under their weight and dies, or he falls into the well and drowns. In any case, we can certainly see that the story is set in another world that is both beautiful and dangerous.

Now let's look at Roald Dahl's version of the tale, which he tells in his poem “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.” Dahl actually creates not faerie exactly but a caricature and even a satire of faerie. The Wolf is a practical creature who just wants a decent meal and then seconds. He eats the grandmother and then waits for Red Riding Hood, thinking that she will “taste like caviar.” The girl, however, isn't fooled by the Wolf. She starts the “What great big ears you have, Grandma” routine, but she ends with the mention of a “great big furry coat.” The Wolf scolds her for getting it wrong and then says he's going to eat her anyway. Red Riding Hood pulls out a gun and shoots him, and the next time the speaker sees her, she is wearing a “lovely furry wolfskin coat.” Faerie is fully blended with the real world here, so much as to almost get lost in the shuffle. Yet we can't help but laugh at this turn of events as Dahl blends faerie elements (like a talking wolf) with real-world attitude and plenty of humor.