Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of Little Red Riding Hood. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: In Charles Perrault's 1697 version, the wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood and the story ends there, followed by a moral warning girls about charming strangers. In the Brothers Grimm version, a huntsman cuts open the sleeping wolf, frees the girl and her grandmother, and fills the wolf's belly with stones.
Quick facts
– Book: Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm
– First published: 1697
– Type: A European fairy tale
– Tone of the ending: Depends on the version
Table of Contents
What Leads Up to the Ending
A little girl in a red hood is sent through the woods to bring food to her sick grandmother. On the path she meets a wolf, who asks where she is going and suggests she stop to pick flowers. The wolf races ahead, swallows the grandmother and climbs into her bed in disguise.
What Happens at the End of Little Red Riding Hood
When the girl arrives, she notices how strange her “grandmother” looks, leading to the famous lines about big eyes, big ears and big teeth. “All the better to eat you with!” the wolf replies and swallows her. In Perrault, that is the end. In the Grimms' tale, a passing huntsman hears loud snoring, cuts the wolf open and rescues both. They fill the wolf with heavy stones, and when he wakes he collapses and dies. The girl promises never to stray from the path again.
The Ending in 4 Quick Points
- Perrault's version is a warning with no rescue.
- The Grimms add the huntsman and a happy ending.
- Both versions punish the girl's trust in a stranger.
- The stones are a classic fairy-tale punishment for the villain.
What Happens to the Main Characters
| Character | What happens to them |
|---|---|
| Little Red Riding Hood | Eaten in Perrault, rescued in the Grimms |
| The grandmother | Eaten, then rescued in the Grimms |
| The wolf | Lives in Perrault, dies in the Grimms |
| The huntsman | Appears only in the Grimm version |
What the Ending Means
The ending is a lesson about danger and obedience. Perrault's moral makes the wolf a symbol of men who prey on young women, while the Grimms turn the story into a tale of rescue.
Other Ways to Read the Ending
Modern readers often see the tale as a coming-of-age story about leaving childhood safety. Retellings like Angela Carter's “The Company of Wolves” give the girl power over the wolf.
Themes the Ending Brings Together
Danger. The woods and the wolf stand for the risks of the wider world.
Obedience. The girl's mistake is leaving the path.
Rescue. The Grimm ending reassures young listeners that help can come.
Is the Ending Happy or Sad?
Most readers describe the ending of Little Red Riding Hood as depends on the version. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.
Who Will Like This Ending
Readers who enjoy endings that are depends on the version will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.
Book Versus Adaptation
Picture-book and film versions usually follow the Grimm ending, often softening it so the wolf simply runs away.
Discussion Questions About the Ending
If you are reading Little Red Riding Hood with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:
- Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
- What does the final scene say about danger, and do you agree with Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm's view?
- Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
- How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
- Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
- Would you describe the ending as depends on the version, or would you choose a different word?
How to Read the Final Chapters Again
- Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces danger and how the ending answers it.
- Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
- Notice what Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
- Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in Little Red Riding Hood often return in the final scene with a new meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing
- Was the ending of Little Red Riding Hood earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
- Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
- If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
- Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?
Check price of Little Red Riding Hood on Amazon
Books to Read After Little Red Riding Hood
- Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
Related: Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of Little Red Riding Hood?
In Charles Perrault's 1697 version, the wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood and the story ends there, followed by a moral warning girls about charming strangers. In the Brothers Grimm version, a huntsman cuts open the sleeping wolf, frees the girl and her grandmother, and fills the wolf's belly with stones.
Is the ending of Little Red Riding Hood happy or sad?
Most readers call it depends on the version.
What does the ending of Little Red Riding Hood mean?
The ending is a lesson about danger and obedience.
Is the ending of Little Red Riding Hood the same in the adaptation?
Picture-book and film versions usually follow the Grimm ending, often softening it so the wolf simply runs away.
Which version of Little Red Riding Hood is the original?
The oldest written version is Charles Perrault's 1697 tale, but folk versions were told orally long before that.
Who wrote Little Red Riding Hood and when was it published?
Little Red Riding Hood was written by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm and first published in 1697.
Is Little Red Riding Hood worth reading if I already know the ending?
Yes, especially if you enjoy European fairy tales. Knowing the ending can make a first read richer, because you notice how Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm prepares for it from the opening chapters.
Should I read Little Red Riding Hood before reading the ending explained?
Yes, if you plan to read it, because this post gives away the whole ending.