But the wee wre sear Soon saw that the seat of
his chair was sat through, so he whimpered out—
‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR AND HAS SAT
THE BOTTOM THROUGH!’

Then the three bears thought it requisite to make
further search, and they walked upstairs, ‘majores
priores,’ as the classic Romans would have said,
that is to say, biggest first. Now when the
GREAT BIG BEAR came to his bed he saw that
the pillow had been pushed on one side, so he
boohed out—

‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN IN MY BED!’

and the MIDDLE-SIZED BEAR saw that the pillow
in his had been pushed up into one lump. So he
said—

‘SOMEBODY HAS BEEN IN MY BED!’

But the wee wes Bear Standing by his bed was so
astonished that at first he could say nothing at all.
At last he piped out—

Roto ee HAS BEEN IN MY BED AND IS LYING IN IT

The little maid had heard the bellowing of the
GREAT BIG BEAR, but had been so fast asleep
that the sound had not woke her; and she had
heard the middle voice of the MIDDLE-SIZED BEAR,
and that also had not woke her, she was so very
sleepy ; but when she heard the sharp little squeaky
voice of the wee wee BEar, she jumped up at once,
and there she saw the three bears before her,
glowering at her as if they wanted to eat her,
and licking their lips, and stretching out their
claws.

She was a little miss of a ready wit; so she turned
to the first and made a profound CURTSY down
to the very ground, and said with the greatest
deference—

‘MISTER BEAR, I pray you FORBEAR!’
197

THE
THREE
BEARS