Once upon a time, in a little cottage beside a huge forest, lived Mother Goat and her seven little kids. All summer long the kids frolicked in the fields without a care in the world. But deep in the forest lurked a wily, whisker-faced wolf. Every day he spied on the tasty-looking kids.
“Yum, yum,” he muttered under his bad breath. “Kid-burgers for my lunch.”
One day, Mother Goat decided to visit her sister on the other side of the forest. She gathered the kids around her.
“While I’m away you must promise not to let the wolf into the cottage,” she said.
All seven kids shivered when she mentioned the wolf.
“How long will you be gone?” the youngest asked.
“Not for long, my darling,” she replied. “But when I return, I will place my milky-white hooves on the windowsill. Then you will know it is me.” With that she trotted off into the forest.
At first the kids tiptoed nervously around the house, flinching at every creak and groan. But soon they forgot the dangers that lurked outside, and began chasing each other around the kitchen, playing hide and seek. Silently, the wolf crept toward the cottage. Not even a blade of grass whispered to warn the kids he was coming.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
“Who’s there?” whimpered the kids.
“It’s your mother. I am back from my trip,” growled the wolf in his gruff voice.
All seven kids rolled on the floor with laughter.
“Forget it, Mr. Wolf. You don’t sound like our mother.” Pounding his forehead with frustration, the wolf stalked back into the forest, his stomach rumbling with hunger.
Half an hour later the kids heard another
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
“Who’s there?” they shouted, a little braver than before.
“Your loving mother,” sang the wolf
in a voice as sweet as honey. “I’ve walked through the forest and I’m tired. I want to come in and rest.”
“That’s not the wolf, it’s Mother,” shouted the youngest kid. “We must let her in.”
“Not before we have seen her hooves,” said the eldest kid, who was feeling very calm and sensible.
“Mother, put your hooves up on the windowsill, so we can be sure it’s you.” Moments later a huge pair of paws with big, sharp claws appeared on the windowsill.
“Yuck! Those aren’t Mother’s hooves. They are horny and hairy and smelly,” squealed the kids. “Our mother has beautiful, dainty hooves, that are as white as snow. Mr. Wolf, you’re not coming in here. Never, ever, ever!”
They danced around the kitchen, leaping over each other, delighted at how clever they were. With his feelings hurt and his stomach empty, the wolf slunk back into the forest.
An hour later the kids heard a gentle tap at the door.
“Who’s there?” they called.
“Your mother,” said a gentle voice. “I’ve returned from a long and thirsty journey. Please let me in. Here are my beautiful, milky white hooves. See how white they are.”
And sure enough a pair of milky white paws appeared on the windowsill. What the kids couldn’t know was that the wolf had dipped his paws into a barrel of flour to make them white.
“That’s our mother,” said the eldest kid.
“Are you sure?” asked the youngest kid. “Those hooves are awfully big.”
“Of course I’m sure, and anyway, I’m the eldest,” her big brother replied.
So the kids slid back the bolt and flung the door open. In the blink of an eye the wolf leapt into the kitchen. He pounced on the eldest kid and swallowed him whole. He gobbled up the second kid … “Delicious!” … the third... “Yummy!” … the fourth ... “Best yet!” ... the fifth... “Mmmm,” and the sixth… “Burp! Excuse me!” Then he looked around him a little confused. “I’m sure there were seven kids. Never mind, I’m stuffed,” he declared, and lumbered out of the cottage. When he reached a clearing in the woods, the wolf stretched out and fell fast asleep. He snored so loudly that all the forest animals had to cover their ears.
Later that day Mother Goat returned from her trip. When she reached the cottage, she found the door of the cottage wide open and could see no sign of her seven children.
“What has happened to my babies?” she cried.
Hearing her mother’s sobs, the youngest kid, who was hiding inside the clock case, shouted, “Here I am!”
She scooped the kid up in her arms and hugged her.
“Where are your brothers and sisters?” she asked.
“Mother, the wolf tricked us all. We thought you had come home and we opened the door. Now all my brothers and sisters are inside the wolf,” squealed the youngest kid. “He swallowed them whole.”
Mother Goat ran into the forest. Before long she heard the wolf’s snores echoing through the trees – ZZZzzzZZZ. Then she spied him lying on his back, sound asleep, his hairy belly bulging with his lunch.
She took her scissors, a needle and some thread from her basket and snipped the wolf open. Out popped the six kids. Overjoyed to see their mother again, they crowded around her all talking at once.
“Hush,” she whispered. Placing six huge stones inside the wolf, Mother Goat quickly sewed him up again. Then they all tiptoed to the edge of the clearing and hid. Eight pairs of eyes watched the wolf snoozing.
At last the wolf yawned and burped.
“Mmm, after a tasty feast and a little doze, I’d like a long, cool drink,” he decided. So he staggered toward the river. His big belly, which was full of stones, swayed from side to side as he walked. Quietly, Mother Goat and her seven kids followed him.
At the edge of the river the wolf bent down to drink. “CHARGE!” shouted Mother Goat and all the kids galloped toward the wolf. They butted and they barged until he tumbled into the swirling water. Down he sank, the stones in his tummy dragging him deeper, until he was gone.
Mother Goat and her seven little kids skipped all the way home and had cake to celebrate.