Today I want to share a familiar story called "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."
This isn't some sci-fi blockbuster, nor is it about someone fighting monsters; it's simply an ordinary story set in the woods.
But don't underestimate it. Although it's short, it holds many lessons we often overlook.
The Morning of the Three Bears
In a quiet forest, there was a small wooden house.
In the house lived a family of three—Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and their little cub, Baby Bear.
That morning, Mama Bear cooked a pot of hot oatmeal porridge.
She divided it into three bowls:
- The largest bowl for Papa Bear,
- A medium bowl for herself,
- The smallest bowl for Baby Bear.
However, the freshly cooked porridge was too hot for anyone to eat.
Father Bear took a bite and immediately spat it out: "Ouch! It's so hot!"
Mother Bear blew on the food and said, "Wait a minute before eating."
Baby Bear said, "Then let's go for a walk and eat when we come back."
The three bears thought this was a good idea, so they locked the door and went for a walk together.
Goldilocks Arrives
As soon as they left, a little girl emerged from the forest.
She had long golden hair and a bounding, bouncy way about. Everyone called her "Goldilocks."
As she walked, she saw the little cabin and thought it was adorable.
She knocked on the door, but no one answered.
She leaned over the window and peeked in, but saw no one either.
She thought, "There's no one inside, so it's probably okay for me to go in and take a look, right?"
But without giving it much thought, she pushed the door open and walked in.
You see, this is where the problem begins—she didn't ask if she could come in, and she didn't wait for the owner's permission.
What did she do?
As she entered, she was greeted by a fragrant aroma. It turned out to be three bowls of porridge on the table.
She was a little hungry, and the sight of food made her unable to move.
She picked up a spoon and began to taste.
She started with Father Bear's large bowl, but—"Wow! It's so hot!"—her tongue felt like it was burning.
Then she tried Mother Bear's medium bowl, but it was cold and unpalatable.
Finally, she tried Baby Bear's small bowl; it was just the right temperature and tasted good.
The more she drank, the more delicious it became, and she finished the whole bowl in one gulp.
After finishing the porridge, she felt tired and wanted to sit down and rest.
There were three chairs in the living room: a large, a medium, and a small.
She first sat on the large chair, but it was too hard and uncomfortable.
The medium one was too soft, and she couldn't get up.
Finally, the small chair was just right, with just the right amount of firmness and softness.
But just as she settled down, there was a "crack"—the chair broke! The wood scattered all over the floor.
She was startled, but didn't think too much of it and continued upstairs.
The bedroom had three beds: two large and one small.
She tried the large bed first, but it was too wide and uncomfortable.
The medium bed, still uncomfortable.
Finally, she lay down on the small bed—wow, it was so comfortable! Soft and warm.
She fell asleep the moment she lay down, and slept soundly.
The Bear Family Returns
Just then, the three bears returned from their walk.
As soon as they entered the room, they sensed something was wrong.
Papa Bear looked at the table: "Where's my porridge? It's gone!"
Mother Bear also noticed: "My porridge was moved, too."
Baby Bear was the most heartbroken: "My porridge... was all gone! I didn't even get a single bite."
They walked into the living room, and the chairs were also moved.
Papa Bear's chair was tilted, Mother Bear's chair was also messed up, and
Baby Bear's chair? It was a pile of splinters.
Father Bear was a little nervous: "Be careful, there might be someone upstairs!"
They quietly walked upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door—
Ouch! A little girl was lying in Baby Bear's crib, sound asleep.
The three bears shouted in unison: "Who are you? Why are you in our house?"
Goldilocks woke with a start, opened her eyes, and saw the three bears standing before her!
Frightened, she jumped out the window without even putting on her shoes, fell into the bushes, and ran home, never to return.
What did everyone think afterward?
The three bears looked at the messy house, feeling a little helpless.
Mother Bear said: "Next time we go out, we must remember to lock the door."
Father Bear nodded: "Yes, we can't let strangers in."
Baby Bear said aggrievedly: "Well... can I have something to eat? I'm starving."
Then they remembered they hadn't had breakfast yet, so they shared the remaining two bowls of porridge.
And Goldilocks?
From then on, she became very well behaved. She understood: You can't just enter someone else's house, eat someone else's food, sit on someone else's chair, or sleep in someone else's bed.
She made a mistake, but she learned to correct it.
What's the real point of this story?
Many people think it's just a fairy tale for children.
But in reality, it addresses issues we face every day.
1. Can you just walk into someone's house when they're not there?
Goldilocks saw that no one was inside, so she went in.
But she forgot: the house belongs to someone else, not the public.
Just like when you visit a friend's house, even if they're not there, you can't just open the door and go in, right?
2. Can you just use something someone else has prepared?
Those three bowls of porridge were cooked by the bear family themselves; they were their breakfast.
Goldilocks ate Baby Bear's porridge and broke the chair. This is using someone else's property and being irresponsible.https://fairytales.cc/goldilocks-and-the-three-bears/
If you worked hard to cook a bowl of noodles, and just as you walked away, someone else devoured it, would you be happy?
3. Thinking "It's OK" is actually a big deal
Goldilocks might have thought, "I'll just go in and take a look. It won't hurt."
But she didn't realize her behavior would anger the three bears and sadden the baby bears.
Sometimes, we do things simply for our own convenience, without considering how others might be affected.
What Can We Learn?
This story may be simple, but it teaches us something important.
1. Respecting others means respecting yourself.
Treat others as you would like others to treat you.
If you don't want others to rummage through your bag, drink your water, or break your chair, then don't do the same to them.
2. Consider the consequences before you act.
Goldilocks was hungry and wanted to eat. That's normal.
But she didn't think, "Will this cause trouble for others?"
If she had stopped and thought for a second, she might not have gone into the house.
We all make mistakes, but it's important to learn to think before we act.
3. Don't touch other people's things without permission.
This is the most basic rule.
Whether it's food, furniture, or even a house, if it's someone else's, always ask, "Can I...?"
A simple question like, "Can I have a little?" or "Can I sit down for a moment?" can prevent many misunderstandings.
4. Everyone needs their own space.
The three bears had their own home and their own routines.
Goldilocks' sudden arrival disrupted their routine.
We all need a place to ourselves and don't want to be disturbed.
Therefore, respecting others' privacy is also a form of courtesy.
5. It's okay to make mistakes; they can be corrected.
Goldilocks made a mistake at first, but she eventually understood the problem and changed her bad habits. This proves that growth begins with making mistakes.
The important thing is not to repeat the same mistakes.
Finally, a heartfelt word
This story has been told for so many years not because it's brilliant, but because it teaches a fundamental principle about being a human being.
We live in a society, not on an island.
We interact with others every day: classmates, friends, neighbors, teachers.
If you can remember:
- Don't touch other people's things;
- Knock before entering someone's home;
- Ask before using someone else's things,
then you'll become a likable and trustworthy person.
The next time you see an unattended bicycle, a drink on a table, or a room with an open door,
Ask yourself:
"Can I use it? Can I go in?"
If you're unsure, stop and ask.
As the story goes:Not everything that appears "unattended" is truly free to use.
I hope we can all be like Goldilocks, making mistakes but willing to correct them, and ultimately becoming good people with good manners and good manners.