The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids

Author: A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories

  • Age3–7
  • Reading time9 min
  • LevelBeginner

Introduction

Why retell The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids as a fable? Because its bones are already the bones of an old saying: a wolf in sheep's clothing. The kids lose everything the moment they trust a sweet voice and a white paw, and that warning travels across cultures without losing a word. There is a piece of history hidden in this tale, too. The Brothers Grimm took the famous "stones in the belly" ending from this story and gave it to Little Red Riding Hood, which is why the two tales feel like twins. As you read, watch three things with your child. First, notice that the kids do not break the rules because the wolf is too clever; they break them because they stop listening to their mother's words. That is the heart of this fable: the rules of those who love you are not there to spoil your fun. Second, notice how the wolf keeps upgrading his disguise — a softer voice, whiter paws — and ask your child what could never be changed. Third, watch the mother. She weeps, but she does not give up. Her calm cleverness, not her anger, defeats the wolf. After you finish, ask: what should the kids check before opening the door next time?

Font Size
1 / 13
Stopped
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - Before leaving, the old goat warns her seven kids to open the door for no one. The wolf comes disguised twice: first his hoarse voice gives him away, and after swallowing chalk, his black paws do. - Scene Illustration 1
Before leaving, the old goat warns her seven kids to open the door for no one. The wolf comes disguised twice: first his hoarse voice gives him away, and after swallowing chalk, his black paws do.
Long ago, an old goat lived in a small house at the edge of the woods with her seven little kids, and she loved them dearly, as every mother loves her children. One day the food ran low, so she had to go into the forest. Before she left, she called her kids together and said, "Bolt the door and open it for no one. The wolf is a master of tricks, but two things always give him away: his hoarse voice and his black paws. Remember my words, and no harm will reach you." "Yes, Mother," the kids answered. "We will do as you say." Then the old goat set off into the trees, though her heart was heavy.
Not long after, someone knocked at the door. "Open up, my little ones," a voice called. "Mother is home, and she has brought a gift for each of you!" But the voice was rough and raspy, like stones grinding together, and the kids knew at once who it was. "We will not open the door!" they cried. "Our mother speaks softly and sweetly, but your voice is hoarse and harsh. You are the wolf!" The first trick failed.
The wolf thought hard. He ran to the shop, bought a big piece of chalk, and swallowed it to soften his voice. Then he hurried back and knocked again. "Open up, my little ones," he called sweetly. "Mother is home with a gift for each of you!" This time his voice was soft and smooth. But he rested his paws on the windowsill, and the kids saw them at once. "We will not open the door!" they cried. "Our mother's paws are white and clean. Yours are black as soot. You are the wolf!" The second trick failed as well.
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - The wolf frightens a miller into whitening his paws, and the third trick works. He swallows six kids whole, while only the youngest, hidden in the clock case, survives; then he falls asleep under a tree. - Scene Illustration 2
The wolf frightens a miller into whitening his paws, and the third trick works. He swallows six kids whole, while only the youngest, hidden in the clock case, survives; then he falls asleep under a tree.
The wolf would not give up. He went to the baker and held out his paw. "My foot hurts," he said. "Spread some dough on it." The baker did as he was told. Then the wolf went to the miller. "Cover my paws with white flour!" he ordered. The miller guessed that the wolf meant to do harm, and he hesitated. "Do it now, or I will eat you!" the wolf snarled. The miller was so afraid that he obeyed. Fear can make good people help bad ones — that is an old and bitter truth.
For the third time, the wolf came to the door. He lifted his paws to the windowsill, white as flour, white as snow. The kids peeked through the crack in the door. "White paws and a sweet voice! It really is Mother!" they cheered. They pulled back the bolt, and the wolf stepped inside. Then the kids saw his long, sharp face, and they screamed and ran in every direction. One hid under the table, one under the blankets, and one climbed into the cold oven. One pressed into a corner, one hid in the cupboard, and one crouched under the sink. The youngest jumped into the tall clock case.
But the wolf's nose could find them anywhere. He sniffed them out one by one and swallowed them one by one, whole, without even chewing. Six kids went down his throat. Only the youngest, hidden deep inside the clock, was safe. Then the wolf walked out to the meadow, stretched out under an old tree, and fell into a deep sleep.
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - The old goat comes home to a wrecked house. She calls her children one by one, finds only the youngest inside the clock case, and learns that the wolf has eaten the other six. - Scene Illustration 3
The old goat comes home to a wrecked house. She calls her children one by one, finds only the youngest inside the clock case, and learns that the wolf has eaten the other six.
By and by, the old goat came home. What a sight met her eyes! The door stood wide open. Chairs and stools lay tipped over, dishes lay smashed on the floor, and blankets and pillows had been dragged off the bed. She called her kids by name, one by one. No one answered. At last she called the youngest. "I am here, Mother," came a thin, small voice. "I am here, inside the clock case."
She lifted him out, and the little kid told her everything: how the wolf knocked three times, how he tricked them, and how he swallowed six brothers and sisters whole. The mother goat hugged her youngest and wept bitter tears, and the birds in the woods grew quiet and still.
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - In the meadow the old goat finds the sleeping wolf and sees movement inside his belly. She cuts him open, frees all six kids alive, fills his belly with stones, and sews him up. - Scene Illustration 4
In the meadow the old goat finds the sleeping wolf and sees movement inside his belly. She cuts him open, frees all six kids alive, fills his belly with stones, and sews him up.
But tears do not save anyone. The mother goat dried her eyes and walked to the meadow with her youngest. There lay the wolf under an old tree, snoring so loud that the branches trembled. She crept around him and looked closely. Something in his belly was moving and kicking. Her heart leaped. "My children are still alive!" she thought.
She sent the youngest running home for scissors, a needle, and thread. Then she cut open the wolf's belly. With the first snip, a little head popped out. She cut a little more, and six kids sprang out, one after another, alive and unharmed, for the greedy wolf had swallowed them whole. What joy! The seven kids hugged their mother and danced around the meadow.
"Now fetch some big, heavy stones," said the mother. "We will fill his belly while he sleeps." The kids ran off and came back carrying stones, as many as they could lift. They packed the stones inside the wolf, and the mother sewed him up neatly and tightly. The wolf slept on and felt nothing.
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - The wolf wakes up heavy and thirsty, and the stones drag him into the brook, where he drowns. The seven kids dance in a ring with their mother, and the lesson is told for all children. - Scene Illustration 5
The wolf wakes up heavy and thirsty, and the stones drag him into the brook, where he drowns. The seven kids dance in a ring with their mother, and the lesson is told for all children.
At last the wolf woke up and stood up. His belly felt heavy, and he was terribly thirsty. He stumbled toward the brook. With every step, the stones knocked and rattled inside him. At last he grumbled: "What is knocking in my belly, rolling round and round? Seven kids went down for supper, seven stones weigh me down."
He reached the brook and bent down to drink. But the heavy stones dragged him forward. He tumbled into the water and drowned. The seven kids saw it from far away and came running. "The wolf is dead! The wolf is dead!" they shouted, and they joined hands and danced in a ring around their mother. From that day on, they always remembered their mother's words. And here is the lesson for every child: a sweet voice and a white paw can hide a bad heart, but they can never hide the truth, and those who will not listen to wise words will learn the hard way.

Vocabulary from "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids"

12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.

hoarseB2
/hɔːs/adj.

Having a rough, low voice, often because of a sore throat.

（嗓音）沙哑的、粗哑的。

The wolf is a master of tricks, but two things always give him away: his hoarse voice and his black paws.

林子里的狼最会乔装改扮，可有两样东西总会露馅——嗓子沙哑，爪子乌黑。

raspyB2
/ˈrɑːspi/adj.

Rough and harsh to hear, not smooth or sweet.

（声音）刺耳的、粗厉的。

But the voice was rough and raspy, like stones grinding together, and the kids knew at once who it was.

可那声音又粗又哑，像砂石磨铁，小羊们一听就知道是谁。

boltB2
/bəʊlt/n.

A bar that slides across a door to lock it from inside.

门闩；插销。

They pulled back the bolt, and the wolf stepped inside.

它们欢呼着拉开了门闩，狼一步跨进门来。

hesitated(hesitate)B1
/ˈhezɪteɪtɪd/v.

Paused before acting because you were not sure.

犹豫；迟疑。

The miller guessed that the wolf meant to do harm, and he hesitated.

磨坊主见他一脸凶相，猜到他要去干坏事，心里正犹豫。

snarled(snarl)B2
/snɑːld/v.

Spoke in a fierce, angry voice while showing teeth.

（恶狠狠地）咆哮、低吼。

"Do it now, or I will eat you!" the wolf snarled.

“你敢不照办，我先吃了你！”狼龇着牙低吼。

obeyed(obey)B1
/əˈbeɪd/v.

Did what someone in charge told you to do.

服从；听从。

The miller was so afraid that he obeyed.

磨坊主吓得两腿发软，只好照做。

peeked(peek)B2
/piːkt/v.

Looked quickly and carefully at something.

偷看；飞快地看一眼。

The kids peeked through the crack in the door.

小羊们隔着门缝一看。

snoring(snore)B2
/ˈsnɔːrɪŋ/v.

Breathing noisily while sleeping.

打鼾。

There lay the wolf under an old tree, snoring so loud that the branches trembled.

远远就看见狼摊在一棵老树下，鼾声如雷，震得树枝直抖。

crept(creep)B2
/krept/v.

Moved slowly and quietly so that nobody noticed.

悄悄移动；蹑手蹑脚地走。

She crept around him and looked closely.

她蹑手蹑脚地绕着他转了一圈，细细一看。

snipC1
/snɪp/n.

A quick, small cut made with scissors.

（剪刀的）一剪；咔嚓一声。

With the first snip, a little head popped out.

刚剪第一刀，就有一颗小脑袋探了出来。

stumbled(stumble)B2
/ˈstʌmbld/v.

Walked unsteadily and almost fell.

踉跄；跌跌撞撞地走。

He stumbled toward the brook.

他跌跌撞撞地往溪边走。

rattled(rattle)B2
/ˈrætld/v.

Made a series of short, hard knocking sounds.

（石头等）碰撞作响、哐当响。

With every step, the stones knocked and rattled inside him.

每走一步，石头就在肚子里哐当哐当地撞。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

A bad heart can hide behind a sweet voice and white paws, but it can never hide the truth. Listen to wise words, or you will learn the hard way.

Educational Value

Children learn not to trust sweet talk from strangers, to check before opening the door, and to see how a mother's calm cleverness and courage can save the day.

Tips for Parents

After reading, practise "what to do when someone knocks": agree on a secret word only the family knows, and teach your child to check before opening. Then talk about the wolf in sheep's clothing — can a kind-looking person still be dangerous?

Talk About It

  1. The kids saw through the wolf twice. How did they do it, and how did the wolf fix each giveaway?
  2. Even with a sweet voice and white paws, the wolf was still a wolf. Can we trust a person by voice and looks alone?
  3. The miller did not want to help the wolf, but fear made him obey. Was that right? What would you have done?
  4. If you were home alone and someone knocked saying, "I am a friend of your mother," how would you check?
  5. The mother goat wept, but she did not give up. What do you think is the most wonderful thing about her?

You May Also Like

Bearskin - A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories - Fairy Tale Illustration

Bearskin

Long ago, a poor soldier with nowhere to go made a seven-year pact with the Devil: no washing, no combing, no cutting, no prayer, in exchange for endless gold. Wrapped in a bearskin, he wandered the world — feared by all, yet kind at heart, giving to the poor wherever he went. On the seventh year he found his faithful bride with a broken ring, while her two vain sisters were undone by their own envy.

A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories
A Riddling Tale - A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories - Fairy Tale Illustration

A Riddling Tale

Three women are turned into flowers that look exactly alike. How does a husband pick out his own wife? The answer hides in a single drop of dew.

A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories
The Rabbit and the Maiden - A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories - Fairy Tale Illustration

The Rabbit and the Maiden

For three days a hare steals the cabbages, then tricks the maiden onto its tail and carries her home to be its bride. The maiden turns the trick around, leaves a straw double in her place, and slips home unnoticed.

A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories