ONCE upon a time there were Three Bears,1 who lived together in a house of their own,2 in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear;3 and one was a Middle-sized Bear,4 and the other was a Great, Huge Bear.5 They each had a pot for their porridge,6 a little pot for the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and a middle-sized pot for the Middle Bear, and a great pot for the Great, Huge Bear. And they each had a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle Bear; and a great chair for the Great, Huge Bear. And they each had a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bed for the Middle Bear; and a great bed for the Great, Huge Bear.

One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge-pots, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths,7 by beginning too soon to eat it. And while they were walking, a little Girl named Goldilocks8 came to the house. She could not have been a good, honest little Girl;9 for first she looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch.10 The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them.11 So Goldilocks opened the door, and went in;12 and well pleased she was when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little Girl, she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good Bears — a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an impudent, bad little Girl, and set about helping herself.

So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hot for her;13 and she said a bad word about that.14 And then she tasted the porridge of the Middle Bear, and that was too cold for her; and she said a bad word about that, too. And then she went to the porridge of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that; and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right; and she liked it so well that she ate it all up:15 but then Goldilocks said a bad word about the little porridge-pot, because it did not hold enough for her.

Then Goldilocks sat down in the chair of the Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hard for her. And then she sat down in the chair of the Middle Bear, and that was too soft for her. And then she sat down in the chair of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither too hard, nor too soft, but just right. So she seated herself in it, and there she sat till the bottom of the chair came out, and down she came, plump upon the ground. And Goldilocks said a wicked word about that, too.

Then Goldilocks went upstairs into the bed-chamber in which the three Bears slept. And first she lay down upon the bed of the Great, Huge Bear; but that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay down upon the bed of the Middle Bear, and that was too high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither too high at the head nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay there till she fell fast asleep.16

By this time the Three Bears thought their porridge would be cool enough, so they came home to breakfast. Now Goldilocks had left the spoon of the Great, Huge Bear, standing in his porridge.

‘Somebody has been at my porridge!’17

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. And when the Middle Bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in it, too. They were wooden spoons; if they had been silver ones, Goldilocks would have put them in her pocket.18

‘Somebody has been at my porridge!’

said the Middle Bear in his middle voice.

Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and there was the spoon in the porridge-pot, but the porridge was all gone.

‘Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!’

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.

Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that someone had entered their house, and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee Bear’s breakfast, began to look about them. Now Goldilocks had not put the hard cushion straight when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge Bear.

‘Somebody has been sitting in my chair!’

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.

And Goldilocks had squatted down the soft cushion of the Middle Bear.

‘Somebody has been sitting in my chair!’

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.

And you know what Goldilocks had done to the third chair.

‘Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has sat the bottom out of it!’

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.

Then the three Bears thought it necessary that they should make further search; so they went upstairs into their bed-chamber.19 Now Goldilocks had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear out of its place.

‘Somebody has been lying in my bed!’

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.

And Goldilocks had pulled the bolster of the Middle Bear out of its place.

‘Somebody has been lying in my bed!’

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice.

And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at his bed, there was the bolster in its right place, and the pillow in its place upon the bolster; and upon the pillow was Goldilocks' ugly, dirty head — which was not in its place, for she had no business there.

‘Somebody has been lying in my bed — and here she is!’20

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.

Goldilocks had heard in her sleep the great, rough, gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was so fast asleep that it was no more to her than the roaring of wind or the rumbling of thunder. And she had heard the middle voice of the Middle Bear, but it was only as if she had heard someone speaking in a dream. But when she heard the little, small, wee voice of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, that it awakened her at once. Up she started; and when she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled herself out at the other, and ran to the window. Now the window was open, because the Bears, like good, tidy Bears as they were, always opened their bed-chamber window when they got up in the morning. Out Goldilocks jumped;21 and whether she broke her neck in the fall; or ran into the wood and was lost there; or found her way out of the wood, and was taken up by the constable and sent to the House of Correction for a vagrant as she was,22 I cannot tell. But the Three Bears never saw anything more of her.23

1. Three Bears: The three bears have shared various relationships as the story has evolved. In Southey's early version, the one we read here, the bears are not described as a traditional family of father, mother, and child. Although they share a home, they may not be related.

The Three Bears are the joint protagonist of the story. They are introduced and described in the story before Goldilocks arrives. Many versions of the story are simply titled The Three Bears, with no mention of Goldilocks. Over time, as Goldilocks has gained recognition with the story, her name has been included in the title. In these earliest versions, all three of the bears are male, referenced by masculine pronouns.
Return to place in story.

2. Who lived together in a house of their own: Note that these bears do not live in caves or any place normally associated with bears. From their first moment on the page, these bears are the epitome of civilized, human society. These bears live in a house, the symbol of community, not barbarism.
Return to place in story.

3. Little, Small, Wee Bear: Although Goldilocks (or one of her predecessors) is the only human in the story, the smallest bear often becomes the sympathetic protagonist for tellers, writers, illustrators, readers, and listeners of the story, especially children. As the three bears changed familial status through various retellings, the smallest bear became 'Baby Bear,' the child of the two bigger bears. Most often the baby bear is male, but sometimes it's gender is not designated. The youngest bear is rarely portrayed as female.
Return to place in story.

4. Middle-sized Bear: As the three bears transformed into a nuclear family through various retellings, the middle-sized bear acquired feminine traits and became the mother/wife in the family.
Return to place in story. #p#

5. Great, Huge Bear: As the three bears transformed into a nuclear family through various retellings, the largest bear acquired masculine traits and became the father/husband in the family.
Return to place in story.

6. Porridge: Porridge is a "soft food made by boiling oatmeal or other meal or legumes in water or milk until thick" (WordNet). Note that the bears are not introduced as carnivorous. The concept that they have cooked porridge for their meal, as well as the other clues of civilized behavior, lessens the anxiety over Goldilocks' welfare during the story.
Return to place in story.

7. They walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths: The bears while appearing civilized in their habitat, are also refined in their behavior. They do not plan to gulp their food or eat it before it is cool. Instead, they practice patience and decide to go for a walk while waiting for the proper time to eat their breakfast. The bears are polite and peaceful, at least until their home is wrecked by a trespasser.
Return to place in story.

8. A little Girl named Goldilocks: Goldilocks is not present in Southey's original version. The trespasser is a little old Woman instead. Goldilocks has actually enjoyed many incarnations and names.

Twelve years after Southey's story was first published in 1837, Joseph Cundall changed the old woman into a young girl named 'Silver Hair' in the version he published in his Treasury of Pleasure Books for Young Children (1849). He apparently felt there were too many stories with old women, and wanted to present a young girl in the story instead, perhaps for didactic reasons. Then in 1858 the character was dubbed 'Silver-Locks' in Aunt Mavor's Nursery Tales. Next she became 'Golden Hair' around 1868 in Aunt Friendly's Nursery Book. Finally, in Old Nursery Stories and Rhymes, illustrated by John Hassall (circa 1904), she became Goldilocks. The name has stuck and been used the most often ever since (Opie 1974, 199-200).

Another early version of the story is Scrapefoot, which features a fox by the title name and is well-known in England. Some scholars, such as Joseph Jacobs, suppose this may be the earliest variant with the old woman in Southey's version mistakenly replacing the fox/vixen through the simple confusion between the terms for a harridan, old woman, or she-fox. Perhaps we will never know which came first, the old woman or the fox. We are certain that Goldilocks is a much later and younger version of the character (Opie 1974, 199-200).
Return to place in story.

9. She could not have been a good, honest little Girl: The narrator's commentary on Goldilocks' integrity is not usually included in the story. I included these words from the original description of the old woman by Southey/Jacobs. James Marshall's picture book version of the tale is more judgmental of Goldilocks than most versions, portraying her unerringly as a selfish, rude child.
Return to place in story.

10. First she looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch: Goldilocks doesn't knock on the door first. She cases the joint and then enters when she determines no one is home. These are not the actions of someone planning to do good. These are the actions of someone far from innocent and inexperienced.
Return to place in story.

11. The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them: The Bears, through their innocence, become the classic victims of a home intruder. Since they are good, they trust the world at large and neglect locking their door.
Return to place in story.

12.  Opened the door, and went in: Some scholars have speculated that this tale of an intruder was adapted from Snow White's uninvited intrusion into the seven dwarfs' home in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Snow White was looking for refuge as she escaped with her life. Goldilocks doesn't appear to have a menacing backstory, only rude curiosity or perhaps homelessness.
Return to place in story.

13.  So first she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hot for her: Here begins one of the key literary devices which has contributed to this story's continued popularity and success. Goldilocks begins to test three sets of items in sets of three. She tries each of the three bears' porridge, chairs, and beds. Her discoveries and the pattern of discovery adds to the story's charm. Later, the bears will discover the intrusion in sets of three with their own similar but different responses.

The number and/or pattern of three often appears in fairy tales to provide rhythm and suspense. The pattern adds drama and suspense while making the story easy to remember and follow. The third event often signals a change and/or ending for the listener/reader. A third time also disallows coincidence such as two repetitive events would suggest.

The reasons and theories behind three's popularity are numerous and diverse. The number has been considered powerful across history in different cultures and religions, but not all of them. Christians have the Trinity, the Chinese have the Great Triad (man, heaven, earth), and the Buddhists have the Triple Jewel (Buddha, Dharma, Sanga). The Greeks had the Three Fates. Pythagoras considered three to be the perfect number because it represented everything: the beginning, middle, and end. Some cultures have different powerful numbers, often favoring seven, four and twelve.
Return to place in story.

14.  Said a bad word about that: I included these words from the original description of the old woman by Southey/Jacobs. Goldilocks usually doesn't use bad words, but just repeats the narration, saying for example: "This porridge is too hot!"
Return to place in story.

15.  But just right; and she liked it so well that she ate it all up: Note that the smallest bear suffers the most from Goldilocks' intrusion. She eats all his breakfast, breaks his chair, and sleeps in his bed. The other bears only suffer minor inconveniences in comparison. For this reason, the baby bear often becomes the protagonist of the story, the character that readers, especially children, relate to the best.
Return to place in story.

16.  She fell fast asleep: In this version of the story, Goldilocks falling asleep in a strange home gives her some sympathy. Either she is simply unrepentant or completely destitute. When we view her intrusion as that of a homeless or vagrant child without a home, food, bed or civilized training, her pathos, and consequently her sympathetic qualities, is heightened. Of course, she could just be a spoiled child who lives by the motto, "What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine!" The interpretation is up to the teller and the listener.
Return to place in story.

17.  Somebody has been at my porridge!: Southey used different fonts and text sizes to represent the three bears' voices. I have varied the text sizes respectively in honor of his creative publishing choices.
Return to place in story.

18.  They were wooden spoons; if they had been silver ones, Goldilocks would have put them in her pocket: I included these words from the original description of the old woman by Southey/Jacobs. Goldilocks, while a house breaker, home wrecker, and food stealer, is not described as an outright thief. The line does provide food for thought about Goldilocks' moral limits in the story, if any exist.
Return to place in story.

19. Their bed-chamber: Goldilocks' intrusion into the bedchamber is the ultimate tresspass in the story and consequently the last one to take place. Except for illness and other extenuating circumstances, guests are not usually invited into the bedrooms of homeowners. So far Goldilocks has intruded where a guest might be invited. Goldilocks' limitless audacity is illustrated by her outrageous entrance into the bedroom and testing of the beds.
Return to place in story.

20. And here she is!: Here we have the climax of the story. All of the story's events have been leading to this confrontation. What will happen? This simple story is a great tool for teaching about plot building and climaxes to students, young and old.
Return to place in story.

21.  Out Goldilocks jumped: In most traditional variants, Goldilocks jumps out the window and runs home, vowing to never trespass again. She learns her lesson, but restitution for her crimes is not described in the traditional versions.
Return to place in story.

22.  Taken up by the constable and sent to the House of Correction for a vagrant as she was: I included these words from the original description of the old woman by Southey/Jacobs. Goldilocks isn't usually threatened with prison or a halfway house, most likely because she is a little girl. However, many modern day authors and playrights have explored Goldilocks' illegal activities and their consequences. More than one play and short story has centered on the theme of Goldilocks' trial for breaking and entering. The theme is also popular for mock trials in law schools. To read more about these interptretations, visit the Modern Interpretations of Goldilocks and the Three Bears page.
Return to place in story.

23.  But the Three Bears never saw anything more of her: This story rarely ends with a "lived happily ever after" ending. The Bears have been the victims of breaking and entering as well as robbery. Goldilocks has survived and hopefully learned her lesson, but we usually aren't rooting for her anyway. Our best consolation is that the bears never see her again.

Many fractured versions of the tale involve Goldilocks apologizing for her antics either as a child, or even as an adult years after the event. Sometimes Goldilocks and the baby bear become friends. The modern variations and endings are numerous. To read more about these interptretations, visit the Modern Interpretations of Goldilocks and the Three Bears page.
Return to place in story.