Once upon a time three bears lived in a nice little house in a great
forest.
There was the Father Bear, the Mother Bear, and the Baby Bear.
They had each a bed to sleep in, a chair to sit on, and a basin and
spoon for eating milk or honey, which was their favourite food.
One morning the three bears resolved on taking a walk before breakfast;
but before they went out, they poured their warm milk into their basins,
that it might get cool by the time they came back.
[Illustration: THE BEARS AT BREAKFAST.]
When the milk was poured out, the three bears set out for a walk.
[Illustration: THE BEARS OUT FOR A WALK.]
Mr. and Mrs. Bear walked arm-in-arm, and Baby ran by their side.
"WHAT A FINE DAY IT IS!" growled Mr. Bear.
"WHAT A FINE DAY IT IS!" said Mrs. Bear.
"What a fine day!" squeaked little Bear.
And so it was.
The sun shone brightly though it was low in the sky, and its rays
glittered on the fine webs on the grass. The leaves shivered in the soft
breeze; the wood-pigeon cooed; the lark sang loud enough to make himself
hoarse; the sparrows chirped; the bee buzzed, and a yellow butterfly
perched on great Bear's nose.
"What a squeaky noise these creatures make!" said big Bear, as he
brushed off the butterfly. "What a pity it is they have not _our_ deep
voices."
"Yes," said Mrs. Bear; "you have a much finer voice than the lark. I
should like to hear him growl as you do."
"Oh, my dear, you are too kind; my growl is nothing to the lion's."
And thus conversing, the bears walked on.
Now there lived in the same forest a sweet little girl, who was called
Golden Hair. She was the Woodman's daughter, and her hair looked just
like sunbeams. She knew every tree in the greenwood, and every flower in
it. She loved the birds, and liked to listen to their song; and
everything in the wood loved Golden Hair. The trees bent down their
lower branches to touch her glittering head as she passed; the birds
sang sweeter as she glided by. The lark's song in the sky was--
"Come up, come up, Golden Hair; here is your happy home."
"Coo, I love you; coo, I love you!" cooed the wood-pigeon, as she
passed.
"Twit, twit, pretty child," said the sparrow.
"Oh, you darling," sang the blackbird; and Golden Hair laughed with
glee, for she liked to be loved.
[Illustration: LITTLE GOLDEN HAIR.]
As to the butterflies, they flew after her, and rested on her hair, and
tickled her cheeks; but she never tried to catch them.
[Illustration: GOLDEN HAIR PEEPING INTO THE BEARS' HOUSE.] She would
not frighten or vex them for anything. She loved all the creatures, and
that is why they loved her.
Love makes love.
Dear little Golden Hair, she went on singing merrily through the
greenwood, saying sometimes to herself--
"I wish I could sing as well as the lark!"
By-and-by Little Golden Hair reached the Bears' house. She had never
seen it before, and she wondered who lived there. A window was open, and
Golden Hair peeped in.
"Dear me," thought the child, "whose house can it be! There is a table
and three chairs, and three basins of hot milk, all steaming, and nobody
to drink it. But I don't see any work or books, or anything else. I
think I will go in and see who lives here."