Softening his voice, the Wolf called out to her: 'Pull out the peg and the latch will fall.' Little Red Riding Hood drew out the peg and the door flew open. When he saw her enter, the Wolf hid himself in the bed beneath the counterpane. 'Put the cake and the little pot of butter on the bin,' he said, 'and come up on the bed with me.' Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes, but when she climbed up on the bed she was astonished to see how her grandmother looked in her nightgown. 'Grandmother dear!' she exclaimed, 'what big arms you have!' 'The better to embrace you, my child!' 'Grandmother dear, what big legs you have!' 'The better to run with, my child!' 'Grandmother dear, what big ears you have!' 'The better to hear with, my child!' 'Grandmother dear, what big eyes you have!' 'The better to see with, my child!' 'Grandmother dear, what big teeth you have!' 'The better to eat you with!' With these words the wicked Wolf leapt upon Little Red Riding Hood and gobbled her up. [Illustration: "'YOU MUST DIE, MADAM,' HE SAID."] BLUE BEARD Once upon a time there was a man who owned splendid town and country houses, gold and silver plate, tapestries and coaches gilt all over. But the poor fellow had a blue beard, and this made him so ugly and frightful that there was not a woman or girl who did not run away at sight of him. Amongst his neighbours was a lady of high degree who had two surpassingly beautiful daughters. He asked for the hand of one of these in marriage, leaving it to their mother to choose which should be bestowed upon him. Both girls, however, raised objections, and his offer was bandied from one to the other, neither being able to bring herself to accept a man with a blue beard. Another reason for their distaste was the fact that he had already married several wives, and no one knew what had become of them. In order that they might become better acquainted, Blue Beard invited the two girls, with their mother and three or four of their best friends, to meet a party of young men from the neighbourhood at one of his country houses. Here they spent eight whole days, and throughout their stay there was a constant round of picnics, hunting and fishing expeditions, dances, dinners, and luncheons; and they never slept at all, through spending all the night in playing merry pranks upon each other. In short, everything went so gaily that the younger daughter began to think the master of the house had not so very blue a beard after all, and that he was an exceedingly agreeable man. As soon as the party returned to town their marriage took place.