Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time there were three Bears, who lived together in a house of their own, in a wood. One of them was a Little Wee Bear, and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great Big Bear. They had each a bowl for their porridge; a little bowl for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bowl for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bowl for the Great Big Bear. And they had each a chair to sit in; a little chair for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great chair for the Great Big Bear. And they had each a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the Little Wee Bear; and a middle-sized bed for the Middle-sized Bear; and a great bed for the Great Big Bear.

ゴルディロックスと三びきのくま

One day, after they had made the porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge-bowls, they walked out into the wood while the porridge was cooling, that they might not burn their mouths by beginning too soon, for they were polite, well-brought-up Bears. And while they were away a little girl called Goldilocks, who lived at the other side of the wood and had been sent on an errand by her mother, passed by the house, and looked in at the window. And then she peeped in at the keyhole, for she was not at all a well-brought-up little girl. Then seeing nobody in the house she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that anybody would harm them. So Goldilocks opened the door and went in; and well pleased was she when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a well-brought-up little girl she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good Bears--a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good-natured and hospitable. But she was an impudent, rude little girl, and so she set about helping herself.

むかしむかし、森の中の自分たちの家に、いっしょに暮らす三びきのくまがいた。一ぴきは小さな子ぐま、もう一ぴきは中くらいのくま、そしてもう一ぴきは大きな大きな大ぐまだった。みんなおかゆを食べる自分のおわんを持っていた。小さな子ぐまには小さなおわん。中くらいのくまには中くらいのおわん。そして大きな大きな大ぐまには大きな大わんがあった。また、みんな座るための自分のいすを持っていた。小さな子ぐまには小さな小さないす。中くらいのくまには中くらいのいす。そして大きな大きな大ぐまには大きな大きないすがあった。さらに、みんな眠るための自分のベッドを持っていた。小さな子ぐまには小さな小さなベッド。中くらいのくまには中くらいのベッド。そして大きな大きな大ぐまには大きな大きなベッドがあった。

First she tasted the porridge of the Great Big Bear, and that was too hot for her. Next she tasted the porridge of the Middle-sized Bear, but that was too cold for her. And then she went to the porridge of the Little Wee Bear, and tasted it, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and she liked it so well that she ate it all up, every bit!

ある日のこと、朝ごはんのおかゆを作っておわんによそったあと、くまたちはおかゆを冷ますあいだ森へ散歩に出かけた。早く食べはじめて口をやけどしないためだった。くまたちは礼儀正しく、きちんと育てられたくまだったからだ。くまたちが留守のあいだに、ゴルディロックスという名の小さな女の子が家の前を通りかかった。森の反対側に住んでいて、母親にお使いをたのまれていたのだ。彼女は窓からのぞきこんだ。それから、鍵穴からも中をのぞいた。彼女はちっとも行儀よく育てられた子ではなかったからだ。家の中にだれもいないのを見ると、彼女は掛け金をもち上げた。ドアには鍵がかかっていなかった。くまたちは善良なくまで、だれにも害をあたえず、だれかが自分たちに害をあたえるなど疑いもしなかったからだ。そこでゴルディロックスはドアを開けて中に入った。そしてテーブルの上のおかゆを見ると、とてもよろこんだ。もし行儀のよい女の子だったなら、くまたちが帰ってくるまで待っただろう。そうすれば、くまたちは彼女を朝ごはんにさそったかもしれない。くまたちはよいクマだった。クマのならいとして少し荒っぽいところはあったが、それでもとても気だてがよく、親切だったからだ。しかし彼女は生意気でぶしつけな女の子だったので、さっそく勝手に食べはじめた。