In a pinewood where fallen needles made a springy brown carpet, there stood a small house with a smoke-stained chimney. It belonged to three bears: Papa Bear, with a voice like a drum; Mama Bear, with a voice like steady rain; and Baby Bear, with a small voice that could still hold its ground.
One morning, they cooked porridge in an iron pot and set three bowls upon the table: a great bowl, a middle bowl, and a little bowl with a chip on its rim. Steam lifted from the porridge in thin white ribbons, and the bears decided to walk among the trees while their breakfast cooled.
Not long after, a girl with golden hair wandered between the trunks, brushing fern tips with her skirt. Her hair shone like wheat in the sun, earning her the name Goldilocks. The forest was bright, yet lonely, as if the birds were too busy with their own affairs to notice her. When she saw the small house, she stepped nearer and listened.
When no one answered her knock, she tried the latch. It was not fastened. Goldilocks pushed the door, and it opened with a little sigh, as if the hinges were exhaling. She stepped inside on careful feet and found the table set for three, with three spoons laid beside three bowls.
First, she tasted the porridge in the great bowl. It was too hot, and she drew back, fanning her mouth with one hand. Next, she tasted the porridge in …
6 chapters
