Jabagadadash 4.0, the International Intercollegiate fest of Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth was held on 24 February 2023. There was a blend of thrilling events conducted online and offline, inviting participants from across the nation and beyond! One of the events was Twisted Tale – Story writing with surprise elements. Participants had to bring out the wordsmith within to reinterpret and rewrite classics. Here is a winning entry –
Red Hood: Filled with Love or Covered in Blood?
Pooja Narayanan | V.E.S. Institute of Technology Thane | Maharashtra, India
It was the day the moon fell. It was the day when her sweet little face was not shining, as it was the day that she had lost her beloved and caring mother. But it was not just her. Dad just sat silently, his face, expressionless. His face was blotchy and his eyes were red. Few days passed by. Then one day he just stopped…stopped and said, “No one can replace the warmth of your mother’s affection my girl, but, here, take this scarf as your mother’s last gift for you. Oh, you are undoubtedly the Little Red Riding Hood now, as your mother used to call.” The scarf was indeed such a beautiful red. “I can’t see you in such a miserable state.” He continued. “You are in dire need of a new environment. Why don’t you go visit your Shabari grandma? She messaged me a few hours ago that she is longing to see you.” He held out his smartphone displaying grandma’s text message.
Little Red Riding Hood was loved most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. She also loved her Shabari grandma equally. Hoping to get back into the normal routine, and agreeing with her grandma’s wish, Little Red Riding Hood set off that very evening to her grandma’s house, located in a faraway village that could only be reachable after crossing a dense and deserted forest. She also took some bread along with her to give to her grandma. Not long before Little Red Riding Hood entered the woods, she encountered an ominous, and horrible-looking black wolf. It had long pointed ears, sharp teeth, short legs, and a narrow snout. Little Red Riding Hood got scared of this evil creature at once and ran away as far as her small feet could take her. But the wolf was also clever and had everything planned before itself. Instead of following Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf went over to his Rakshasa friend, Mareecha’s house. The wolf told Mareecha that it was time to execute their plan.
Little Red Riding Hood was now at a safe distance from the wolf, at least that’s what she expected. She was now in that part of the woods, where the trees and branches were sprouting tender shoots. Tiny little white and pink blossoms popped their pretty heads from dark bushes, like stars in a night sky. The grass was a fresh green and the dew on it looked like pearls. The whole forest had a touch of freshness about it. The birds chattered ceaselessly and the sun was welcome, warm and comforting. This happiness, like a warm glow, spread all over Little Red Riding Hood and flowed out around her. She began plucking some flowers to make a garland for her grandmother. Suddenly, the sun’s rays flashed something golden among the green leaves of the trees. Little Red Riding Hood saw it. It was the most beautiful deer she had ever seen! It was shining as bright as gold and had delicate silver spots on it. Its eyes shone like two jewels. Its ears were small and pointed. It would stop, now and again, to nibble at the tender leaves or to look at Little Red Riding Hood with its large eyes, as if inviting her to play. Little Red Riding Hood was now completely fascinated by the deer’s unusual beauty. She longed to play with it, to feed it the green grass, with her own hands. But the moment she came near, the deer would run way a little further. She tried her level best to run after the beautiful beast. But little did she know, that while she was following the golden deer, she was being followed by the wicked wolf!
This was the sinful trap set up by the wolf and Rakshasa Mareecha who had transformed into a deer so as to catch Little Red Riding Hood off-guard. So enchanted and mesmerized by the beauty of the deer, Little Red Riding Hood stood there unaware of the fact that the wolf was about to pounce at her! Boom!! Not Little Red Riding Hood, but the wolf itself was attacked just as it was about to grab hold of poor Little Red Riding Hood. And it was none other than the saviour Jatayu! He flew up in the air and challenged the wolf. He tried to reason with him first.
“I am Jatayu, the king of eagles. Don’t you feel ashamed to attack a young girl? Go find someone of your size. I tell you. If you leave her now, you might escape my wrath. I am weaponless and smaller than you. You are huge. But I tell you that your strength will not be of any use unless you have answered me for this act of yours.”
Jatayu attacked the wolf with all the gusto he could muster. He fought bravely, like a true king. He attacked the wolf even more fiercely than before. With his talons and beak, he tore huge chunks of flesh off the wolf’s back. Jatayu attacked him again and again from all sides, his bird eyes glittering like glass beads. Little Red Riding Hood watched with a beating heart and fearful eyes. Now Jatayu’s strength and vigour started failing him. After all, he was very, very old. The wolf took advantage of this fact. With a swift motion, he used his sharp teeth and attacked Jatayu’s wings. Jatayu fell down, bleeding profusely. His old body had failed him. He had tried his best to save Little Red Riding Hood. The bird hero was unable to move. But his fight did not go in vain. The wolf was also too injured to follow Little Red Riding Hood anymore.
Little Red Riding Hood, with all the strength she could muster ran so fast that she reached her grandmother’s house in a jiffy. Little Red Riding Hood entered the room, only to find that the room was dark and utterly silent. Shabari grandma was asleep on the bed. But her state of fear and exhaustion due to running did not vanish on seeing her beloved Shabari grandma. Instead, she felt a cold chill, and when she switched on the light, she saw her grandmother lying dead on her bed. Looking at the condition of the house, the scattered furniture, books torn apart, and wardrobes lying open, Little Red Riding Hood quickly understood who was behind all this.
Unfortunately, she was not the first one to be attacked by the wolf that day. Her Shabari grandma had been its prey too. But Little Red Riding Hood now started feeling a bit suspicious. She began to think, “How did the wolf know that I was going to come into the woods this evening? How could it have made a plan with Mareecha, the golden deer even before I entered the forest? And the big question, how did the wolf know that I was coming to meet my grandma today? Because if it had not known so before, it would not have been able to attack me or my grandma both on the same day, that too with such great planning. Surely there’s something that I am not able to see. I will have to find out.”
Little Red Riding Hood quickly went outside the room and started asking all the birds, flowers, and animals if they knew something of the incident. It was then at this moment, that Little Red Riding Hood came to meet Sugreeva, the King of monkeys who happened to stay there. She asked Sugreeva if he knew anything. Sugreeva said, “Shabari maa was such a kind and noble lady. She always used to give us monkeys, and birds sweet fruits. She was such a kind lady that she would first taste all the fruits, separate the bitter ones and provide us with only the sweet ones. She used to sing melodious songs for the birds, water the plants and flowers every day and used to keep this forest a happy place. Wonder who could do such a heinous crime.”
Tears rolled down Sugreeva’s eyes. Suddenly he stood up. “Oh wait, a few days back, I had seen someone here!”
Little Red Riding Hood was eager now. “Oh please King Sugreeva, please tell me who it was, and what was their conversation about?”
“The wolf was talking with none other than your father, Little Red Riding Hood! Your father was saying how he did not want a girl child from the very beginning and how your mother insisted to bring up the child. It was only because of your mother’s courage that your father could not kill you in her womb itself. And when he had no other option, he had to kill your mother so that you could be a much easier target once your mother was out of the way”
“NO!” shrieked Little Red Riding Hood! “It could not be…. My father killed my mother!?? And how shameful of him to enact a play in front of me! Does that mean that this red hood which he gifted me is covered with my mother’s blood? I am never going to forgive him.” cried Little Red Riding Hood.
“Maybe your grandma heard the same conversation that day, and your father would not have wanted this secret of his to be spilt. So he might have made a plan with the wolf and killed Shabari Maa. And your father also specified to the wolf that he would send a message from your grandma’s phone to his own, to lure you into the woods, today evening. Maybe, later on, the wolf might have asked for assistance from the Rakshasa Mareecha. What a criminal mind he has, that man!” Sugreeva’s eyes became red with anger as spoke. Unable to digest the truth, yet keeping up her calm, Little Red Riding Hood turned to Sugreeva and thanked the monkey king for guiding her, giving her help and information about the things happening in his kingdom, in his forest. She also thanked Sugreeva for being with Shabari Maa always and keeping her aid whenever needed.
But justice was not yet done. Little Red Riding Hood took out her smartphone and quickly dialed the police station. She gave detailed information about all the events that had occurred right from her mother’s death, to the attack on her by her father. She also requested the police to take action against her father for charges of her mother’s murder and attempt to murder herself and attempt to do female infanticide long before. The police were thankful to Little Red Riding Hood for standing against crimes even if the main culprit was her own father. Little Red Riding Hood and her actions, indeed made her a proud and responsible citizen of the nation.
