It was a warm spring morning, and Goldilocks decided it was a fine day for a walk in the woods. Over the hill, through the stream, and around the bend she went, and there it was. A house. Goldilocks had never been this way before, and she had no idea who lived there. She couldn’t help being curious, and she crept to the window. All was quiet. There seemed to be nobody home.

A smell of porridge wafted to the window. The bowls were still on the kitchen table. Goldilocks loved porridge. She knew that she shouldn’t eat other people’s food, but she let temptation get the best of her. She walked to the front door and tried the doorknob, and it opened right up. 

Goldilocks sat at the end of the table, where the largest bowl of porridge was. The placemat said “Papa Bear.” She picked up the spoon and tasted the porridge. “Yikes,” she said. “This porridge is hot.” But the next place over was Mama Bear’s. She sat in Mama Bear’s spot and tasted her porridge next. “Brrrrr,” she said. “This porridge is too cold.” She was almost ready to leave, but then she spotted Baby Bear’s place at the end of the table. She took his tiny little spoon and tried a bit from Baby Bear’s tiny bowl. “Mmmmm,” said Goldilocks. “This porridge is just right.” And she finished the entire bowl.

Goldilocks decided that she would like to sit down for a bit. All of that walking through the woods had made her tired. She walked into the living room and found the large wooden chair that Papa Bear sat in each night. She crawled up into the seat, but it wasn’t very comfortable for a small girl. “This chair is too hard,” she said, and she looked around for Mama Bear’s chair. Sure enough, there was a slightly smaller chair with nice fluffy pillows. She sat in that chair next, but she felt as if she would sink in forever. “This chair is too soft,” Goldilocks said. But then she spotted Baby Bear’s chair. It looked more her size, and it had just one little cushion. She sat in Baby Bear’s chair, and said “This chair is just right.” And it was, until it broke, sending Goldilocks crashing to the floor.

Now Goldilocks was still tired, and a little sore besides. She really wanted a nap, and she found the bears’ beds. First she tried Papa Bear’s giant bed. It was hard to climb into such a large bed, and when she did, it just seemed too big. “This bed is too big,” she said. She would have to fall asleep somewhere else. Maybe Mama Bear’s bed would be better. But Mama Bear’s bed barely had enough room for a bear with all the ruffles and frills. “This bed is too small,” she said after crawling in. But once again, maybe Baby Bear’s bed would be better. It looked just the right size, and she climbed in and laid her head on the pillow. “This bed is just right,” she said. In fact, it was so comfortable that she went right to sleep, and she didn’t even notice when the bears came home.

As the bears came in, Papa Bear glanced down at his bowl. “I think someone ate a bit of my porridge,” he said. Puzzled, Mama Bear looked at her porridge too. “I think someone’s been eating my porridge,” she said. Then Baby Bear looked at his porridge. “I know someone’s been eating my porridge,” he said. “And it’s all gone!”

While Mama Bear consoled Baby Bear over his missing porridge, Papa Bear strolled into the living room. “I think someone’s been sitting in my chair,” announced Papa Bear. Now Mama Bear couldn’t help but wonder about her chair too, and she saw where the cushions had been dented. “Someone’s been sitting in my chair too,” she said. Then Baby Bear noticed the pieces of his chair. “Someone’s been sitting in my chair too,” he cried, “and now it’s broken.” 

Then the bears went to the bedroom. Papa Bear noticed that his bed wasn’t made quite so neatly as when he left it. “I think someone’s been sleeping in my bed,” he said, still slightly puzzled at the whole affair. Then Mama Bear looked at her bed, and hers wasn’t made up quite right either. “Someone’s been sleeping in my bed too.” Baby Bear looked at his bed next. His bed wasn’t just a bit unmade. It had a big lump the size of a little girl under the covers. “Somebody’s been sleeping in my bed too,” he exclaimed. “And she’s still here.”

Goldilocks had managed to sleep through the rest of the commotion since the bears came home, but Baby Bear’s shouts awakened her. She saw Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear looking down at her, and she bolted out of bed and ran home as fast as she could. Being good natured bears, they didn’t bother to chase her. They just went back to fixing more porridge, repairing Baby Bear’s chair, and making their beds. But Goldilocks learned a valuable lesson. The next time she wanted porridge, she would just ask politely and not get into any more mischief.