Little Red Mittens

The three little kittens found their lost red mittens, ate some pie, washed their mittens, and chased a mouse. It was a busy afternoon. After their nap, they tumbled into the kitchen. “Mother dear,” said one of the kittens. “Is there any more pie?”

“You silly kittens,” their mother said. “The rest of the pie is for Grandma. It’s in the basket on the counter.   Put on your mittens, and take it to her please.”

“Meow, meow, meow, meow,” the kittens said. They put on their red mittens, took the basket and left.

Deep in the woods, half way to grandma’s house, the three little kittens met a big, bad wolf. He smiled a friendly smile. “Little kittens in red mittens,” he said. “Where are you going with that big basket?”

“To Grandma’s house,” the littlest kitten said.

“I greatly fear we have no time to chat,” the middle kitten said.

“Goodbye,” said the oldest kitten, and they ran down the path towards Grandma’s house, dragging the basket behind them.

Sadly, the big bad wolf knew a shortcut, had longer legs, and could run faster. So, he arrived at Grandma’s house long before the little kittens did. Luckily, Grandma knew better than to trust a wolf. Grandma scratched the wolf badly and darted out the door when he tried to eat her.

When the three little kittens could see Grandma’s house in the distance, they stopped running and dusted off their mittens. “Do you think Mother will make pie tomorrow?” the littlest kitten asked.

“I hope so,” the middle kitten said.

“If she does, I’m going to take my mittens off before I eat it,” the oldest kitten said. “It was hard to wash off the pie.”

Just then, they heard something high above their heads. “Meow, meow, meow, meow.”

“That wasn’t a bird,” the oldest kitten said. They looked up.

“Grandma?” the middle kitten said.

“Grandma, how high up you are,” the youngest said.

“The better to see the danger before it arrives, my dear,” Grandma said.

“Grandma, how tightly you cling to the branches,” the middle cat said.

“The better to be safe, my dear,” Grandma said.

“Grandma, how quiet your voice is,” the oldest said.

“The better not to be overheard, my dear,” Grandma said. “Oh, dear. It’s too late. The wolf is coming. Climb up quickly now.”

The three little kittens could not climb trees while wearing mittens or carrying a basket. So, they left them in a pile at the base of the tree. Then they were able to clamber up to the high thin branches of the tree where they were safe.

The wolf prowled around the base of the tree, growling. The three little kittens were frightened of the angry wolf that had seemed so friendly when they met him earlier.

“Grandma, what big eyes he has,” the youngest kitten said.

“The better to see you with, my dear,” Grandma said.

“Grandma, what big ears he has,” the middle kitten said.

“The better to hear you with, my dear,” Grandma said.

“Grandma, what big teeth he has,” the oldest kitten said.

“The better to eat you with,” the wolf said with a snarl. He leapt at the tree, but couldn’t climb up into the high thin branches. The tree shook and the little kittens cried out in terror. “Meow, meow, meow, meow.”

A passing woodsman heard the kittens and came and chased off the wolf.   He helped the kittens and their grandmother down from the tree. But, when they got down, they discovered that the basket and the mittens were gone.   The wolf had stolen them.

“We’ve lost our mittens,” the youngest kitten said.

“Now we’ll have no pie,” the middle kitten said.

“We’ll never have pie again,” the oldest kitten said.

“Meow, meow, meow, meow,” they cried.

“I’ll make you new mittens,” their grandma said. “And when they’re done, we’ll celebrate with pie. Now, let’s walk home and I’ll tell your mother what happened.” And that’s what they did.