"Little Red Riding Hood" is a European fairy tale about a young girl and a sly wolf.[1] Its origins can be traced back to several pre-17th century European folk tales. The two best known versions were written by Charles Perrault[2] and the Brothers Grimm.
The story has been changed considerably in various retellings and subjected to numerous modern adaptations and readings. Other names for the story are: "Little Red Cap" or simply "Red Riding Hood". It is number 333 in the Aarne–Thompson classification system for folktales.[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Riding_Hood
Charles Perrault explained the 'moral' at the end of the tale[29] so that no doubt is left to his intended meaning:
From this story one learns that children, especially young lasses, pretty, courteous and well-bred, do very wrong to listen to strangers, And it is not an unheard thing if the Wolf is thereby provided with his dinner. I say Wolf, for all wolves are not of the same sort; there is one kind with an amenable disposition – neither noisy, nor hateful, nor angry, but tame, obliging and gentle, following the young maids in the streets, even into their homes. Alas! Who does not know that these gentle wolves are of all such creatures the most dangerous!