Retold by Alvin Schwartz
Once there was a girl named Jenny. She was like all the other girls, except for one thing. She always wore a green ribbon around her neck.
There was a boy named Alfred in her class. Alfred liked Jenny, and Jenny liked Alfred.
One day he asked her, “Why do you wear that ribbon all the time?”
“I cannot tell you,” said Jenny.
But Alfred kept asking, “Why do you wear it?” And Jenny would say, “It is not important.”
Jenny and Alfred grew up and fell in love. One day they got married.
After their wedding, Alfred said, “Now that we are married, you must tell me about the green ribbon.”
“You still must wait,” said Jenny. “I will tell you when the right time comes.”
Years passed. Alfred and Jenny grew old.
One day Jenny became very sick. The doctor told her she was dying. Jenny called Alfred to her side.
“Alfred,” she said. “Now I can tell you about the green ribbon. Untie it, and you will see why I could not tell you before.”
Slowly and carefully, Alfred untied the ribbon, and Jenny’s head fell off.