The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats

Part One · Mother's Warning

Mother Goat lived in a little house beside the woods with her seven little goats, and she loved them all dearly. One morning she had to go into the forest to find food, so she called the little goats to her side.

"Keep the door shut while I am gone," she said. "A wicked wolf is hiding in the forest, and he will try to fool you. But you will know him by his scratchy voice and his black paws." "We know, Mother," said the little goats. "We will never open the door." Then Mother Goat hugged them every one and hurried away.

Part Two · Knock, Knock, Knock

Soon there was a knock at the door. "Open up, my dears," said a deep, scratchy voice, "for it is your mother, and I have come home." "You are not our mother!" cried the little goats, "for her voice is soft and gentle. You are the wolf!" The wolf growled and stomped away.

The wolf went to the village shop and bought a big piece of chalk, and he swallowed it all. Now his voice sounded soft and gentle. He hurried back and knocked again. "Open up, my dears," he sang sweetly. "It is your mother, and I am home."

But the wolf had put his paw on the window, and the little goats saw that it was black. "You are the wolf!" they shouted, "for our mother has white feet." So the wolf ran off to the baker. "Put some dough on my paw," he said. Then he ran to the miller, who covered it with white flour.

Knock, knock, knock went the wolf. "Open up, my dears," he whispered, "and look, here is my beautiful white paw." The little goats saw a paw as white as snow. "It is Mother!" they cried, and they opened the door. In came the wolf!

Part Three · Safe Again

"Run and hide!" cried the little goats. One ran under the table, one jumped into the bed, and one squeezed inside the oven. One hid behind the kitchen door, one hid inside the cupboard, and one crept under the washbowl. The littlest goat ran to the tall clock and hid inside the clock case, as quiet as a mouse.

The wolf looked high and low. He found six of the little goats and put them in a sack, but he never looked inside the clock. Then he grew sleepy, so he lay down under a tree in the meadow with the sack beside him. Soon he was snoring loudly.

Soon Mother Goat came home to find the door wide open and the chairs lying on the floor. "My little ones!" she cried. "Mother, I am here!" said a tiny voice, and out of the clock case came the littlest goat. He told her everything about the wolf.

They hurried to the meadow, where the wolf lay snoring. Snip, snip! Mother quickly cut the sack open, and out jumped six little goats, safe and sound. "Hurry!" whispered Mother Goat. The little goats gathered big stones and put them in the sack, and Mother sewed it shut. Then they all hid behind a bush.

At last the wolf woke up. He felt thirsty, and the sack felt heavy, so he wandered to the pond for a drink. The sack was so heavy that he stumbled and fell into the water with a great splash. He swam out, wet and angry, and ran away, and he never came back.

The little goats hurried home with Mother and bolted the door, and that night they all snuggled together in one big bed. The littlest goat spoke up. "A soft voice can be a trick," he whispered, "and next time we will remember."