Part 6 (2/2)

There was a fire, which made the room cheerful, and the hot milk looked very inviting; it quite seemed to say, ”Come and have some breakfast;”

and the early spring air had made Golden Hair rather cold, and very hungry; so she sat down by the fire in the little Bear's chair. It was too small for her, but she did not quite sit down at first. In a moment she got up again, and went round the table and tasted the milk in all the basins. Little Bear's was the nicest, because it had sugar in it, and Golden Hair thought it was good. So she took the basin and sat down again in Little Bear's chair, took his spoon, and ate up _all_ his milk.

Now this was very wrong. A tiny bear is only a tiny bear; still, he has a right to keep his own things. But Golden Hair did not know any better.

Unluckily, Baby Bear's chair was, as we have said, too small for her; she broke the seat and fell through, basin and all.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GOLDEN HAIR EATS THE LITTLE BEAR'S BREAKFAST.]

Then Golden Hair went upstairs, and there she saw three beds all in a row. Golden Hair lay down on Father Bear's bed first, but that was too long for her; then she lay down on Mother Bear's bed, and that was too wide for her; last of all she lay down on Baby Bear's bed, and there she fell asleep, for she was tired.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LITTLE BEAR GRIEVES FOR HIS BROKEN CHAIR.]

By-and-by the bears came home. Baby Bear saw that his chair was broken and thrown down, and he cried in a very squeaky voice,

”SOMEBODY HAS BEEN HERE;” and Father Bear growled,

”SOMEBODY HAS BEEN HERE;”

And Mother Bear growled, more softly,

”SOMEBODY HAS BEEN HERE.”

Then they went to the table and looked at their breakfasts, and Father Bear growled, ”WHO HAS TOUCHED MY BASIN?”

And Mother Bear growled, ”WHO HAS TOUCHED MY BASIN?”

And Tiny Bear squeaked, ”SOMEBODY HAS BROKEN MINE!”

And then Tiny Bear began to cry, for he was very fond of his own basin and his own chair; and, besides, he was very hungry after his long walk in the forest.

It really did seem a shame. Then the three bears thought they would go over their house, to see who had been in it, and to try if they could find the thief.

They went upstairs to their bedroom, which was over their other room, and as soon as they saw the tumbled beds Father Bear growled,

”WHO HAS BEEN LYING ON MY BED?”

And Mother Bear growled

”WHO HAS BEEN LYING ON MY BED?”

And Tiny Bear squeaked out,

”Oh! here is a little girl in my bed; and it must be she who has eaten my breakfast and broken my chair.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BEARS FIND GOLDEN HAIR IN LITTLE BEAR'S BED.]

Then Father Bear growled,

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