Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, there was a little girl with hair so bright and golden that everyone called her Goldilocks.

One day, Goldilocks went into the meadow to gather flowers. She wandered farther and farther, until she came to a cool, shady forest she had never seen before.

Deep among the trees stood a little cottage. Goldilocks was tired and thirsty, so she knocked on the door. She hoped someone inside might give her a drink and let her rest for a while.

But nobody answered.

Goldilocks knocked once more. Still nobody answered, so she gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The cottage belonged to three bears: a great big Father Bear, a middle-sized Mother Bear, and a dear little Baby Bear, who was no bigger than Goldilocks herself. The bears had gone for a walk while their porridge cooled.

Inside the cottage, Goldilocks saw three chairs standing in a row.

First, she sat in Father Bear’s great big chair. But its cushion was much too soft. Goldilocks felt as though it might swallow her up.

Next, she sat in Mother Bear’s middle-sized chair. But its cushion was much too hard. It was not comfortable at all.

Then she sat in Baby Bear’s dear little chair.

“This chair is just right,” said Goldilocks.

She rocked and she rocked, and she sat and she sat, until—crack!—the little chair gave way beneath her.

Goldilocks stood up and looked around. The three bears had still not come home. On the table she saw three bowls of steaming porridge.

There was a great big bowl with a great big wooden spoon for Father Bear. There was a middle-sized bowl with a middle-sized wooden spoon for Mother Bear. And there was a dear little bowl with a little silver spoon for Baby Bear.

The porridge smelled delicious, and Goldilocks decided to taste it.

First, she tasted Father Bear’s porridge.

“Oh! This porridge is much too hot,” she said.

Next, she tasted Mother Bear’s porridge.

“This porridge is much too cold,” she said.

Then she tasted Baby Bear’s porridge.

“This porridge is just right,” said Goldilocks.

It tasted so good that she ate and ate until every last spoonful was gone.

After that, Goldilocks felt very sleepy. She went upstairs and found three beds standing in a row.

First, she lay down on Father Bear’s great big bed. But the pillow was much too high, and she could not get comfortable.

Next, she tried Mother Bear’s middle-sized bed. But the pillow was much too low, and that was not comfortable either.

Then she lay down on Baby Bear’s dear little bed.

The pillow was just right. The blanket was cosy, and the bed was so comfortable that Goldilocks closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

While Goldilocks slept, the three bears came home from their walk. As soon as they stepped through the door, they knew that somebody had been inside their cottage.

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair,” said Father Bear in his great big voice, “and left the cushion crooked.”

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair,” said Mother Bear in her middle-sized voice, “and left it standing crooked.”

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair,” cried Baby Bear in his little voice, “and they have broken it!”

Baby Bear felt very sad.

The three bears went to the table.

“Somebody has been tasting my porridge,” said Father Bear, “and left the spoon on the table.”

“Somebody has been tasting my porridge,” said Mother Bear, “and splashed it over the side.”

“Somebody has been tasting my porridge,” cried Baby Bear, “and they have eaten it all up!”

Baby Bear looked as though he might cry.

“If somebody has been here,” said Mother Bear, “perhaps they are here still.”

So the three bears went upstairs to look.

Father Bear looked at his bed.

“Somebody has been lying on my bed,” he said in his great big voice, “and pulled down the covers.”

Mother Bear looked at her bed.

“Somebody has been lying on my bed,” she said in her middle-sized voice, “and pulled off the pillow.”

Then Baby Bear looked at his bed. There lay Goldilocks, with pink cheeks and golden hair spread across the pillow.

“Somebody has been lying in my bed,” squeaked Baby Bear joyfully, “and here she is!”

In her dreams, Goldilocks heard Father Bear’s great big voice and thought it was thunder rolling through the sky.

She heard Mother Bear’s middle-sized voice and thought it was wind blowing through the trees.

But Baby Bear’s little voice was so high and clear that it woke her at once.

Goldilocks opened her eyes. Three bears were standing around the bed, looking at her.

“Oh, my goodness!” cried Goldilocks.

She jumped out of bed and ran to the open window. Before the bears could stop her, out she climbed. Then she hurried home as fast as her feet could carry her.

Goldilocks never went near the forest again.

But dear little Baby Bear cried and cried, because he had hoped the golden-haired girl might stay and play with him.

The moral of the story is: we should respect other people's homes and belongings, and always ask permission first.