History Literature / Goldilocks

* AnAesop: Respect the property of others, and don't take or use their stuff without their permission. [[FantasticAesop Especially if they're bears.]]

As with other fairy tales, we have seen Goldie and the bears get [[FracturedFairyTale fractured until they are shattered]]. Notable adaptations include ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunnyAndTheThreeBears'' and the {{Creator/Terrytoons}} [[WesternAnimation/TheThreeBears version]], the latter of which is notable for [[AdaptationalNationality making the bears Italian]], replacing the porridge with spaghetti, and giving us "[[MemeticMutation SOMEBODY TOUCHA MY SPAGHETT!]]". We've also seen her get added to the lineup of the ''VideoGame/DarkParables'', which makes her not only an adult, but an ActionGirl, and a supporting villain in ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'' where she's a terrorist for hire.[[note]]And a bearfucker[[/note]] There's also ''WesternAnimation/GoldieAndBear'', which takes place after the story, and depicts them as friends. The characters were used in the movie ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'', where the Bears are a [[CriminalFoundFamily loving crime family]], and adopted Goldilocks into their own as she was an orphan. She acts as the brains of the crime outfit, and Mama and Papa Bear refer to her as their daughter.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Baby Bear: "My X is ''just'' right!" Goldilocks uses the similar "This X is ''just'' right!”

Like many {{Fairy Tale}}s, this one has evolved over the years. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldilocks According to that other wiki]], the original tale was probably that of Scrapefoot the vixen (as in a fox), who was an unwelcome guest at the bears' castle (yes, you read right. ''Castle''). Robert Southey apparently heard this tale from an uncle and was the first to publish it. However, he accidentally thought it was the wrong kind of vixen, [[AdaptationSpeciesChange which got her changed into a mean old woman]] who, after not being invited around to the bears' place, [[CuriosityIsACrapshoot decides to go check it out for herself]]. She falls out the window and is never seen again. Goldilocks as we know her only turns up in Joseph Cundall's version 12 years later, and only to stop confusion with other old ladies in other fairy tales. Nor was she the only little girl; for a long time, she was dubbed ''Silverhair'' (and Creator/GeorgeMacDonald did a ShoutOut to the tale in ''The Golden Key'' by that title).

As with other fairy tales, we have seen Goldie and the bears get [[FracturedFairyTale fractured until they are shattered]]. Notable adaptations include ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunnyAndTheThreeBears'' and the {{Creator/Terrytoons}} [[WesternAnimation/TheThreeBears version]], the latter of which is notable for [[AdaptationalNationality making the bears Italian]], replacing the porridge with spaghetti, and giving us "[[MemeticMutation SOMEBODY TOUCHA MY SPAGHETT!]]". We've also seen her get added to the lineup of the ''VideoGame/DarkParables'', which makes her not only an adult, but an ActionGirl, and a supporting villain in ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'' where she's a terrorist for hire.[[note]]And a bearfucker[[/note]] There's also ''WesternAnimation/GoldieAndBear'', which takes place after the story, and depicts them as friends.

Like many {{Fairy Tale}}s, this one has evolved over the years. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldilocks According to that other wiki]], the original tale was probably that of Scrapefoot the vixen (as in a fox), who was an unwelcome guest at the bears' castle (yes, you read right. ''Castle''). Robert Southey apparently heard this tale from an uncle and was the first to publish it. However, he accidentally thought it was the wrong kind of vixen, [[AdaptationSpeciesChange which got her changed into a mean old woman]] who, after not being invited around to the bears' place, [[CuriosityIsACrapshoot decides to go check it out for herself]]. She falls out the window and is never seen again. Goldilocks as we know her only turns up in Joseph Cundall's version 12 years later and only to stop confusion with other old ladies in other fairy tales. Nor was she the only little girl; for a long time, she was dubbed ''Silverhair'' (and Creator/GeorgeMacDonald did a ShoutOut to the tale in ''The Golden Key'' by that title).

* AdaptationalVillainy: The bears are often depicted as the villains despite being heroes in the older versions. They are often depicted as bears who maul an idiotic child to death for breaking into their home. Other Versions have Goldilocks being saved from the bears.

* BearyFriendly: The bears are usually shown as a quiet and pleasant little family, just understandably annoyed at Goldilocks for messing with their things.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: In more recent tellings of the story, especially for children, the bears either scare Goldilocks away or [[AnAesop make her apologize for using their things without permission]]. In earlier versions of the story, they were... [[BearsAreBadNews not so nice]].

* {{Catchphrase}}: Baby Bear: "My X is ''just'' right!" Goldilocks uses the similar "This X is ''just'' right!"

* IdiotHero: In the earlier versions, Goldilocks deliberately broke into the house out of spite despite knowing the homeowners were a trio of bears. In recent versions, Goldilocks was reimagined as a [[AgeLift child]] who entered a (seemingly) abandoned home in the woods and simply didn't know the owners were bears. Still, it's not the best idea to do what she did.
* MeaningfulName: Goldilocks has locks of golden hair (or in older variants, Silverhair). Not to mention Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear.

* SleepingSingle: Implied — how else could Papa Bear's bed be too hard, but Mama Bear's too soft? (Of course, nowadays there are beds with adjustable hardnesses on each side, but still.) It should be noted that in the earliest versions of the story, the bears were not identified as a family unit, so them all sleeping in different beds made more sense. The relations between the three bears is still ambiguous in some languages where they are only known by their sizes such as the little bear, the middle bear and the big bear.

* VegetarianCarnivore: The bears are introduced cooking a meal of porridge. Technically bears are omnivorous, but literary scholars have pointed out the vegetarian meal serves the narrative function of helping young readers feel less worried that the bears will eat Goldilocks.

* VillainProtagonist: Usually downplayed. Goldilocks is a home intruder who spends most of the story actively committing unlawful entry, theft and vandalism of private property, but depending on the version, it could be down to naivete or childish naughtiness rather than true maliciousness. In the earliest versions, she was a mean lady who did everything out of spite.

* AnAesop: Usually along the lines of "Don't break into people's houses and use their things without permission." [[FantasticAesop Especially if they're talking bears.]]

* BearsAreBadNews: For Goldilocks, anyway. Though, she brought it upon herself by breaking into their house.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Baby Bear: "My X is ''just'' right!"
** Also with Goldilocks: "This X is ''just'' right!"

* FairyTale

* HeroAntagonist: The three bears in multiple versions, as well as multiple adaptions. In the older versions, they were [[HeroProtagonist very good-natured and heroic.]]

* SchmuckBanquet: Three bowls of freshly-cooked porridge just sitting there unattended? Eh, what could go wrong? (An UnbuiltTrope in this story, because the meal wasn't specifically set there to lure passing humans; Goldilocks was just greedy.)
** In one WesternAnimation/BugsBunny story, the bears ''did'' intend to lure someone. Bugs becomes their victim because Mama Bear made carrot soup instead of porridge.

%% * SurvivalistStash

* SchmuckBanquet: Three bowls of freshly-cooked porridge just sitting there unattended? [[WhatAnIdiot Eh, what could go wrong]]? (An UnbuiltTrope in this story, because the meal wasn't specifically set there to lure passing humans; Goldilocks was just greedy.)

* TooDumbToLive: Hey, look, a mysterious unlocked house in the middle of the creepy woods. Lets go inside!

* {{Bowdlerize}}: In more recent tellings of the story, especially for children, the bears either scare Goldilocks away or [[AnAesop make her apologize for using their things without permission]]. In earlier versions of the story, they were... [[BearsAreBadNews not so nice]].

* CatchPhrase: Baby Bear: "My X is ''just'' right!"
** Also with Goldilocks: “This X is ''just'' right!”

* MeaningfulName: Goldilocks has locks of golden hair. (Or in older variants, Silverhair.) Not to mention Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear.

* AnAesop: Usually along the lines of "Don't break into people's houses and use their things without permission." [[FantasticAesop Especially if they're talking bears.]]

OnceUponATime, there was a little girl called Goldilocks whose hair was the color of gold. One day, she took a walk in the woods and came to a house where three bears lived - a papa bear, a mama bear and a baby bear. The bears weren't home, but they'd left their door unlocked, and so Goldilocks came in.

There were three bowls of porridge she tasted. Papa Bear's was too hot, Mama Bear's was too cold, but Baby Bear's was just right. Goldie ate Baby Bear's food, for she was hungry. Then there were three chairs she tested. Papa Bear's was too hard, Mama Bear's was too soft, but Baby Bear's was just right — or it would've been if it hadn't broken under her.

Then there were three beds she tested. Papa Bear's was too hard, Mama Bear's was too soft, but Baby Bear's was just right, and she fell asleep there.

Then the bears came home. They saw the evidence of the break-in, the eating of porridge, the sitting in chairs, the sleeping in beds. Goldilocks didn't wake up until they got there, so you can guess how it ends.

* KarmaHoudini: Goldilocks does manage to get away in some variants. Dahl explicitly mentioned this. Though it is just a little girl who got lost in the woods and thoughtlessly used some of their accommodations so perhaps this trope is a little harsh. This trope is also averted in some earlier versions from this story, where the bears actually ''ate'' her.

* KarmaHoudini: Goldilocks does manage to get away in some variants. Dahl explicitly mentioned this. Though it is just a little girl who got lost in the woods and thoughtlessly used some of their accommodations so perhaps this trope is a little harsh.

[[caption-width-right:300:Not as creepy as the burger king, but still...]] A classic folktale.