In a far-off country there was once a little girl, who was called Silver-Locks, because her curly hair shone so very brightly. But she was not so good as she was pretty, for she was a sad romp, and so restless that she could not be kept quiet at home, and would often run out when she was told not to do so. One day, she started off into a wood, to gather wild flowers and to chase butterflies. She ran here, and ran there, and went so far, at last, that she found herself in quite a lonely place, and there she saw a snug little house, in which three Bears lived; but they were not then at home. The door and the parlour window being open, Silver-Locks peeped in, and soon found the place was empty; so the saucy puss made up her mind to go in boldly, and look all about the place, little thinking what sort of folks lived there.

Now the three Bears had gone out to take a walk, a little while before this. The biggest of them was the Papa Bear, who had a very rough coat, and was named Mr. Bruin. The next Bear in size was his wife, called Mammy Muff, from her smooth skin; and the smallest of the three was their little darling, Tiny. Before going out, Mammy Muff put the nice soup she had made for dinner on a great chest in the parlour to cool; as they were very hungry, they meant to be back in a short time.

When Silverlocks went into the house, she soon found by the smell that something nice had been cooked. On going into the parlour, sure enough she saw there three jars smoking away: the first, a very large one, for Mr. Bruin; the next of middling size, for Mammy Muff; and the smallest of all was Tiny's jar; and in each of them was a wooden spoon. The little busy-body now went to work tasting the soup in each jar by turns; but she found that in the smallest jar was the nicest to her taste.

Silver-Locks was now in high glee, and thought to enjoy herself, hungry as she was, by eating up all the soup in the little jar. But she was too weary to be standing all the time, so she looked about for a seat. There were three chairs in the parlour, a very large one for Mr. Bruin, another of middling size for Mrs. B., and a nice little chair for Tiny. The little girl tried them all in turn; she found that the smallest suited her best, and down she sat, and began to eat her soup with great relish.

When Silver-Locks had nearly eaten up all poor Tiny's soup, she began to rock herself to and fro in his little chair: she had often been punished for this naughty trick, but without effect. While she was indulging this silly whim, out came the rush-bottom of the chair, and she and the soup jar rolled on the floor. But she did not mind this at all, thinking it was fine fun. She now thought she would go up stairs, and see all that was to be seen: and there we will leave her for the present.

When the three Bears came back, they found that some one had been there. “Who has been to my soup?” roared out Mr. Bruin. “And who has been to my soup?” said Mrs. B., with a low growl. Then poor Tiny cried, “Somebody has been to my soup, and has eaten it all up!” Then said the big Bear, fiercely, “Who has moved my chair about?” Mrs. B., too, said, “Who has moved my chair about?” Then Tiny cried pitifully, “Somebody has sat in my chair, and broken it in pieces!”

In the room up stairs there were three beds: the largest was Mr. Bruin's bed; the next was Mrs. B.'s; and the smallest of the three was Tiny's bed. Silver-Locks tried them all, but she found the little one the most comfortable; and as she was very sleepy, she crept into it, and fell fast asleep. The three Bears, thinking that somebody was in the house, came up stairs to look, and found their beds had been disturbed, and they all, in angry voices, asked who had dared to do it.

Silver-Locks did not hear the gruff voices of Mr. and Mrs. Bruin, but the sharp squeak of Master Tiny's voice aroused her from her slumber. “Somebody has disturbed my bed,” cried he; and in a moment after he added, “and here she is!” looking at the same time as fierce as a little Bear who had lost his dinner could do. The little girl was now almost frightened to death, especially when she saw at the other end of the room two larger Bears, in a terrible rage. Luckily for her, there was an open window close to Tiny's bed, and seeing this, she jumped out of bed in a moment, and then took a spring, and escaped out of window, falling on some soft grass below. The three Bears came to the open window, and stared wildly at her, so she soon got up, and ran as fast as she could, until she got safe home again. Here she was properly punished for her wilful behaviour, besides the great fright she suffered from the savage looks and angry growling of the Three Bears.