What are the origins of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

Answer by  fun243 (8)

It's originally attributed to poet Robert Southey in 1837 and was in a prose format. Soon after, a second writer (George Nichol) published a 2nd rhyming version of Southey's prose. Both basically had the same story of three bears and an old woman (later versions transform her into a young Goldilocks).

Answer by  kpini (26)

A woman named Eleanor Mure wrote a story for her nephew in 1831 about an old woman who intrudes into a bear family's home and samples their food.

Answer by  Lottadogs (1258)

The three bears story predates the Goldilocks character. The first known written version by Eleanor Mure was in 1831 (in oral stories the intruder was often a vixen fox) who used an old woman as the intruder. Joseph Cundall changed the intruder into a girl named 'Silver Hair'. Around 1868 she became 'Golden hair' and by 1904 she became Goldilocks.

Answer by  jennylongshot (279)

The Story of the Three Bears, as it was originally titled, was written by the English author Robert Southerby in 1837. Before that, it existed as a oral fable and rhyme, featuring a fox as an antagonist in early versions. Southerby's tale replaced the fox with an old woman, and Joseph Cundall turned her into a young girl - Goldilocks.

Answer by  Jlitting (55)

A long time ago, there was a German lord who had a daughter who was very curious. She had hair like spun gold. She went to the forest behind her house, and there saw a small bear. She told her father, who made up the story to scare her.