Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China By: Ed Young

A woman lived alone with her three children, Shang, Tao, and Paotze. On their grandmothers birthday the mother set off to visit her leaving the three children behind. She instructed them to behave and at sunset close the door tight and latch it well. An old wolf that lived nearby saw the mother leave and disguised himself as an old grandma and knocked on the door. Shang the oldest, answered the door. The wolf said it was their grandma but Shang said that their mother had just gone to visit her. The wolf said that their mother must have taken a different route because they did not cross paths. The children wanted to know why she was traveling so late. Shang asked “Po Po” why her voice was so low. The wolf said she caught a cold. Tao and Paotze unlatched the door and let the wolf come in. Immediately the wolf blew out the candle. The children wanted to know why. The wolf pretended to be tired and went into bed. The children climbed into bed with him. Shang stretched and touched the wolfs tail. He asked why Po Po had a bush on her foot. The wolf said Po Po has brought hemp strings to weave a basket. Shang touched the wolf’s claw and asked why Po Po had thorns on her hands. The wolf said Po Po has brought an awl to make shoes for them. Shang lit the light but the wolf blew it out again. Shang had seen the wolf’s hairy face. Shang was clever. She asked the “Po Po” if she has ever eaten gingko nuts and explained how they are soft and tender and will let you live forever but they are at the tops of trees. The wolf said it was too old to climb trees anymore. Shang suggested that she and her siblings could get them. The wolf was delighted. Shang and her sisters went to the gingko tree and climbed up where she told them about the wolf. The children did not come back and the wolf shouted for them. Shang called out that they were at the top of the gingko tree eating nuts. The wolf begged for some. Shang told the wolf that the gingko is only magical when it is plucked directly from the tree when you pluck it yourself. The wolf was pacing under the tree wanting to try a gingko nut. Shang called out for “Po Po” to get a basket and tie a rope to it to be pulled up. She started to pull the basket with the wolf in it up the tree but dropped it about halfway up claiming she was too weak. The wolf and the basket fell to the ground. Shang said she would try again this time with the help of Tao but again the basket and the wolf was dropped. The Paotze joined them and pulled the rope again. It reached higher than the first and second time, the wolf nearly grabbed a branch and the children let go. When the wolf fell he not only bumped his head but he broke his heart into pieces. The children called out “Po Po!” but the wolf was truly dead. So all the children climbed down and went into their house and locked the door behind them and fell peacefully asleep. The next day their mother returned with food from the real Po Po. The three sisters told her their story of the Po Po who had come.