I'm currently writing a modern day adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood. After much research, I have learnt that the little, innocent fairy tale I was read to as a child is nothing more than a disturbing story of stealing a young girls virginity with a touch of cannibalism. In one version, the 'big bad wolf', feeds lil' red her grandmothers meat and blood, he then proceeds to force her to take off her clothes and tosses them into the fire before getting into bed with her. Then he eats her. Fairy tale know-it-alls' go as far to suggest that the story is actually a young girls 'sexual awakening' and her 'red cloak' could actually symbolize her hymen or menstrual cycle.
Even though 17th century folk had some ridiculous and hilarious versions of this fairy tale, my story will have none of these dark, twisted undertones. Isn't the moral of the story ultimately stranger-danger? So kids, if you come across a talking wolf who suggests you stop off to pick flowers for poor, sick Granny, keep your clothes on and run to a safe house.
And they all lived happily ever after.
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