The Wolf and the Riding Hoods

The Wolf and the Riding Hoods has been published in The West Australian Newspaper, Scripsit, In Perspective, The Ink Drinkers and The Japanese Grandmother. I hope you enjoy it. 

THE WOLF AND THE RIDING HOODS  - A fantasy.  

Twins, Catalina and Philippa, were on their way through the stretch of bush between their house and their grandparents' farm.

"Do you think we'll meet a wolf?" Catalina asked as she jumped from log to log.

"We might." Philippa put down the basket their mother had packed beside one of the fallen logs. The log had settled across two larger ones and formed a nice little bridge.

The girls walked along its narrow surface, their arms outstretched, hands spread, balancing.            

Arthur drove along the slushy track, wet from the morning's rain, looking for Leggatt's farm. He wondered if their bit of insurance was worth going out of his way. Rounding a bend in the road, he saw ahead of him, two little figures clad in red raincoats and hats, walking along a fallen log. He stopped when he reached them.

"Hi, there, chicks," he called, grinning as he wound down the window. Though he was nearing sixty, Arthur liked to keep up with what he thought was the latest jargon of the younger set. 

The girls stared at him then said in unison, "Hello."

Arthur switched off the engine. "Where are you going?"

"We’re going to see grandma,” one of the little girls said.

“Where does your grandma live?”

“She lives in a house on the other side of the forest.” She pointed to the track behind her which led into the forest. “We’re having a sleepover with her and granddad tonight.”

Arthur’s eyes, set in a pudgy red face, glinted with expectation. “I’ll give you a lift. It’s a long way for two little girls to go by themselves.” He leant over and opened the car door.

The little girls jumped down from the log. One of them picked up a basket. They stood with the log between them and Arthur. 

Download The Rainbow Children from http://laurellamperd.blogspot.com.au
Short stories suitable for children 4 - 11. Jenny makes friends with the Rainbow Children and has an adventure.