The room looks like an antiquated kitchen and smells terrible, like sweat, roses, and burnt food. I decide to grab one of the knives on the counter and hide under the table in case someone else comes in. When my sister approaches me, I grab her arm and pull her down the table with me. She lets out a loud, high-pitched scream that will probably get us killed.

After a solid minute of screaming, Griselda finally addresses me. “Anastasia! What are you doing down here? It’s an important day for the both of us. Today is going to be the best day of our lives!”

I don’t know how to react to this. She seems highly disturbed. I stammer for a second before replying. “Gris! Dude, are you okay? Are you on drugs? We just got kidnapped, what do you mean by the best day of our lives? It’s awful.”

“Don’t ‘dude’ me. What does that even mean? Such language shall not be used by ladies like us. You smell terrible, have you been out in those filthy stables again? You need to be more responsible. After all, today is the day we leave so I can get married! We got you a suitor too, he’s courting you tonight…” she says that last part under her breath.

Me? Married? At 18? She well knows I want to go to college and get my degree in mechanical engineering. My dream is to design cars and work with Formula One racers. Why is she acting so weird? I burst out laughing at how ridiculous everything sounds. She’s on drugs, there’s no other explanation for this. When I finally sober up, I take in her appearance. Her hair is voluminous, her cheeks look red, her lips pouty and swollen, and she’s wearing a corset and a skirt, of all things. Griselda is known for being extravagant, but this is just outrageous. What is happening and what kind of crazy reality am I in? When I finally look down at her feet, I can’t believe my eyes. There are two vertical scars on either side of each foot. The scars seem recent and deep, and her feet are deep purple. Her toenails are about to fall off. She is squeezed into some glass slippers that look about three sizes too small for her. What is she doing? This is when I remember we have been kidnapped. The fear creeps back in, leaving me motionless. Before I can move, there’s a knock on the door. Griselda takes my hand and leads me out of the room.

Griselda

This is despicable! How is my sister wearing pants? She won’t get courted now. She just ruined her life and doesn’t know it. Good thing we have the prince’s wealth, or else she would’ve ruined everything for us. After all mother has done to secure us good and stable marriages…

When I hear the loud knock, I can barely contain my excitement. I quickly stand up, forgetting that I’m wearing those uncomfortable slippers. I pull Ana with me because I want her to meet her new husband before she goes back to that old car she likes to play with. Before we enter the living room, I fix my hair because I need to look as put together as possible for my new husband. Ana, however, walks right in without second thought. Doesn’t she remember she needs to follow protocol? What’s wrong with her?

Anastasia

When I walk into the room, I’m met with a fat, smelly, old, and seemingly self-absorbed man who is looking at me expectantly.

I don’t know what he wants me to do until Cinderella comes up to me and whispers, “You have to bow and kiss his foot.”

I look back at her with a stunned look. Of course I’m not going to do that!

After what seems like hours, my sister walks inside the room. I see how unsteadily she’s walking in those heels. She tries to shrug it off, but I know her better than that. Griselda, with a big smile plastered on her face, bows down and kisses her future husband’s feet.

The moment she stands, the prince looks her up and down and says, “I guess you’re pretty enough to bear me attractive children, I agree with this marriage.”

His comment ignites a sudden wave of anger in me. “What is wrong with you? Don’t you realize what you said? My sister is more valuable than you think, she’s incredibly smart and has an amazing personality! She can do more in life than bear you children…”

In the blink of an eye, I’m grabbed by two of the prince’s guards and taken away. My sister does nothing to help me. She keeps up her act, although her smile falters a bit. I manage to kick one of the guards, and free one of my arms. I use the skills I learnt at my self-defense class to get the other man off me. After that, I run without looking back. I run for a better future for me, like the one I had planned in New York. I run and I cry, disappointed in my sister, who preferred a man over being respected and independent. I run until I can no more.

Paola was inspired to write this modern twist on the Cinderella story when she became more critically reflective of the classic fairy tales she had read in the past. She said that she believes classical fairy tales promote antiquated values and she hopes that her retelling will serve to highlight the pressures and expectations women in the 1700s lived with.

Once upon a time, in a little castle, there lived a beautiful girl named Cinderella whose father had died. Her father left her in the care of her stepmother and two stepsisters. Cinderella’s stepmother cherished Cinderella just as she cherished her two blood daughters. Cinderella lived a comfortable life in a beautifully decorated room filled with dresses, books, and all else she desired. However, even with all the luxuries, Cinderella’s world still felt so bland. She longed for an adventure, just like the ones in her books.

Like many times before, Cinderella roamed the forest by her house in search of an adventure that would distract her from her home life. Cinderella had fought with her stepmother about the upcoming royal masquerade ball and she had run into the woods to calm down. Her stepmother had always been very loving, but she was also very traditional.

Cinderella wanted a life full of thrills, however, her stepmother wanted Cinderella to find a nice man to settle down with. Her stepmother insisted that Cinderella go to the royal ball to find a suitable bachelor. This ball was incredibly special because the king would be looking for a bride for his oldest son and all the ladies would compete for his attention at the ball. Cinderella refused to go and tore her new dress in defiance before running out of the house.

As Cinderella wandered around the forest, she spotted an injured bunny. She went to scoop up the animal and she bumped right into someone.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there” she exclaimed.

“It’s okay! I was just walking around and saw the poor bunny and wanted to help. I guess you were doing the same” he answered.

They both grabbed the bunny and took it back to a nearby stable to bandage it up. Along the way, they became well acquainted. Cinderella told the stranger all about her plans to run away and travel the world on a boat one day. The stranger also confessed his dream of traveling, however, he mentioned that due to his responsibilities, his desire would stay just a dream. After patching the bunny up, they bid their goodbyes.

Just before parting ways, the young man asked if Cinderella would be going to the ball, and to her surprise, she said, “Yes.”

Cinderella rushed back to her house to find something to wear to the ball. After many hours of searching, she couldn’t find anything that looked as beautiful as the dress she had ripped up in anger. She sat on her bed and cried in defeat until she heard a knock at her door.

Her two stepsisters peered through the door and asked, “Cinderella why are you upset?”

While Cinderella explained the situation surrounding the stranger, both the sisters gathered their sewing tools and began stitching up the dress. At the end of her story, Cinderella’s stepsisters had made the dress look brand new. With only a few hours left before the ball, Cinderella’s stepmother helped Cinderella and her stepsisters get ready.

“Please be back before midnight girls,” the stepmother requested. Before leaving, Cinderella put on her great grandmother’s lucky glass slippers and placed her mask on her face. Then she hopped onto the carriage with her stepsisters, and off they went to the masquerade ball.

After arriving at the ball, Cinderella’s first instinct was to look for the mysterious stranger but with all the masks on, finding him proved to be a difficult task. As a courtesy, Cinderella danced around with many different men before stumbling upon someone who resembled her stranger.

The two of them danced and chatted throughout the night until a waiter referred to the stranger as “Your royal highness.”

A surge of worry overcame Cinderella as she discovered that her handsome stranger was actually the prince. Cinderella did not want to be stuck in a royal family where she would have to follow hundreds of rules and traditions. She saw her adventurous future fading before her eyes. As the clock struck twelve, Cinderella suddenly remembered her stepmother’s wishes and ran out the door. The prince chased after her, but he was only able to catch up to her fallen glass slipper.

The prince made it very clear to his father that he would only marry the owner of that slipper. The prince spent weeks roaming the city, trying to slip that slipper onto the feet of every woman in town. Women tried everything from squeezing their feet to oiling up their feet but none of them were successfully able to fit into that tiny slipper. It was as if that slipper was made to only bind to its rightful owner. At last, they reached Cinderella’s house. The two stepsisters were ordered to try on the shoe, but the slipper resisted both sisters’ feet.

“Are there any other young ladies present in this house” the King’s knight questioned?

“Well there is Cinderella, but she won’t come out of her room,” the stepmother answered.

“It is his majesty, the king’s order that every female in town must try on the slipper so please summon the other young lady,” one of the knights ordered.

Cinderella was forced out of her room. The knight placed the shoe by Cinderella’s foot and as if by magic, the shoe glued itself to Cinderella’s foot like a magnet to a refrigerator.

The prince instantly lit up but his joy died down when he saw the look of sorrow upon Cinderella’s face.

The prince requested some privacy and once they were the only two left in the room, the prince questioned “Why are you so sad, my love? And why did you run away the night of the ball? If you do not want to marry me, I will respect your wishes and leave.”

Cinderella had fallen in love with the prince. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with the prince, but she could not let go of her adventurous plans for a man. She explained the cause of her hesitation. The prince stood in silence for a few minutes. Then he leaned in and whispered something to Cinderella that made her smile from ear to ear. The prince left with his army of people without giving anyone else an explanation.

The next morning, the king awoke to a letter from the prince, and Cinderella’s stepmother awoke to a letter from Cinderella. In the letter addressed to the king, the prince left the throne to his younger brother and expressed his aspirations to travel. In the letter from Cinderella, Cinderella thanked her stepmother and stepsisters for all their love, and she promised to visit. The two young lovers had eloped, bought a boat, and sailed away to live their happily ever after.

In Disha’s retelling of the classic, Cinderella, she wanted to address the way step-relatives are portrayed in the original. She felt that the original portrayal of the stepmother and stepsisters as evil could be very harmful to readers. So she made the conscious choice to make these characters loving in her retelling and she replaced the fairy godmother with the stepsisters. She also made the main point of conflict in the story based entirely on Cinderella’s wish to keep her independence. In the end, her Cinderella is able to follow her heart (both in love and in adventure). 

Once upon a time, a family of wolves lived in a forest.

The forest was disappearing day by day, and animals were disappearing day by day.

The mommy wolf said to the young wolf,

“You must leave here, darling, this is not a good place to live anymore.”

The young wolf asked his mommy.

“Mommy, are you coming with me?”

“No darling, you must go on your own! I am too old to go. Head to the east. It shall be a good place for you to have your own family.”

The next day, the wolf went on his way to the east, with his mommy’s warning that he must not talk or follow humans at any time.

After a few months, the wolf was still heading to the east. But, he could not find a good place to settle down, nor a partner who would be part of his pack.

The more he walked, the murkier the air became.

“Cough! Cough!”

The more he walked, the murkier the water in the river became.

“Yuck! What is in the water?”

The wolf was very hungry because he couldn’t find any animals for weeks.

As he walked through the mountain road, he saw a rotten rabbit with a skid mark on it.

“Would it be safe to eat?… Well, I need to be strong to get to the east and settle down there to make my own family!”

The wolf forced himself to eat the corpse, so he could make it to the east.

“Blarrghh!!!!!!!!!”

A few hours later, the wolf threw up the polluted water and a rotten rabbit. He had no energy to continue his journey.

After few steps, the wolf saw himself through a puddle of dirty water.

The wolf lamented in a gloomy voice.

“I can’t find any hope. Maybe my mom lied that such a place exists! She never left the west forest! She doesn’t know anything! Why am I here?”

Wolf started crying in hopelessness.

“Why are you crying, young wolf?”

The wolf looked up and there was a little girl.

She was holding a plastic cup with crystal-clear water in it.

“I am so hungry and thirsty. I have to go to the east, but I don’t have any power to carry on.”

“Poor little wolf, have some water.”

The wolf drank all the water she had.

She chucked the plastic bottle to the bush behind her and said, “Why don’t you come with me to my grandmother’s house? She always welcomes guests. She will give you food and shelter”

The wolf hesitated for a moment, but he was starving to death.

“Oh, how kind you are! Thank you.”

The wolf and a little girl walked along the pathway together.

Sooner or later, they arrived at the little village in the mountain.

The wolf was utterly exhausted so he could not walk any longer.

“Sorry, I cannot make it anymore.”

“Oh no, it’s almost there!”

“Sorry, I just can’t.”

The girl thought for a minute.

“I have an idea!”

The little girl pointed to the giant farm in the village, and said, “That is my grandmother’s farm! There are chickens in the barn, and you shall have one of them. I will tell my grandmother.”

“Is it really okay?”

“Yes, it will be just fine. She will understand.”

Knock Knock!

“Who’s there?”

“Nanna, it’s me, your granddaughter”

“Sweetie, lift up the latch and walk in.”

The little girl opened the door and entered the house.

As soon as she stepped into the house, the little girl saw a luxurious red hood in front of her.

“Happy birthday, darling. It is for you. I made it with sixteen fat minks.”

“Thank you so much, Nanna! It is so soft!”

She was so happy that she completely forgot about the wolf.

Meanwhile, the wolf walked into the barn and saw many chickens packed in small cages.

“Oh, I wondered where all the animals were, but they are here!”

The wolf happily opened the cage and started gobbling up one of the chickens.

The frightened chickens started to cluck, and the security alarm went off.

The grandmother checked the security camera, while the little girl was trying on the hood.

“Dear God, there is a big scary wolf in my barn!”

She immediately called the sheriff who lived right next to her farm.

“There is a big wolf in my barn! It is eating up all the chickens! Please go there and kill that greedy wolf!”

The wolf finished eating the first chicken, and he was still hungry.

“Let me eat one more chicken. No one is going to notice, there are so many of them!”

As soon as he opened his big mouth to start eating another chicken, BANG!

Everything turned black – but the wolf started seeing the beautiful nature where deer and rabbits were eating grass under the large oak trees, a beautiful female wolf with babies, frogs singing in an emerald pond… the place he always dreamed of… He finally arrived there as he got shot in the head.

He happily smiled and died.

In this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Taehyeong changed the point of view from that of the human characters to that of the wolf and the entire story shifted from one of triumph to one of domination and loss. Taehyeong’s goal in reversing the protagonist and antagonist of the story was to “reveal the dark side of humanity” and to encourage readers of this story to consider the perspective of animals around them. 

There once lived a wolf in a forest, deep within a cave atop the hill. In the outstretched forest, he had to himself his only companion, his wife, whom he loved dearly. She would accompany him on hunts, catching the finest prey, from mighty moose and bison to the appetizing hares. She was quick, cunning, and the very best of hunters. The wolf would follow her lead through their hunts and always have great luck. They always slept with full bellies under the moonlight at the day’s end, talking to each other till they fell asleep.

One day the wolf’s wife realizes she carries a new life in her belly, whom she’ll need to care for and feed. Upon hearing this news, the wolf is ecstatic and wants to celebrate the coming of his newborn. With no daylight to lose, he rushes into the forest to catch a mighty elk for his wife. And so he goes off, deep into the woods, to find the best catch.

His wife waits patiently for him under the sunlight out near the cave entrance. Time passes by slowly, but he is late to come back, until  it is almost noon. This has the wife worried, and she decides to look for him. Thoughts are rampant in her head, and she couldn’t help thinking of worst-case scenarios, imagining her husband in harm’s way. But she shakes her thoughts, clears her head and heads off after him.

As she tries searching far and wide on her way through the forest, she comes across a path that leads to a cottage nearby. The cottage belongs to a woodcutter who lives with his mother.

The woodcutter is feared and hated by the animals of the forest. He occasionally hunts, mercilessly hunting animals and birds of all kinds, taking pride in it. And she knows it would do her good to avoid his sight. She is about to leave, but she notices a young girl, fair as the moon, wearing a red dress, with a basket in her hand approaching her. The wolf is ready to take flight, but the red riding hood grabs a piece of red meat from her basket and offers it to her.

The wolf’s wife, famished by now, does not dare to reject her kind offer. Her belly growls, and so does the life within her. She draws closer to the young girl, and as their eyes meet, the little girl whistles and the wolf hears a loud bang, her belly now covered in red.

A red canvas is drawn across her lower belly. She is barely able to move and aches in pain. Her wound is deep and starts bleeding. She makes haste to run away, back to her home, but the woodcutter follows her, shooting at her, frustrated at not being able to kill her in one fell swoop.

She doesn’t look back and runs as fast as she can while whimpering in pain and losing balance intermittently, only to balance herself again. By the time she gets deep into the woods and near her home, the woodcutter has left her tail, and she can no longer hear his screams of agony from losing his prey. She walks slowly towards her home, limping here and there, losing consciousness as she goes. By the time she reaches her cave, she is alerted by a presence, but a familiar scent passes her nose, and she is finally relieved of the danger following her.

The Wolf comes back from his hunt with the mightiest of a catch. He battles an elk for hours without aid, finally bringing it down to its knees. Dusk is now upon him, so he decides to carry the meat from the elk back home. It’s a long and tiring journey back home. But he keeps wondering about the expression of joy on his wife’s face when she sees his mighty catch. When he reaches the cave, he finds no one home and starts to worry sick and howls for her. As he begins to do so, he catches a whiff of her scent and hurries towards it. Relieved to see his wife, he leaps towards her, overjoyed at her return and shuffles around her but then picks up another scent, entirely unwelcome on his lover, and his amber eyes shine ever so brightly.

The wolf notices that his wife is bleeding from under her belly. She is badly injured and in pain. He asks her to lie down, save her energy, and inquires about the cause of her grim fate. She tells him about her encounter with the Little Red Riding Hood and the merciless woodcutter. How she was offered a piece of meat by the little girl, catching her off guard and leading to being shot in the belly.

The wolf looks at her guiltily for leaving her side when she needed him most. But she reassures him that it wasn’t his fault but rather her folly that brought about this state. She is now at death’s door, and she barely has much time left. She feels life fading away in her with every moment passing by. The wolf lies down by her side to give her company as she whimpers, breathing slowly. He kisses her slowly, licking at her wounds, but she gently closes her eyes and finally fades away into eternity. The wolf howls till dawn, with red, amber eyes and his heart aching, but his head, set on taking revenge.

The next day the wolf buries his wife near the cave and is on his way to find the woodcutter’s house. He runs down the hill and tries to track the woodcutter’s scent, but in a forest so deep, he has barely any luck. Deep in the woods, he walks a path and comes across a young girl wearing red, with a basket in her hands. He identifies the young girl as the Red Riding Hood, which her wife described but does not dare to do anything yet to keep her for last.

He approaches her, changing his persona into a nice friendly wolf, and asks her cunningly where she is headed. She hesitates to answer at first but eventually tells him she’s going to her grandmother’s to drop off an apple pie that her mother made.

He asks her if he can race her and see who’s the fastest among them. Red Riding Hood loves challenges and decides to take him on as she points towards the direction of the cottage, which is their destination. The wolf, quick on his feet, sets off and leaves her in his dust, reaching the destination hours ahead.

The wolf finds himself in front of a beautiful cedar cottage near a waterfall, up high in the mountains. He can hear the woodcutter singing from the shed nearby—busy cleaning his gun, readying himself for his next hunt.

The wolf decides to let him be for now and sneaks past him into the grandmother’s house. The grandmother is weak and old, barely able to move. She spends most of her time in bed by the crystal window, where she can look out at the waterfall and down at the beautiful scenery from the hill. The Wolf notices her gazing out, distracted by the birds chirping outside. So he takes this opportunity, sneaks up behind her, and digs his claws into her stomach, and she lets out an agonizing scream before finally making her meet her end. The cry echoes through the forest. The woodcutter rushes inside, brings his gun with him, and hurries through the stairs to his mother’s room.

When the woodcutter reaches his mother’s room, it is far too late, as the floor is painted red with blood. His anger reaches its height, and he screams for her murderer to face him, frantically looking for him in her room. As he walks around the room, he hears a slow growl from her mother’s closet; realizing it might be a wild animal, he approaches it carefully and slowly, opening both the doors, searching for signs of the murderer, but finds nothing. But when he turns around, the wolf springs at him from atop, digs his teeth deep into his throat, bringing him to the ground. He tries to free himself and struggles, but the wolf’s hold is as sure as death and taxes. The woodcutter finally breathes his dying breath and is no more. The wolf howls in joy and eventually finds some peace. But almost, as he is left with one more to kill to bring upon retribution. The wolf drags their bodies, stuffs them into the closet, and he grabs the grandmother’s clothes. He gets into bed in the woodcutter’s room as this one is now painted red. He wears her clothes, her cap, and her slippers and now patiently awaits his final prey.

The Red Riding Hood finally arriving at her grandmother’s house, gasping for breath, knowing she has lost the race against the wolf. She is worried the wolf might have harmed her family, so she shouts out for her grandmother, but she only hears silence at first. Then a voice from upstairs calls to her to join her. She asks the little girl to join her in the woodcutter’s room.

She is confused to find her grandmother, not in her room but her son’s, and inquires about it.

To which the wolf disguised as the grandmother responds, “Your dear uncle has been away on travels for days, so missing him today I decided to sleep in his bed instead to bathe in his scent.”

But oh how the Wolf was lying through his teeth, as he despised his odour so very much. This clears the little girl’s suspicions, and she brings over the basket with the tasty apple pie over to her. At which the grandmother asks her to place it over the window sill and join her in bed. She proceeds to do so and takes off her shoes.

As she is about to get in, she notices the abnormal proportions on her grandma and questions her. “Grandmother! What big ears you have,” she says, as she edges closer to him.

“The better to hear you with,” replies the wolf.

“But Grandmother! What big nose you have,” she says again.

“The better to smell the delicious apple pie with, dear,” he says.

And lastly, she asks, “But grandmother! What mighty sharp teeth you have”.

And this time, the wolf answers frighteningly, “The better to take my revenge with,” and plunges on her. And the Red Riding Hood meets her end.

The wolf howls one last time before he heads back home. He doesn’t make a long, sad, crying sound, but a sound filled with contentment and retribution. He hurries back to his home and finds his wife’s grave. He places his head on her grave, kisses it, and goes into a deep slumber beside her

Ahmed chose to reverse the roles of protagonist and antagonist in this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. He did this to increase the reader’s sympathy for the wolf in this story. By retelling the story in this way, Ahmed said he was able to sympathize with the character of the wolf and he hopes his readers will look at the story through a different lens as well. 

Costume design was late to set

The petticoats aren’t ready yet

The golden locks aren’t crimped and curled

With snaky tendrils still unfurled

Blue contacts laid for buttery eyes

The backdrop, even bluer skies

Is hoisted up and into place

And lighting cast ‘mong rental space

And counted thrice are wooden beds

With pillows for three furry heads

The prop department cooked the mush

And makeup donned their shears and brush

For caged up in the trailer lot

Thrice counted bears whose roles were sought

‘Gainst mini, little child-star fits

Clashed freely ‘gainst the writers’ wits

Whose culmination through the years

Brought many children’s eyes to tears

So set the stage again today

And thrusts the reader to the fray

ACTION

Goldilocks: (with wonderment) Oh three porridges, oh three beds, I’m choosy where I put my head. I took so long to flounce on in, through lovely forest where fairies din. And through the sunny morning time, my words so easily do rhyme. I seek out sustenance in tow, in places I do love to go. There’s nothing scary lay ahead, but fitting not within a bed.

“Hey, where’s the cue, I cannot see

Where in the script the bears all flee.

You’re telling me these things can’t speak

Whew, get away my co-stars reek!

A knife! No spoon? What script is this?”

“Oh that’s too close, damn bears, step back!

God! Decency you grossly lack!”

Goldie stabbed out blindly thrice

Her shoes now bloody red

A crew aghast and cold as ice

And oops is all she said

Victor chose to retell Joseph Cundell’s “Story of the Three Bears” in poetic form. One of his goals with this retelling was to have Goldilocks take on the role of antagonist. He was inspired to “use structure and dramatic shifts to give the reader a sense of familiarity only for it to change to unsettling.”  He did this through creating one cycle of calm and fear into his story wherein the bears should be fearful of the child. He then shifts to a sing-song, rhyme scheme reminiscent of traditional fairy tales. Finally, he closes his poem with an ABAB rhyme scheme to bring the reader out of the fairy tale wold and into real life. He also intentionally shifted the last lines of the poem to frantic dialogue to remind the reader of danger little Goldilocks poses to the bears and crew and ends with a child-like “oops.”

Once upon a time, in a deep dark forest, there lived a family of wolves. There was a Mama and Papa Wolf who had three children occupying their den. Peevish was the name of the oldest boy, and Churlish was the middle child; she was the biggest wolf of the pack. The lastborn was Little Robbie Wolf, so timid and kind. He was the runt of the litter; an outcast some would say.

Their days consisted of hunting and gathering and they would sew up branches and leaves for shelter. The children were learning how to survive for when the time came that they would leave the den.

Churlish was only a year from moving out. She was an experienced hunter who would brag about her accomplishments. Leaving the den was not based on age, but on skill. She was a mean wolf alright. She would bully her brothers and prove their weakness with her success.

Peevish would complain and whine to Mama and Papa, always crying wolf (no pun intended). They would comfort him with reassurance, reminding him of his accomplishments and strength he had.

As for Little Robbie Wolf, he would never sulk or boast. He knew he wasn’t as strong or as mighty as his siblings. He failed greatly at hunting, not even able to catch a mouse. He was sad that nobody thought he was big and brave, feeling left out and alone. He was very quiet and in his thoughts, usually being left to do the sewing out of all the duties. Mama and Papa were not as proud of him, compared to his siblings, and did not talk to Little Robbie Wolf much. He felt ashamed and embarrassed to be a part of his family.

One day, Churlish was out hunting, like any other ordinary day. Although this time she did not come back with a deer as usual. She came back with a story. She claimed that she came across a little girl with a red cap, roaming the forest alone. The girl was on her way to her grandma’s, which was about twenty-five kilometres away from the den. For a wolf, twenty-five kilometres isn’t very much. Churlish described her plan to beat the little girl to the grandma’s cabin, eating the grandma for an appetizer, then the little girl for the main meal. She told the girl to pick some flowers for her sick grandma, trying to buy some time. Humans were not popular in the forest where the wolves lived, so this was a very big deal. Churlish was about to run off to execute her plan when there came a small voice from the corner.

“Wait,” Little Robbie Wolf nervously uttered. He had found a moment of courage.

The family of wolves were in shock and taken back from the word that was expelled from his muzzle.

“What is it?” Mama Wolf asked.

“I want to go instead. I want to try and hunt these humans.” Little Robbie Wolf was looking down while talking.

Everyone in the room burst out laughing, tears were coming to their eyes. Not even Mama and Papa could hold in their howls. The idea of Little Robbie Wolf hunting, let alone humans, was very comical.

With a belittling tone, Churlish belted, “How stupid can you be? You can’t even hunt a mouse, let alone humans.”

Little Robbie Wolf knew that he wasn’t blessed with a tall figure or big teeth, but he wanted to try and prove his determination and dedication to being a wolf. Although he had mastered building a shelter, he had yet to take on real hunting, and this would be a perfect test.

Mama and Papa caught on to Robbie’s train of thought and hushed the laughter.

“Let him go. Let’s see how strong and brave he really is,” Papa said.

Peevish interrupted with his moans and groans. “What? You’re letting him go? Why not me? This isn’t fair! I never get to do anything exciting.”

Mama patted his head to calm him down. Churlish was furious. “Fine. He’ll be sure to fail, and when he does, he’ll be turned into stew, or better yet, a rug.”

Little Robbie Wolf gulped at the thought of that image, but he could not back out now.

He quickly kissed Mama and Papa goodbye, as the girl in the red cap was surely almost to grandma’s house. He set off, looking back at the den once more as it became smaller and smaller. He never looked back.

Little Robbie wolf was scared as he entered the dark woods, but he was committed to his word. The thought of having to hunt humans made him feel sick and insecure.

“What was I thinking? Hunting humans? I’m not strong enough, let alone brave enough to do such a thing,” Little Robbie Wolf muttered to himself.

But as he carried on through the forest he came across a bush with huge leaves. He couldn’t help but notice the shape of the plant, replicating his ears, but much larger. He then had a brilliant idea. Robbie wanted to be bigger and stronger, scaring the people he would hunt. He would do anything to prove his worth to his family. He gently plucked two leaves from the bush, holding them up to his ears.

“Perfect,” Little Robbie said with a big smile.

Using his sewing skills, he carefully sewed each leaf to his fur that sat in front of his ears.

He hurried along to grandma’s house as he was running out of time. He could smell the sweetness of the little girl with the red cap, as she would have been the only person in the forest. He started to pick up speed, as he did not want to disappoint his family. He started to run, smelling the smoke from grandma’s chimney when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. A huge pile of sticks were sitting in between the trees to the right.

Robbie screeched to a halt, investigating the pile. Once again, wanting to prove his strength and bravery, he thought bigger teeth would help him. He grabbed four sticks, breaking each in half, placing them up onto his gums, over his real teeth. It was a little uncomfortable but he couldn’t help but grin and let out a growl of pride. Robbie was elated with confidence. He wished that his family could see him now, big teeth and all.

All he needed now was thicker fur, and a bigger frame, but time had run out. The girl would be arriving at grandma’s cabin soon. Little Robbie Wolf bolted as fast as he could the rest of the way, not stopping for anything else.

He eventually saw the cabin and smoke, slowly creeping over the fence, towards the door. Little Robbie couldn’t believe his luck. A bear hide was sitting in front of the door as a welcome mat. He didn’t think twice, wrapping his body with the dark, coarse hair. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window. He could barely recognize himself. He looked mean and scary, something he had never truly felt within. The needle and thread he put through his ears were stinging, his gums were throbbing, and the bear hide was very itchy. He focused on the plan and how perfect this was all turning out. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

The grandma yelled, “Hello, who is it?”

In his best little girl voice, Little Robbie Wolf answered, “It is your granddaughter, the one with the red cap.”

“Oh, of course, darling, I’ve missed you so much. C’mon in. The door is unlocked.” Grandma was very excited to see her granddaughter.

Little Robbie was taken back. Nobody has ever spoken to him with such kindness. His thoughts were distracted by the painful accessories he had attached to his body. He could not take it anymore. He leapt towards the door and ran to the grandma, swallowing her in one bite.

Robbie Wolf, who was not so little now, was very full. He felt pride, guilt, happiness, and sadness all within one thought. He couldn’t believe that he had actually hunted a human, all in one bite too. His family would be so proud, yet he felt ashamed. She was a sweet woman, with love and life, undeserving of death.

He smelled a sweet smell towards the door. He looked out of the window to see the little girl approaching the cabin. Robbie Wolf panicked, jumping into the bed. He hid under the covers hoping she wouldn’t notice her missing grandma. The little girl pushed open the partially opened door.

“Grandma? Are you okay?” She could tell something was off.

Robbie Wolf, in his best grandma impersonation, let out a lie. “Oh yes, dear. I was hot, so I opened the door to let the breeze in.”

“Oh! Well, I brought you some bread and flowers to help you feel better.” The little girl with the red cap was getting closer to the bed where Robbie lay.

The wolf could not believe how kind and sweet these humans were to each other. He started feeling really guilty about eating the girl’s grandma and taking her identity. He didn’t want to prove anything anymore. He wanted the little girl to leave.

“Thank you, dear. Set them on the table. I am tired and need to sleep now. I am sure you want to start heading back home now before it gets too dark,” Robbie said, thinking fast.

The little girl laughed. “Home already? I just got here! I want to take care of you. I let Mother know that I will be staying the night. Do not worry.”

Robbie gulped. “I have no room for you tonight. Only this bed, for me.”

“Don’t be silly, Grandma! We always sleep beside one another when I stay the night.” The little girl took off her red cap and started to tidy the cabin, while also arranging the flowers and preparing the food.

“Are you feeling okay, Grandma? You don’t seem like yourself today,” asked the little girl, worried about her grandma’s health.

“Oh yes, I am fine. I am just very tired today.” Little Robbie was sweating. Not only from the bear hide and blankets but from lying to the innocent girl.

“I’ll be over in a minute with a snack and a cuddle!” The girl shouted over dishes clanking and the running tap.

Robbie Wolf panicked. How would he disguise himself as her grandma? The extra accessories were not helping his case.

As the little girl finished the chores, she started walking over to where Robbie Wolf lay. He pulled the blankets over his head, hoping she would not notice anything out of the ordinary. But of course, the smart, little girl noticed.

“Oh Grandma, what big, hairy arms you have!”

“Really?” Robbie Wolf had never been complimented on the size of his arms before. Remembering he was supposed to be a grandma, he quickly responded in a way he thought would be authentic.

“All the better to hold you with, my dear.”

“Grandma, what big ears you have!”

“Oh, um, all the better to hear you with, my dear.” Robbie was surprised by all the compliments the girl was giving him.

“And Grandma, what big teeth you have!” The mention of his teeth made Robbie Wolf remember the pain he was feeling. He let out a sad howl and started to cry. The girl didn’t know where her Grandma was, or what to do.

After some time, she asked if the wolf was okay.

“I am so sorry,” pleaded Robbie Wolf.

“Where is my grandma? I miss her and I want to see her now. I will have to get her rifle and shoot you if you do not tell me.” The little girl was not taking chances as she already had an intuition of where her grandma was.

“I am sorry, this is not me. I want to be kind, like you and your grandma. I tried to be a real wolf, hunting and all, but I just feel ashamed.” He started to rip out his stick teeth and green ears.

“Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you came here.” The little girl’s eyes started to water.

Robbie Wolf took off the hide and wiped his wet eyes. “I know, I am sorry.”

“I want my Grandma. Being sorry doesn’t change anything.”

The wolf was now looking quite bare and remorseful.

Robbie Wolf had an idea. “I ate your grandma in one bite, she should still be alive!” He growled and coughed a few times. In a matter of minutes, the little girl’s grandma was spat up onto the ground. She was wet with slobber, and a little shaken up, but alive at that.

“Oh, Grandma! Are you okay?” The little girl ran to her.

The grandma looked up at the wolf in fear. “Yes, dear. Go get my rifle. This is a monster of a wolf.”

Robbie Wolf looked at the ground feeling guilt-ridden and disgusted with himself.

The little girl listened to her grandma, but as she passed over the rifle, she couldn’t bear the thought of harming this wolf.

Robbie Wolf, who was back to his original little self now, looked scraggly, with big eyes. He was scared to die.

The little girl interrupted her grandma’s aim. “Wait!” she cried.

Little Robbie Wolf, who was wincing while awaiting his death, looked at the little girl in disbelief.

“What’s wrong, darling?” Her grandma was surprised at the objection.

“I don’t think he deserves to die. He looks lonely and regretful. Maybe we can talk to him and hear his story first. We can decide what to do after we listen to his side of the story.” Grandma agreed.

They all sat down, admiring the flowers and eating the bread. They listened, cried, and laughed at the stories Little Robbie Wolf told them. He talked about his family, their roles, his life, and his dreams.

By the end of the night, the grandma and the little girl had made a new friend. More importantly, Little Robbie Wolf had made two new friends; people who were accepting of who he was and who he wanted to be.

Little Robbie Wolf lived with the grandma, taking care of her on the days when the little girl with the red cap couldn’t.

They lived happily ever after; that is until Churlish came roaming the woods one year later.

Helen decided to twist the classical story of Little Red Riding Hood into a tale about a under developed wolf who learns that listening to people is more effective than violence. She also played with gender stereotypes making Robbie a character that “goes against ‘manly’ norms” and his sister (Churlish) the strong, hunter of the family. Helen said that when she started writing the story, she didn’t think about the message behind it but is happy that several messages emerged by the time she finished it. 

Never talk to strangers. Never pity the monsters.

The young girl mumbled in her sleep. It was another nightmare. No matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to ignore the nasty howling outside the boarded-up windows. She was finally awake. Again.

Two emerald-like eyes opened and immediately glanced at their surroundings. It was the same dark hollow room she fell asleep in. Luckily, the girl didn’t need a candle to see in the dark. Many years of lurking and hunting in the dark made her able to challenge any cat. Or, maybe, it would be more appropriate to say any monstrosity?

A sudden shriek made her jump out of bed in an instant. She didn’t even notice how her tattered crossbow fell into her hands, already charged with a steel bolt. Listening carefully, the girl sighed with some relief and dressed into her hunting clothing. There was only one thing that made it unique –an emblem with her name on the chest. “Red Hood,” that’s what the text said.

It’s been a while since someone ever called her like that. The red cape from her childhood years now was used as a blanket and a pleasant memory. However, it did not protect her from the nightmares she faced each moment of her life. But that didn’t matter. Now, she was Red, the fierce monster hunter. All her family was gone since the fiends appeared, so the only thing that kept her going was revenge. The young huntress longed to find that one monster who stole her parents.

Dressed all in black, it was hard to tell whether she was there or not. It looked like she was one with the black void covering the world at night. Only one thing distinguished the huntress from the darkness. It was the flash of the metal from her crossbow reflecting moonlight. Those who saw it were already gone.

The wind was howling. Red opened the door carefully and peaked out. Yes, it was midnight. Let the hunt begin!

The Little Girl lived in a house all surrounded by an impassible forest.

Tonight the young girl had to cleanse the world from at least two monstrosities. That was her plan to keep the area around her house safe. Somehow, the monsters felt her presence and always crawled close to the shattered village. Some even acted as if they were home, trying to enter the ruined houses and light candles. Red didn’t hesitate to get rid of them. Monsters are monsters, so she thought.

Like a true huntress, she became one with her surroundings. She heard every move, felt every glance, saw every flash of light. Darkness was her best friend, the one and only in this derelict world. Several minutes had passed before the first target was found.

Red climbed a nearby tree as if she were a squirrel. Knowing these tricks was what helped her survive. The crossbow was already charged and aimed. All the huntress had to do was pull the trigger. She waited for the best moment observing the monstrosity.

It was a beast with thick black fur. Rounded horns ornamented the head while the hands had claws sharp as knives. The creature seemed to be sleeping, although Red heard it scratching something. Dense clouds covered the moon. Time to shoot.

With a silent crackle, the crossbow bolt pierced the creature’s head. The monstrosity fell, defeated with a single blow. Red figured a long time ago that horned fiends had a significant weak spot –the back of their head.

She climbed down the tree and approached the body to ensure it was silenced for good.

“Something is not right. Why is there human blood here?”

The girl looked closely. It was definitely the beast’s blood. Was it because it ate a human? Probably, that would be the most reasonable explanation.

Moonlight shone once again. Red looked down at the ground. It appeared that the creature was holding a stick with its massive paws. One end of the stick left a scratch on the ground. Looking closely, Red saw that it was a drawing. Something in a circle resembling a living creature with weird writing around it. All the huntress could make out was “I miss…”.

She suddenly felt like she was being watched. Her gaze instantly fell on the creature’s eyes. They looked moist. Was it the fiend who drew the picture and looked at her? The girl shrugged her shoulders. It was common knowledge that people with many evil deeds constantly turned into monstrosities. However, she had never heard of anyone becoming human again. It was impossible. A monster is a monster. That’s it.

Red returned to her ramshackle house before dawn. The hunt was successful. Although the huntress felt like she was being watched all the time, she shook off this numbing feeling. Nothing could see her. All creatures were dead, and not a single human soul could be around the area.

Her house was a single room which was a kitchen and bedroom simultaneously. Such an approach helped her keep more warmth in the building. The climate got colder with each day, so every bit of warmth was valued.

The huntress changed into her “home clothing,” the only difference of which was the colour and absence of her name on it. Red took an apple from a basket near her bed. It still looked edible. She was lucky enough to live near a forest with many fruits and berries. Otherwise, she would end up eating the disgusting meat of her prey. She fell asleep with the apple core in her hand.

Grandmother, what big eyes you have! Your hands, your teeth!

Another day. Another nightmare. Once again, she dreamt of her grandma, a realistic vision dispelled with the same howling from the previous night. Red felt like she was missing something very important, maybe even a detail of great value.

Doubts aside, she prepared for tonight’s hunt. Once again, the young girl was dressed in her hunting clothing. She took five crossbow bolts with her. Something told her she would need more than two this time. The loud shriek in the proximity of Red’s ramshackle house confirmed her worries. It sounded like the one she’s been hearing for the last several nights. It looked like the perfect opportunity to end them.

The monster slayer rushed out of the house, following the echoing sound. For sure, the source was near. Another roar made it clear: a beast was near the center of the ruined village. Red ran at full speed into the ruined square until she saw a human-like creature. The girl couldn’t believe her eyes. Staring in astonishment, she realized that the being wore the clothes of her grandmother. The shape was similar as well.

“Grandma, is that you?” the girl asked.

The beast, previously minding its own business, raised its head. For a moment, it seemed that the was some intelligence in its eyes. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop it from attacking the girl.

“No, I will not kill you!” Red shouted. She decided to knock out the creature to find a way to study it. Could it really be her lost grandmother?

After several minutes of fighting, the beast was worn out. The young huntress was lucky she was fast enough to dodge all the attacks. After all, she was trained to hunt creatures like these, so it wasn’t supposed to be a challenge. Losing was not an option. It would cost her life.

Red pulled the monstrosity, her potential grandmother, into her home. She tied it up just in case it tried to attack her once again. The girl looked attentively at the clothes on the monster. Yes, they were just the right size and colour. There could be no doubt that this being must have been her relative in the past.

The cunning Wolf lived nearby.

“Would you mind if I joined the party?” a suspiciously sweet voice inquired.

Red jumped out of her thoughts, trying to reach her crossbow, and then looked at the door. A human was standing in the doorway. There were definitely too many surprises for this night.

“Who are you, and where do you come from?” she asked the stranger. The last time she’d seen a living human was two years ago.

“Oh, I’m a hunter, just like you, searching for monstrosities to kill. You see, I have a bone to pick with them. Maybe some meat, too. I see you’ve already got a decent catch!’

“I don’t understand whether you’re joking or not. Still, who are you?”

“I was once called the Big Bad Hunter for getting rid of some gigantic monstrosities. Not even the bones were left, if you know what I mean,” winked the weird man.

It was then that Little Red saw his skin tone that looked as if it was covered in black ink. The colour of the monstrosity’s fur was absolutely the same.

“Why are you here? Are you alone?” Red couldn’t stop worrying. She felt something was wrong and slowly leaned toward the crossbow. The monster near her side was already awake, watching both humans chatting.

“I’m hungry, and you look delicious, darling. Your friend over there looks even more delicious, so how about you share a morsel with me?” smiled the man, showing his true nature. Sharp, beast-like teeth were seen through that smile. He was on the way to becoming a monster himself.

Step by step, the so-called hunter approached Red. She took her crossbow and charged it. Surprisingly, the man didn’t care. Either hunger has driven him crazy, or he knew something she didn’t. Bid Bad Hunter ignored the girl and came up to the tied monster. He licked his lips as if already tasting the meat he could get from killing it.

None of the humans knew the beast could tear the ropes with ease. It was a matter of a second before the man ended up in its mouth, being completely devoured. Red was saved for the moment, but what should she do with the monster?

Suddenly, the monster choked and spat. Its face changed in an unexplainable way, seemingly becoming a bit more human-like.

“Red, is that you? I don’t understand what happened…” spoke a familiar voice from the beast’s mouth. It was the voice of the girl’s grandmother.

 The Hunter came and saved the Little Girl.

“Grandmother, is that really you? Why are you a monster? How did this happen?!” screamed the girl in a stunning shock, hoping to wake up any moment. She was glad to hear a familiar voice, but it wasn’t so good from the monster’s throat.

“My dear child, I’ve killed many people in search of food. I didn’t notice how I became this… being. But I do remember eating this man. He tried to hunt me before and failed. Big Bad Hunter was no true human; he was on the way to becoming the same as me. But I killed for actual food while he made people his food. Maybe, I cleansed my soul by saving your li…”

A loud sound pierced the air. Red didn’t manage to react as several holes appeared simultaneously in her old wooden house wall. Those were from enhanced crossbow bolts. She knew whom they were aimed at: the monster who appeared to be her grandmother. It was too late to save her. Red had to think of herself.

In an instant, a man in a hunting suit entered the house. He saw the dead body, shouted something in an unknown language, and left. Surprisingly, the “hunter” didn’t notice Red. The girl felt something warm running down her leg. One of the bolts hit her leg. It was a stream of crimson-red blood, coloured in the same way her cape was when she was a child. A sense of weakness pierced Red’s body.

She heard a familiar voice. “Grandma, is that you?” mumbled the young girl. The sun was already rising. It was time to rest in peace. Another hunt awaited her, many other souls waiting to be cleansed. But would she be able to cleanse hers?

THE END

Anastasia was shocked when she began reading the earliest retellings of Little Red Riding Hood. She did not expect them to be so violent and cruel. But when it came her turn to retell a fairy tale, she chose a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Anastasia purposely left the end of her tale open ended because she wanted to “emphasize the main character’s perplexity and uncertainty about the future.”