Little Ruby Riding Hood

by Laila Goldrein

Little Ruby Riding-Hood was on her way through the forest. She was going to visit her grandma, for Chanukah. They were going to light the candles together and sing, and then they were going to have dinner together, with slightly overcooked chicken, and latkes, and gelt for afters. And finally, before Little Ruby’s parents got there, the two were going to play a thousand games of dreidel, eat doughnuts, and finally, just as the adults arrived, Little Ruby would go to bed. So Little Ruby was feeling quite happy. It would be a great night. She walked with a spring in her step, skipping through the woods (not very advisable, she had some milk in there, might have broken the bottle). Just as Little Ruby rounded a corner, a wolf leapt out. He growled at Little Ruby, looming over her ferociously. “Lil gal, what are you doing in these woods? See” he said, smiling and showing all his sharp, pointy, teeth, “there’s things in these forests that would love to… EAT YOU RIGHT UP!” Little Ruby gritted her teeth. “You know what! Fine. I’ll let you eat me, if you can beat me in a game of dreidel”. Little did the wolf know that…. He had no opposable thumbs, and couldn't spin the dreidel. When he realised this, the wolf began to cry. Rivers of water ran down his face, in streams that soaked his fur flat. Ruby patted his back and gave him some gelt. The wolf stopped snivelling and stared at the gold foil circle. Raising an eyebrow (yes wolves have eyebrows), the wolf picked it up and ate it. Immediately, his eyes went wide. “WOAH! What is this? I need more!” the wolf yelped. A small smile slowly slid over Ruby’s face. “It’s gelt, Chanukah gelt. I only have a little, though. If you come to the party, we will probably have more”. The wolf looked up. He’d never been asked to a party before. He gave Ruby a toothy grin, “I’ll go and get my mum’s and dad’s permission”, the wolf called over his shoulder as he ran off into the woods.