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Little Red Ridinghood.

ITTLE Red Ridinghood was a child kind and good,
And she had an old grandmother,

To whom with fruit she sped, ’cause she was ill in bed,
Hoping she soon might recover.

She crept into the house, quiet as any mouse,
For perchance the old dame might be sleeping ;

But when she neared the bed she was o’erpowered with dread,
And her pitiful eyes soon were weeping.

“Oh, grandma, you’ve changed so that I scarcely you know!
You have suffered, I fear, with much anguish.’

Then a gruff voice replied, ‘I have very near died,
And, alas! on a death-bed still languish.’

‘How large your head’s got!’ ‘Fits my cap, does it not ?
Don’t I love to see things neat and tidy?’

‘Then your eyes swollen, too!’ ‘Yet I clearly see you.
Was it that for which you have just cried, eh ?’

‘But you’ve got such a nose!’ ‘That from bad cold arose ;
Though I’ve smelt rather more still since Friday.’

‘Then your ears are so long! ‘How can they, miss, be wrong,
When I hear well, and listen beside, ch ?

‘But your mouth has stretched, too!’ ‘Then I now can eat you!
That I’m hungry can’t well be denied, eh?

Then quickly the Invalid jumped out of bed,

And the poor child discovered a large wolf inst. ad

In her grandmother's night-gown and grandmother's cap.

Oh, she fears the old lady has met some mishap !

‘Ah! I’ve eaten your grandmother—-wasn’t she tough !

But you, being young, will prove teider enough.

Though you're not very plump, yet yo: might have been thinner.

Come and have a short chat, and we'll then prepare dinner.’
* * * * *

The poor child was (un)dressed before the kitchen fire ;
And the wolf had as nice a meal as she could well desire.
MORAL.
Alas! this old wolf had no morals.