Once, long ago, there was a small village located right at the edge of a vast a beautiful wood. There were other beautiful things about the town, as well. There was a church in the center which had beautiful stained-glass windows; and the most gorgeous weeping willow that stood right beside it. However, there was none so beautiful in town that could compare to the fair Nora Tristen. She was like a red rose covered by the morning dew and showered by the early aurora coming over the tree-tops. Her eyes were grayish-blue and dreamy, much like the calm sea. Her hair was of long, flowing auburn that cascaded her shoulders like the sprigs on the willow tree. Also, since the day she received it from her grandmother, Nora had always worn a red riding-hood. Hence, she received the nickname "Little Red Riding Hood," or sometimes "Red" for short.

On the other side of town, there lived three sons of a drunkard woodsman. They, too, were woodsmen themselves. They were also the kind of young men who would like to cause brawls for no reason at all. There was a rumor that Leif, the eldest of them, had once killed a man. Nothing was proven, though.

When Nora would go to market for her mother, the three brothers would always watch her keenly with lustful eyes. When Red noticed them, she would rush to one of the shop-keepers and start a conversation in the hopes of avoiding these three. She knew they were dangerous, and they frightened her.

One day, a young boy came out of the woods and went to Red's cottage. He had been by her grandmother's house, and she was feeling very ill. Concerned, her mother told Little Red Riding Hood to bring some herbs and food to her grandmother. The poor girl dreaded it, though, because just earlier that morning she saw the youngest brother pass her house and head out into the wood with his ax. But it was something that must be done.

As she made her way through the woods, she could hear the chopping of the brother's ax in the distance. But she felt as if someone watched her through the trees. She apprehended, could it be one of the other brothers? She continued on cautiously. There was someone watching her, yes. But it was not any of the woodsman brothers. It was a Wolf who had been strolling along in the forest and then spotted Red. He watched her not as a predator to prey, but with a yearning heart. When he saw the girl, he had become quite breathless. He was taken with her.

Red stopped walking. The Wolf ducked behind some shrubbery. She looked behind her, and then on all sides. No brothers. She sighed. She was a little more at ease now. She thought that the feeling that someone might be following her would be in her imagination. She knew that if it were the brothers, they would not bother to hide, but just confront her directly. She knew just as long as she heard the youngest brother's ax working far in the distance. She must be safe. Then she spotted some gorgeous wildflowers on the ground. Red thought to herself, "If I picked some flowers for grandmother, then perhaps it would make her feel better."

As Red knelt down in the flowerbed, the sunlight filtered through the trees and hit her in such a way that made the Wolf want to rush over, scoop her up in his arms, and confess his undying love to her. But he didn't want to scare her away, so he stayed his ground. With Red lost in her thoughts, and the Wolf lost in her image, no one noticed that the sound of the ax had stopped. All of a sudden, from behind her, Little Red Riding Hood heard a malicious voice say: "Hello, Red."

She turned around and fell backward when she saw him. The Wolf watched intently, ready to move at any sign of harm to Little Red Riding Hood.

"Why...hello...Abril..." she replied. The brother smiled a malicious smile and went to the ground. Then, taking her head, he began to assault her.

Straight and fast like an arrow, the Wolf sped from the bushes and pounced on the brother, snarling. Red Riding Hood watched in bewilderment as the brother screamed and tried to wrestle him. Suddenly, the woodsman's head hit a boulder, and he fell limp. The Wolf backed off of him in amazement. He was not expecting that.

Standing now, he looked down at Little Red Riding Hood. She was trembling, her eyes watery. He gave her a sympathetic look and knelt down before her. He tried to take her hand to comfort her, but she pulled it away. After the whole ordeal, she was very confused.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." the Wolf said softly.

"But you're...you're..." Red stuttered.

"A wolf?" he replied and smiled. "Yes, I suppose I am." The Wolf's smile was so compassionate that she was compelled to smile back.

"I owe you my life." she said.

"Just you're smile is enough." the Wolf replied. And at that moment, inside a brief moment of silence, they were in love with each other.

Red Riding Hood continued to talk, "What are we going to do about Abril? His brothers will find them and they will kill me."

"No they won't. I will protect you." said the Wolf.

A while later, the Wolf brought Red Riding hood to another village, and to an old barn in which the Wolf lived. And that night they were together in their love.

It didn't take too long for the elder woodsmen to find their brother. At that moment, they violently swore to avenge his death. So, drunk and ruthless, they set out into the night.

For a good part of the morning, the Wolf and his mate were lost inside each other's eyes. A bit later, the Wolf went out to find food so that they could eat. He left Red Riding Hood alone in the barn, but she felt safe. It was then that the brothers happened upon the place. The Wolf returned just in time to find the two brothers trying to assault her, with a knife and other things as well. The Wolf went directly into pounce mode, but the second brother took him by surprise and held him long enough for the destruction of Red. The redness of her now poured out over the hay, just as the tears poured from the Wolf's eyes. To avoid getting blame for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, the eldest woodsman raised up his ax. Without a second thought, he took off the poor Wolf's head with one swipe. And the Wolf welcomed it, for he would not want to live without Red Riding Hood.

That evening, there was mixed feelings amongst the townspeople. Their very own woodsmen had come home with an interesting tale. They said that while Little Red Riding Hood was going to her grandmother's house, she was approached by a Wolf--the same Wolf that had killed their brother. They said that he tricked her into telling him where she was going. Then he showed up at her grandmother's house. The poor old woman was so frightened by him that she had a stroke and died. Then, they said, the Wolf proceeded to dress in her clothing. When Little Red Riding Hood got there, the Wolf tricked her into thinking he was her grandmother. Then he had her come into the bed with her. The Wolf assaulted her, they said, and then he tried to eat her. They say that they tried to rescue her, but it was too late. They only stopped him from completely devouring her body. Then they held up the Wolf's head for all to see. And the townspeople rejoiced, for the Big Bad Wolf was dead. And they all lived happily ever after.