She went into the parlour, and there were three chairs.  She tried the biggest chair, which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too high; then she tried the middle-sized chair, which belonged to the Middle-sized Bear, and she found it too broad; then she tried the little chair, which belonged to the Little Bear, and found it just right, but she sat in it so hard that she broke it.

Now Silver-hair was by this time very tired, and she went upstairs to the chamber, and there she found three beds.  She tried the largest bed, which belonged to the Big Bear, and found it too soft; then she tried the middle-sized bed, which belonged to the Middle-sized Bear, and she found it too hard; then she tried the smallest bed, which belonged to the Little Bear, and found it just right, so she lay down upon it, and fell fast asleep.

While Silver-hair was lying fast asleep, the three bears came home from their walk.  They came into the kitchen, to get their porridge, but when the Big Bear went to his, he growled out: 

“Somebody has been tasting my porridge!”

and the Middle-sized Bear looked into his bowl, and said: 

“Somebody Has Been Tasting My Porridge!”

and the Little Bear piped: 

“Somebody has tasted my porridge and eaten it all up!”

Then they went into the parlour, and the Big Bear growled: 

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair!”

and the Middle-sized Bear said: 

“Somebody Has Been Sitting In My Chair!”

and the Little Bear piped: 

“Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has broken it all to pieces!”

So they went upstairs into the chamber, and the Big Bear growled: 

“Somebody has been tumbling my bed!”

and the Middle-sized Bear said: 

“Somebody Has Been Tumbling My Bed!”

and the little Bear piped: 

“Somebody has been tumbling my bed, and here she is!”

At that, Silver-hair woke in a fright, and jumped out of the window and ran away as fast as her legs could carry her, and never went near the Three Bears’ snug little house again.

CHAPTER XXI

THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA

There was once a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she was to be a real princess.  So he travelled about, all through the world, to find a real one, but everywhere there was something in the way.  There were princesses enough, but whether they were real princesses he could not quite make out:  there was always something that did not seem quite right.  So he came home again, and was quite sad:  for he wished so much to have a real princess.  One evening a terrible storm came on.  It lightened and thundered, the rain streamed down; it was quite fearful!  Then there was a knocking at the town gate, and the old king went out to open it.