bowl for their porridge; a little bowl for the Little Wee Bear; and a
middle-sized bowl for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bowl for the
Great Big Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for
the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle-sized Bear;
and a great chair for the Great Big Bear. And they had each a bed to
sleep in; a little bed for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bed
for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bed for the Great Big Bear.

One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and
poured it into their porridge-bowls, they walked out into the wood while
the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths by
beginning too soon, for they were polite, well-brought-up Bears. And
while they were away a little girl called Goldilocks, who lived at the
other side of the wood and had been sent on an errand by her mother,
passed by the house, and looked in at the window. And then she peeped in
at the keyhole, for she was not at all a well-brought-up little girl.
Then seeing nobody in the house she lifted the latch. The door was not
fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm,
and never suspected that anybody would harm them. So Goldilocks opened
the door and went in; and well pleased was she when she saw the porridge
on the table. If she had been a well-brought-up 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, rude little girl, and so she set
about helping herself.

First she tasted the porridge of the Great Big Bear, and that was too
hot for her. Next she tasted the porridge of the Middle-sized Bear, but
that was too cold for her. And then she went to the porridge of the