You probably know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but how about "Little Red Riding Hood (Has a Gun)"? This spin on a classic is one of two re-imagined fairy tales published online by the National Rifle Association. The group is hoping to make the Grimm Brothers' classics "less grim" by adding firearms, The New York Times reports.
The stories, written by conservative blogger Amelia Hamilton, purportedly aim at teaching gun safety. However, critics such as Dan Gross, the president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, have slammed the NRA stories as a "disgusting, morally depraved marketing campaign."
"There are no consequences for the children here holding guns, walking out into the woods with guns, thinking about killing the bad guys. Children who might read these stories do not have the emotional maturity to understand that gun ownership does come with risks," Ladd Everitt, a spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said.
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In "Little Red Riding Hood (Has a Gun)," the Big Bad Wolf does not scare Little Red because she "felt the reassuring weight of the rifle on her shoulder." Likewise, Grandma scares off the wolf when "those big ears heard the unmistakable sound of a shotgun's safety being clicked off. Those big eyes looked down and saw that Grandma had a scattergun aimed right at him."
Likewise, in "Hansel and Gretel (Have Guns)," the children bag a "magnificent 10-point buck" before stumbling on the Witch's gingerbread cottage. The siblings then free two other boys from the Witch's home while Gretel "stood at the ready with her firearm just in case, for she was a better shot than her brother."
Hamilton said her retellings were "kinder" because grandparents and children weren't eaten, and no villains get shot.
"The Three Little Pigs (With Guns)" will be published in May.
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