Friday 20 May 2011

Fairy tales: Red Riding Hood


But Red Riding Hood is still picking flowers
and slowly wanders from the path
until suddenly the wolf arrives.
Heavens, what a fright.


A huntsman, Red Riding Hood's Father
is just close to the house
Hears someone there shouting terribly
thinks: there's something wrong.
I suppose the story of Little Red Riding Hood, in one form or another, is known in most languages.  Here are two cards from the Netherlands, dated 1914, showing the beginning and the end of the story.  Whether the gorier parts of the story were ever published, or just not collected by the little boy to whom these were addressed, I don't know.

The earliest printed version of this story is French, Le Petit Chaperon Rouge, dating to the 17th century.  It was an even more sinister story in those days, and well suited to be adapted into a horror movie as it now has been.

This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.

12 comments:

  1. Intriguing cards. The stories behind Red Riding Hood and our favourite nursery rhymes are topics for research and well worth the time spent on them.

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  2. Yes, I agree, the stories and rhymes are fascinating, some really very dark before they were sanitised.

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  3. I really like these a lot.

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  4. I like the added touch of the poison toadstools and the hiding rabbits in the first one. Threat and a happy ending, nice set of cards.

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  5. Scary fairy tale!! Actually, many of them were scary!

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  6. Oh lovely cards - I love the old-school illustrations! I read somewhere that the original fairy tales have a darker, more sinister elements than the fairy tales we watch on TV and movies or read on books nowadays.

    Postcards Crossing

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  7. Some of these 'story' cards were numbered, so perhaps the message side(s) may reveal a sequence number. Neat cards, regardless!

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  8. I love the story of Red Riding Hood. Beautiful postcard. Mine is up - My PFF Entry.

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  9. I love these postcards - very jealous! : )

    Thanks for the history of the tales, too!

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  10. I love these cards. I'm a big fan of fairy tales and their meanings ... if any besides a good story! You can't beat the illustrations. Such color! Fun and lovely. Happy PFF!

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  11. Some of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes were really, really dark, weren't they?? I think the goriest was the one where the seven goats were cut out of the wolf's stomach and replaced with stones.

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  12. Wonderful postcards... love the pics, highly collectable. You are very lucky to have them!


    Thanks for sharing... Happy PFF!

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Welcome to my postcard collection! I love hearing what you think of the cards - but spam WILL be deleted.

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