She points out that the story is often presented today as one about what is "just right" for oneself. It warns children about the dangers of wandering off into unknown places. In The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales (2002), Harvard professor Maria Tatar writes that the story is sometimes regarded as a cautionary tale. Illustration from Childhood's Favorites and Fairy Stories All mention of the human "bottom" was wiped out. In versions of the story from the Victorian Era, Southey's "here she sate till the bottom of the chair came out, and down came her's, plump upon the ground" was changed to read "and down she came" instead. What was once a scary little story about a nosy, ugly old woman and three male bears became a cozy little story about a nosy, pretty little girl and a family of bears. In time, the three male bears of Southey's original became Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear. She finally became Goldilocks sometime in the early 20th century. She was known over the years as Silverhair, Silverlocks, Goldenlocks, and other names. Once the little girl entered the story, she stayed there. Cundall made this change because there were many children's books about old women at the time. Goldilocks Ībout 12 years after Southey's story was published, writer Joseph Cundall changed the old woman into a little girl in his book Treasury of Pleasure Books for Young Children. This story has a fox (not a human) as the intruder in the bears' house. A story called "Scrapefoot" may be the original for "The Three Bears". Charles Dickens included a story about goblins in his 1865 novel Our Mutual Friend that also resembles "The Three Bears". Some think the story of the three bears resembles parts of " Snow White", or a story from Norway about a princess and three princes dressed in bear skins. Nicol's version was published in 1841 with illustrations. He thought it would bring the story more attention from children. Southey wrote on 3 July 1837 that he had received Nicol's version. The same year Southey published the story, a rhyming version was written by William Nicol. The two versions differ only in some small details: Southey's bears have porridge, for example, while Mure's bears have milk. In both Southey's and Mure's versions, the character who enters the bears' house is an ugly old woman. In 1831, a lady named Eleanor Mure wrote the story in rhyming verse for her nephew's fourth birthday. Īn illustration from More English Fairy Tales (1894) shows Scrapefoot (a fox) falling from a window.Ī very similar version of the story predates Southey's published one of 1837. He had been telling it to family and friends since 1813. Southey had known the story for a long time before he published it. ![]() It is unknown where or how his uncle learned the story. It was this version that was probably the basis for the story Southey included in The Doctor. Southey probably heard a version of the story as a boy from his uncle William Tyler. It was published in 1837 his 4-volume collection of essays and stories called The Doctor. "The Story of the Three Bears" was written by English writer Robert Southey. She wakes, sees the bears, jumps out the window, and fall to her death-never to be seen again. The bears come home, and discover the old woman asleep. She eats the little bear's porridge, breaks his little chair, and falls asleep in his little bed. A little old woman-"an impudent, bad old Woman"-enters the house during the bears' absence. One morning, they take a walk in the woods while their porridge cools. They each have a porridge pot, a chair, and a bed. and a Great, Huge Bear"- live in a house in the woods. Three male bears-"a Little, Small, Wee Bear. ![]() It has been adapted to animated movies, a live action movie, and a short opera. The story supports several interpretations. The old woman became a little girl called Goldilocks. In time, the three bachelor bears became Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear. She eats their food, breaks a chair, and sleeps in a bed. Southey's story is about an ugly old woman who enters the house of three bachelor bears during their absence. It was written by Robert Southey and first published in 1837 in a collection of his essays and stories. " The Story of the Three Bears" is a literary fairy tale.
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