The White Gloves



  THE WHITE GLOVES

  George Trialonis

  Copyright 2015 George Trialonis

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  One day Red Riding Hood woke up early to see that it was a fine morning. So, she decided to take a walk in the forest to pick flowers and talk to her friends the trees, the squirrels and the fawns. She was living at the edge of the magic forest and the village was not far from where her family house stood.

  She had hardly picked a daffodil or two when she heard a voice from behind a tall bush. “Oh these long nails, how hard they are and hurt my hands and feet! I wish there was someone here to help me cut and trim my nails?” Now, you all know that Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother nearly lost their lives when the big bad wolf attacked them in granny’s house. But that was three years earlier and Red Riding Hood is not little any more. She is very careful and much wiser now.

  “I can help you, old lady,” Red Riding Hood said popping out from behind the other side of the bush.

  “Well, firstly, I’m not old. I’m only two hundred. Secondly, bless you my dear child. You are very kind.”

  Red Riding Hood didn’t know exactly how to answer.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to … well, I mean thank you.”

  “Ha, ha, ha,” the old woman laughed and then asked, “And who might you be, my dear?”

  “I’m Red Riding Hood, and you Madam?”

  “I’m …. Oh, I’ve forgotten my name. I hope you don’t mind. Please call me granny. I’d like that very much.”

  “Of course I don’t mind and I’ll be very happy to call you granny,” Red Riding Hood replied.

  “Can you really help me with these long nails?” asked the old woman wiggling her toes and showing her hands.

  “I think I can but I’ll have to run back home to get a few things. In the meantime you could prepare hot water and wait for me in your hut.”

  “That’s easy. I always have the kettle on for tea. So, I’m never without hot water at home.”

  “Oh, and one more thing,” Red Riding Hood said. “There’s a big bad wolf in the forest and he might come knocking at your door. Please don’t let him in or he will eat you up.”

  When the old woman heard this, she started to laugh so violently that her whole body was shaking. If she were not sitting on a tree stump, she would’ve rolled to the ground.

  “Oh, dear!” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “Thank you for making me laugh. I feel much younger now, and don’t you worry! I can take care of myself.”

  What a strange woman, Red Riding Hood thought. She can’t remember her name and she almost had a fit laughing on hearing about the wolf.

  Red Riding Hood left and the old woman stood up with the help of a cane that rested across her lap, and wobbled slowly towards her hut.

  On her way back home Red Riding Hood met the big bad wolf. He jumped out of a thicket of thorny bushes and blocked her way.

  “Why are you in such a hurry, pretty girl?” asked the wolf.

  “I’m going home to get a pair of scissors and liquid soap to cut and trim granny’s long nails.”

  “Oh, that’s very kind of you. Perhaps I could be of assistance.”

  “Oh, no! You stay away from granny. I know what you’re up to.”

  “Ha, ha, ha,” laughed the big bad wolf. “I know what you think of me, dear. But I assure you that my intentions are as pure as the daffodils in your basket.”

  “Well, firstly, these are yellow daffodils, wolf,” replied Red Riding Hood, “and secondly, I don’t believe a word you say.”

  “I am fully aware of the rumors concerning my person,” the wolf continued in a stately tone. “The animals of the forest and people believe that I eat grannies and innocent little girls, but nothing could be further from the truth.”

  “I don’t trust you,” Red Riding Hood insisted. “So, you better stay away from granny; do you hear me?”

  “Of course I do, dear,” grinned the wolf. “By the way,” he said, “I have a big and shiny kettle which I do not need. I bought it from the big store in the village and it would please me very much to send it to your granny.”

  “Oh, that’s very kind of you,” replied Red Riding Hood changing the tone of her voice to a friendlier one. “She’s preparing hot water right now and I’m sure she’ll appreciate a brand new kettle.”

  “Where should I send the kettle, then?” the wolf asked.

  “You can send it to the hut that is under the biggest oak tree by the river.”

  “Where can I find the biggest oak tree, my dear?” the big bad wolf asked again.

  “It’s by the third log bridge down the water mill,” Red Riding Hood replied.

  The eyes of the big bad wolf grew larger and gave Red Riding Hood a big smile. “Thank you very much,” he said and disappeared like the wind in the direction of the water mill. From there he would count the log bridges to find the hut where the old woman lived.

  Red Riding Hood raised her shoulders. “You’re welcome,” she whispered. The old woman is not my granny but the wolf doesn’t know it. I hope she likes the new kettle, she thought.

  The big bad wolf found the old woman’s hut very fast. He stood in front of the door and knocked three times.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “Who is it?” a feeble voice said.

  The wolf changed his voice pretending to be Red Riding Hood, “It’s me, grandma. Please open up. I’ve brought a pair of scissors and liquid soap to cut and trim your nails.”

  “It’s open, just lift the latch and push the door in.”

  The wolf lifted the latch, pushed the door and entered the hut. But instead of the old woman he saw a fluffy white ewe standing on its hind legs in the middle of the room.

  What luck, he thought. I’ll have juicy lamb chops for dinner, my favorite.

  The big bad wolf raised his hands to grab the ewe by its wooly coat.

  “Please don’t eat me,” begged the ewe falling on its knees.

  “Just give me one good reason why I shouldn’t,” replied the wolf.

  “I belong to Red Ridding Hood’s family, and they are so very poor!”

  “I don’t care,” the wolf said. “I’ll eat you anyway.”

  “Oh, no! You can’t eat me,” replied the ewe standing on her hind legs and crossing her forelegs along her wooly chest.

  Surprised by the fearless answer of the ewe, the wolf asked, with hands still in the air, “Why not?”

  “Because the family needs my milk. If you eat me Red Riding Hood will have no milk to drink. This will make her father, the woodcutter, very angry. He will find you, catch you, tie you up, put you in a cage and release you in the big city.”

  The ewe paused for a minute. The wolf’s eyes grew larger; his jaw was hanging a little. Something was going on in his mind. The ewe could hear the wolf’s brain rattle.

  “Silly sheep, you forget that the family has a goat and she gives milk, too. So, they won’t miss you at all,” the big bad wolf replied with a grin on his face.

  “Oops, you’re right,” said the ewe. “I forgot about the goat. You win. You can eat me now if you like.”

  The big bad wolf growled and lowered his hands to catch the ewe.

  “Oh, no! You can’t eat me,” the ewe said once more.

  “Why not?” growled the wolf, a little frustr
ated this time.

  “Because the family needs my wool. If you eat me, Red Riding Hood’s mother will have no wool to make clothes for her daughter. This will make the woodcutter very angry. He will find you, catch you, tie you up, put you in a cage and release you in the big city.”

  “Oh, yeah? Perhaps you forget that the family owns a little cotton patch and a good stock of cotton balls for their woolies,” the wolf replied and grinned from ear to ear but lowered his hands down to his knees.

  “Oops, you’re right. I forgot about the cotton patch and the cotton balls. OK, you win. You can eat me now,” replied the ewe.

  The big bad wolf growled louder this time and again raised his hands to catch the ewe.

  “Stop!” the ewe shouted once more.

  “What now?” snarled the big bad wolf, showing great anger and his sharp teeth.

  “You can’t eat me because Red Riding Hood will have no one to play with. You see, her family is so poor that they can’t afford to buy her toys. So, if you eat me, her father the woodcutter will be very angry. He will find you, catch you, tie you up, put you in a cage and release you in the big city.”

  “Oh, I can’t stand this any longer,” whimpered the big bad wolf and lied down on his back crying like a baby, kicking his feet and banging his hands on the floor. “wouaaa wouaaa! Why am I so unlucky?” he cried. Then he jumped to his feet, wiped his tears and nose, and said, “Now, you stay where you are, sheep. I’ll be back soon.”

  The big bad wolf ran to the village and went straight into the big store.

  “Can I help you, sir?” the store owner asked the wolf.

  “Yes, yes,” replied the wolf out of breath. “I would like two cases of sheep’s milk, seven pairs of wooly socks, seven red skirts and same number of white shirts, one short and one long red velvet cape with hood, and a pair of dolls for Red Riding Hood.”

  “Is that all, sir?” asked the store owner.

  “Yes, and hurry up. I haven’t got all day.”

  The store owner prepared everything the wolf had ordered and made it into a very big package.

  “It’s rather heavy,” the store owner said. “Shall I call a cab for you?”

  “No time to waste,” replied the wolf. “I’m strong enough to carry it myself.”

  The wolf took the package in his huge hands, put it on his back and ran out of the store. He didn’t stop running until he came to Red Riding Hood’s house. He placed the package on the porch and looked through an open window. The family was sitting at the kitchen table and mother was about to serve lunch.

  The wolf grabbed the package, kicked the front door and went straight into the kitchen. The family was very annoyed by the strange visitor whose face was hidden behind a huge package.

  The wolf placed the package on the kitchen table and stood back. The father jumped from his seat and went for the broom stick that was standing in a corner.

  “No, father,” Red Riding Hood said. “The wolf has something to say.”

  “Why are you here, wolf?” shouted the father.

  “Everything in this package is for your daughter: milk, clothes, toys and capes. Now, consider all these as fair exchange for your fluffy white sheep. I’m going back to the hut to eat it, and there’s no way you can stop me; I’m much faster.”

  Before the family had time to understand what the wolf was talking about, he ran out of the door as fast as he could.

  “What sheep was he talking about?” father asked.

  “I don’t know,” Red Riding Hood replied.

  “But we don’t have a sheep, only a goat,” mother noticed.

  “Yes, but the wolf doesn’t know that,” Red Riding Hood said.

  When the wolf returned to the hut, he found the ewe sitting on the couch and knitting a pair of white gloves.

  “What are you doing there?” the wolf asked.

  “These gloves are for you,” replied the ewe. “Winter is coming soon and I thought you might need a pair of warm gloves. I made them from my own wool and they smell nice.”

  “Can I try them for size?” the wolf asked.

  “Please, do,” the ewe replied.

  The wolf put the gloves on and smiled. “Oh, they fit me perfectly!” Then he put the gloves closer to his nose, “and they smell so sweet!”

  “You can keep them,” the ewe said.

  “That’s very kind of you but I’m going to eat you anyway. I’m the wolf, you know.”

  The ewe was not in the least disappointed by the attitude of the wolf. She thought it was so natural for the wolf to act the way he did.

  “No, you can’t eat me because …,” the ewe said once more in an effort to discourage the wolf.

  “I know, I know,” interrupted the wolf, raising his right hand to stop the ewe from talking. “The woodcutter will find me, catch me, tie me up, put me in a cage and release me in the big city.”

  “Right!” the ewe said.

  “Well, before I eat you I should let you know that Red Riding Hood and her family will not miss you at all,” the wolf said.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I went to the big store and bought her a lot of things which will keep her busy for a very long time.”

  “What did you buy?” the ewe asked.

  “Oh, I bought milk, woolies, toys, and a couple of red velvet capes.”

  “Oh, thank you! You’re so sweet,” said the ewe and kissed the wolf on his big nose. She did this very quickly, which caught the wolf by surprise.

  “Ick, ick,” cried the wolf, obviously very unhappy with the unexpected kiss. “A sheep kissed me. That’s disgusting!” and he wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve.

  “Oh, a shy wolf!” said the ewe and smiled.

  “A kiss won’t save you, sheep,” roared the wolf. “You are lamb chops to me. But before I take you to my lair I’m curious about the big city you mentioned so many times. Why should I be scared of it?”

  “You don’t know the story about the big city?” the ewe asked.

  “No, I don’t,” the wolf said, “and get on with it because my patience is running thin.”

  “OK,” the ewe said, “Come sit with me on the couch; it’s more comfortable there.”

  The wolf did as the ewe asked and they sat comfortably next to each other.

  The ewe turned on the TV and changed channels with a remote control to find one which was showing a tour of big city.

  “Do you see these tall buildings, wolf?” the ewe asked.

  “I do,” replied the wolf, amazed by the height of the tall buildings.

  “They are made from hard stone and iron, and they’re so ugly,” continued the ewe. “There are so many tall buildings in the big city as there are trees in our forest.”

  Next, the ewe drew the attention of the wolf to the cars and other vehicles on the long and wide avenues of the city.

  “Do you see these shiny horseless carriages?”

  “I do,” replied the wolf, dazzled by the colors and speed of the vehicles.

  “Now, do you see the smoke that comes out from their tail?”

  “I do,” replied the wolf and blew his nose on his handkerchief.

  “These things smell awful,” the ewe said.

  “What a lot of people!” commented the wolf. “Oh, what’s this?” he asked.

  The ewe saw that the TV was now showing the interior of a large supermarket. The camera focused on the meats section and the wolf could read the labels: lamb chops, pork chops, chicken, turkeys.

  “Oh, my God!” cried the wolf in amazement. “This is a goldmine, I mean a meatmine.” Then he jumped to his feet with eyes riveted on the screen and salivating. “Oh, my, this meat is mine.”

  “Where are you going?” the ewe asked.

  “I’m going to the big city to stay with my cousin. He was a jackal in this forest but it’s been years since he left for the city. So, farewell silly sheep, you’ll never see me again,” said the wolf and ran out of the hut fast.

&nbs
p; When the wolf was gone, the ewe said to herself “Well, this is the second good deed for today: firstly, I made the wolf buy presents for Red Riding Hood and, secondly, I made him leave this forest forever.” She couldn’t imagine that the last deed was a mistake.

  Then she looked at the grandfather’s clock on the other side of the room and thought: Red Riding Hood must be very busy with the presents of the wolf. She forgot all about the old woman with the long nails. Oh, well! Such things happen. Now it’s the old woman’s turn.

  The ewe opened a chest that was lying under the table and took out a magic wand.

  “You’ve been gathering dust for some time, dear,” the ewe spoke to the wand and cleaned it gently with a dust rag. Then she blew on the wand’s tip which started to glow and sparkle.

  “Do your magic, magic wand!” the ewe said and touched her head with the wand’s tip.

  A poof sound was heard and in the place of the ewe now stood the old woman with the long nails.

  “I think I’m not going to have a holiday this year,” she said to herself feeling sad. “I’d better go to bed. I’m tired.”

  So, the old woman tucked herself in the bed covers and slept soundly all night through.

  The following morning she woke up by a knock at her door.

  Oh, my! She thought. I must have overslept. She looked at the grandfather’s clock. It was nine.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “I’m coming,” the old woman said.

  She got out of bed and opened the door. It was Red Riding Hood.

  “Oh, dear,” the old woman said, “I thought you had forgotten all about me.”

  “As a matter of fact I had,” replied Red Riding Hood and her cheeks turned red. “But I dreamed of you. In my dream I saw the big bad wolf come here and you changed into a fluffy white sheep. I was so scared that he might eat you up.”

  “Oh, well. It was just a dream. I’m fine,” the old woman said. “But do you remember what happened next in your dream?”

  “As a matter of fact I do. You punched the wolf on the nose and he started to cry. Then a cab came and he jumped in asking the driver to take him to the big city.”

  “Indeed a strange dream. But again all dreams are strange, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, I do,” Red Riding Hood replied.

  “Oops, I forgot,” declared Red Riding Hood and fumbled into the rucksack she was carrying. “I’ve brought liquid soap and a pair of scissors. Is there hot water in the house?”

  “Oh, yes, there is,” replied the old lady and made to stand up.

  “No, don’t stand up,” Red Riding Hood said, “I see that the kettle is on the woodstove; I’ll get it.”

  “Thank you, dear.”

  “Now, I’ll need a dishpan for the feet and a bowl for the hands,”

  “You’ll find them in the cupboard below the kitchen sink,” replied the old woman.

  Red Riding Hood poured tap water in the bowl and the dishpan, added liquid soap and then slowly poured hot water. A warm lather was now ready. She then asked the old woman to see if the water was warm enough for her feet and hands.

  “Oh, the water’s fine, dear. Thank you!”

  “Please rest your feet in the dishpan and your hands in the bowl for ten minutes,” Red Riding Hood said.

  Ten minutes later Red Riding Hood pulled a little stool in front of the old woman, put on a pair of rubber gloves and started